One important correction to what others have said: When you file at 62 for ex-spousal benefits, you'll receive approximately 32.5% of your ex's PIA (not 35%). This is because spousal/ex-spousal benefits at 62 are reduced by 35% from the full 50% you'd receive at your FRA. I'd recommend creating a my Social Security account online if you haven't already. There you can see your estimated retirement benefit. Then call SSA to find out what your ex-spousal benefit would be. Compare both reduced amounts at 62 and both full amounts at your FRA to make an informed decision.

As someone who went through this process recently, I'd strongly recommend getting both benefit estimates before making any decisions. The "breakeven" analysis is crucial - you need to know at what age the higher monthly payment from waiting would make up for the years of missed payments from filing early. Also, don't forget that if you're still working and file at 62, you'll be subject to the earnings test. For 2024, you lose $1 in benefits for every $2 earned over $22,320. This might make filing early less attractive if you're planning to keep working full-time. One strategy some people use is to file a restricted application at FRA if eligible, but the rules around this changed in 2016 and it's quite complex. Definitely worth discussing with an SSA representative to understand all your options.

good luck with it all!! one more thing i forgot - when you apply online print or save EVERYTHING before you submit!!! i lost half my confirmation info and had to call and wait forever to get it sorted out.

Welcome to the community! I just went through a very similar situation last year at 66 and 8 months. A couple additional tips from my experience: 1) Double-check your earnings calculation for those pre-FRA months. I made the mistake of looking at gross vs net and almost panicked thinking I'd exceed the limit. 2) For Medicare Part A enrollment - the online application will specifically ask "Do you want to apply for Medicare?" and you can select "Part A only" with a checkbox. It's clearer than I expected. 3) Timeline-wise, I submitted my application about 6 weeks before my FRA birthday and everything processed smoothly. The key is giving them enough time but not so early that you create confusion. 4) One thing others haven't mentioned - make sure your husband knows he can't apply for spousal benefits until YOUR benefits are actually approved and in payment status. We tried to time it perfectly and had to wait an extra few weeks. The hospital employment should make the Medicare coordination pretty straightforward since you'll have creditable coverage. Good luck with everything!

I'm a newcomer to this community and currently facing a similar decision. My spouse passed away last year and I'm 58, so I've been researching this extensively. One thing I've learned that might help you is that there's actually a "do-over" rule if you change your mind within the first 12 months of claiming benefits. If you file for survivor benefits at 60 and then realize it's not the optimal strategy (maybe due to higher earnings than expected), you can withdraw your application, pay back what you received, and start fresh. This only works once and only within 12 months, but it provides a safety net. Also, I found the SSA's online benefit estimator tool helpful for getting rough numbers before scheduling an appointment. You can access your earnings record and get estimates for both your own retirement and survivor benefits at different claiming ages. It's at ssa.gov/myaccount. The fact that you're thinking about this at 56 puts you ahead of many people - you have time to really plan this out properly!

I'm new to this community and going through a similar situation. My husband passed away two years ago when I was 54, and I've been trying to navigate all these Social Security decisions. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly helpful! One thing I learned from my financial advisor that might be worth mentioning is that if you do decide to take survivor benefits early while still working, you should also consider how it affects your future Social Security earnings record. Those additional work years can sometimes increase your own retirement benefit calculation, which could make the "switch strategy" even more beneficial later. Also, I wanted to add that some local senior centers and AARP chapters offer free Social Security workshops where they walk through these exact scenarios with real examples. I attended one last year and it really helped me understand the concepts before my SSA appointment. The presenter even had handouts with sample calculations for widow strategies. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so helpful to hear from people who have actually been through this process rather than just reading the confusing government websites!

Thank you everyone for all the helpful responses! Based on your advice, it sounds like claiming 2 months early shouldn't cause major issues in my situation. I'll double-check the tax implications and make sure I clearly communicate my earnings expectations to SSA when I apply. I'll also be careful to watch for any calculation errors in the first few months. Really appreciate all the insights!

One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you understand how the "do-over" rules work. If you start benefits early and then change your mind within the first 12 months, you can withdraw your application and pay back everything you received. This gives you a one-time safety net if your circumstances change. After 12 months, you can't do this anymore, but you can suspend benefits at FRA to earn delayed retirement credits until age 70 (though this doesn't undo the early filing reduction). Just good to know your options!

Thank you for this professional perspective. We're definitely going to maintain both and use them strategically as you suggested. It makes sense to use the ABLE account for the monthly management and keep the trust for long-term planning. I appreciate everyone's input! This has been incredibly helpful in making our decision.

As someone new to navigating SSI and disability benefits for my brother, this entire thread has been incredibly educational! I'm dealing with a similar situation where his monthly benefits are accumulating and we're approaching that $2,000 limit. Reading everyone's experiences with both ABLE accounts and special needs trusts has really helped clarify the pros and cons of each approach. I'm particularly interested in the state tax deduction benefits that @Kai Rivera mentioned - I'll definitely need to research what's available in my state. And the idea of using both tools strategically rather than choosing one over the other makes so much sense after reading the attorney's perspective. One quick question for the group: when you're making regular transfers to an ABLE account to stay under the SSI limit, is there a recommended frequency? Should I be doing it monthly, or is it okay to wait until we're closer to the $2,000 threshold? I want to make sure I'm not creating any compliance issues with SSA reporting. Thank you all for sharing your real-world experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to navigate the government websites alone!