I'm so sorry for your loss. I'm in a similar situation - lost my husband at 64 two years ago and I'm now 59. I've been researching this exact strategy and wanted to share what I've learned from meeting with SSA and a financial planner. The key thing I discovered is that even if most of your survivor benefit gets withheld due to the earnings test, you're still establishing your "benefit start date" at 60. This matters because any benefits withheld get added back to your monthly payment once you hit your FRA, essentially giving you a permanent increase. Also, make sure to factor in Medicare timing. If you're planning to work until 65, you'll want to coordinate when to apply for Medicare Part A (which is automatic if you're receiving SS benefits) versus staying on your employer's health plan. One practical tip: I set up a my Social Security account online and requested my benefit estimates there. Much easier than calling! The survivor benefit estimate tool is pretty accurate once you input your husband's earnings record. Have you thought about doing a "practice run" with reduced hours when you turn 60 to see how the earnings test affects you in real time? That's what I'm considering.

I'm really sorry for your loss. I went through something very similar when my wife passed at 58 and I was 61. Just wanted to share a few things I learned that might help: First, definitely apply for the survivor benefits at 60 even if you're working. Yes, the earnings test will reduce what you receive, but like others mentioned, those "lost" benefits aren't really lost - they get added back to your monthly amount when you reach FRA. Plus you're locking in your filing date which matters for the calculations. One thing I wish I'd known earlier - you can actually withdraw your application within 12 months if you change your mind about the strategy. It's called a "withdrawal of application" and you'd have to pay back what you received, but it gives you flexibility if your work situation changes. Also, don't forget about the lump sum death benefit ($255) if you haven't claimed it yet. It's not much but every bit helps during this difficult time. The online tools at ssa.gov have gotten much better in recent years. The benefit calculators there gave me pretty accurate estimates, and you can model different scenarios without having to call and wait on hold for hours. Hang in there - navigating all this paperwork and financial planning while grieving is exhausting, but you're asking all the right questions.

Update on my situation - I did end up using Claimyr to get through to SSA (took about 10 minutes instead of hours), and the agent told me that my direct deposit information was actually IN their system already from my online attempt, but it was stuck in a 'pending review' status. Apparently this happens sometimes when the online form completion doesn't fully process. The agent was able to verify my banking details and approve it right away over the phone. Might be worth checking if you're in a similar situation!

I just went through this exact same frustrating experience last month! The missed phone appointments are unfortunately really common right now - I had two no-shows before finally getting through. For the online form issue, I had the same problem where clicking "save and exit" seemed scary because it sounds like you're abandoning everything. But as others mentioned, it really does take you to a confirmation page where the actual submit button appears. One tip that helped me: when you get to that final screen before "save and exit," take a screenshot of everything you've entered just in case something goes wrong. That way if you have to start over, you have all your info ready. Also, I found that using an incognito/private browser window sometimes works better with their system since it avoids any cached data conflicts. If all else fails, definitely try calling right when they open at 8 AM (not 7 AM like someone mentioned - they don't actually open until 8). The wait times are much shorter first thing in the morning. Hang in there - it's incredibly frustrating but you'll get it sorted out!

One thing that hasn't been mentioned: if your late wife's benefit at her FRA would have been HIGHER than your own benefit at your FRA, you might want to consider a different strategy! You could: 1. Take your OWN reduced retirement benefit now at 65 2. Then at your FRA, switch to the FULL survivor benefit This works if her benefit > your benefit. The calculations get complicated, so you really should discuss with an SSA representative who can run the numbers for your specific situation.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your wife, Jamal. I went through something similar when my husband passed away two years ago. Based on my experience and what others have shared here, I'd definitely encourage you to go ahead and apply for the survivor benefits now. Even though your benefits will be reduced due to your earnings, you'll still receive some money each month that can help with those medical bills. The key thing to remember is that this isn't really about "stopping" benefits - it's about how the system automatically adjusts based on your income. One practical tip: when you do get connected with SSA again (and I second the recommendation about trying Claimyr if you need to call), ask them to calculate exactly how much you'd receive monthly with your current income. That way you can budget accordingly and know what to expect. The peace of mind knowing you're getting some financial help while preserving your full retirement benefit for later is really valuable. I wish I had understood these options better when I was first navigating this process.

One important warning that nobody has mentioned: if any of his early lower-paying jobs were with employers not covered by Social Security (like some government or education positions), he might be subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) which could actually REDUCE his Social Security benefit. This happens if he's receiving a pension from non-covered work. Similarly, if you're collecting a government pension from non-SS-covered work, your spousal benefits could be reduced by the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision. Might be worth checking if these apply to your situation.

Just wanted to add one more consideration that might be helpful - since your husband is continuing to work past FRA, make sure you're both maximizing tax-advantaged savings opportunities! He can still contribute to a 401(k) if his employer offers one, and at his age he's eligible for catch-up contributions ($7,500 extra in 2024). This can help offset some of the higher tax burden from having both SS benefits and earned income. Also, if he has access to an HSA through work, that's triple tax-advantaged and can be a great supplement for healthcare costs in retirement. The combination of continued earnings replacing lower years in his SS calculation PLUS maximizing these tax-deferred savings can really optimize your overall retirement picture during these working years past FRA.

It's worth noting that any benefit increase from post-retirement earnings will likely be modest. This is because: 1. Only earnings that replace lower years in the top 35 will impact the calculation 2. The benefit formula gives less weight to higher earnings 3. Post-FRA recalculations don't include delayed retirement credits For example, if your father's recent $130K earnings replace a year where he earned $50K (after indexing), this might only increase his monthly benefit by $20-40. The exact amount depends on his complete earnings history. That said, even small increases add up over time, and if he's been missing these adjustments for years, the back pay could be substantial. Definitely worth pursuing.

As someone who just went through this process with my own parent, I'd strongly recommend your dad also request a copy of his complete earnings record (Form SSA-7050) when he contacts them. This will show exactly which years are being used in his benefit calculation and help verify that his recent higher earnings are actually being counted. One thing that caught my attention - you mentioned he worked for the government before starting his consulting business. If any of his government work was under a different retirement system (like FERS or state retirement), make sure those earnings are properly credited to his Social Security record too. Sometimes there can be gaps or missing years that affect the calculation. Also, don't let them tell him that because he's past 70, recalculations don't matter. That's completely wrong - the recalculations should happen regardless of age as long as he's still working and paying FICA taxes.