One important thing to note - when you reach FRA, the earnings test no longer applies at all. You can earn any amount without affecting your benefits. So if you're close to your FRA (July 2026), you might want to consider whether it's worth potentially changing your work situation for a relatively short period. Also, the ARF recalculation is designed to eventually pay you back the equivalent of what was withheld, just spread out over your lifetime. So in theory, you should come out roughly even in the long run.

Just wanted to add my perspective as someone who went through this recently. I had a similar situation where I took early retirement at 62 and kept working part-time. Had to pay back about $8,000 over two years due to earnings limit. The good news is that @Jasmine Hancock is right about the ARF adjustment - it does happen and it's designed to make you whole eventually. In my case, my monthly benefit increased by about $150 after I reached FRA. One thing I'd suggest is keeping really good records of exactly how much you've paid back and when. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking all the amounts SSA withheld. This made it much easier when I called them after my FRA to verify the recalculation was done correctly. Also, since you're enjoying your work and only have about a year and a half until your FRA, I'd personally stick with it. The combination of the ARF increase plus any potential benefit from higher recent earnings years could work in your favor long-term. Plus, staying active and engaged through work has benefits beyond just the financial aspect!

One other important point: while the maximum WEP reduction increases annually with the wage index, your husband's actual WEP reduction might increase at a different rate. This is because the actual reduction depends on his specific Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) calculation. The WEP essentially changes how the first bend point in the formula is applied (reducing it from 90% to as low as 40%), but the full calculation involves all your earnings history. So the actual dollar impact can increase at a different rate than the maximum WEP amount.

The complexity around WEP calculations can definitely be overwhelming! For planning purposes, you might also want to know that SSA typically announces the new bend points (and thus the maximum WEP reduction) in October along with the COLA announcement, but they're published in separate documents. The bend points are usually found in SSA's "National Average Wage Index" announcement. Also, if you're doing multi-year projections, historical wage index growth has averaged around 3-4% annually over the long term, though it can vary significantly year to year based on economic conditions. This might help you create rough estimates for your retirement planning until the official numbers come out.

To address your follow-up question - yes, you should still notify SSA of your remarriage even though it won't affect your eligibility for survivor benefits. The reason is that your marital status is part of your SSA record and needs to be kept up-to-date. You can report this change by: 1. Calling SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 2. Visiting your local SSA office 3. In some cases, updating your information through your my Social Security online account Additionally, your new marital status might actually open up new benefit options (like spousal benefits on your new husband's record if that would be higher than your survivor benefit).

I'm so glad you found this community and asked this question! As someone who went through the survivor benefits process myself, I want to emphasize how important it is to get accurate information. You're absolutely right that there's a lot of conflicting advice out there. The key point everyone has correctly mentioned is that remarrying after age 60 will NOT affect your survivor benefits. This is a firm rule in the Social Security system. However, I'd also suggest considering the timing of when you apply for benefits versus when you remarry. Since you're 58 now and planning to apply at 60, you have about 2 years to get everything sorted out. I'd recommend applying for the survivor benefits first, getting that process completed, and then proceeding with your remarriage plans. This way there's no confusion or complications during the application process. Also, make sure you have all your husband's employment records and Social Security information ready when you apply. The process can take some time, so starting early is always better. Wishing you the best as you navigate both this new chapter in your life and the benefits process!

To directly answer your question: The paper statement you received years ago showed estimates based on your earnings at that time, with assumptions about future earnings until retirement age. Those estimates didn't include future COLAs because those are unknown at statement time. However, since COLAs have been quite substantial recently (8.7% in 2023, 3.2% in 2024), your actual benefit at 70 will likely be significantly higher than what that old statement showed - potentially 15-20% higher just from COLAs alone, not counting any additional earnings or delayed retirement credits.

I'm in a similar situation but just turned 62 and wondering if I should start my survivor benefits now or wait. Reading through all these responses about COLAs applying to future benefits is really helpful! One thing I'm still confused about though - if I start survivor benefits at 62, will those also get the annual COLAs? And then when I switch to my own retirement at 70, will I get the benefit of all those COLAs that were applied to my own record during those 8 years? It sounds like from what everyone is saying that the answer is yes to both, but I want to make sure I understand this correctly before making the decision.

does anyone know if the 40k includes just her salary or does overtime count too??? my boss wants me to work extra hours but im afraid itll mess up my ss checks

Just wanted to add something that might help with the decision-making process. Your sister-in-law should calculate her "break-even" point to see if working is actually worth it financially. Here's a rough calculation based on what you've shared: - Annual earnings: $40,000 - Survivor benefits lost due to earnings test: ~$8,840 - Additional taxes on combined income: probably $2,000-3,000 more - Work-related expenses (transportation, work clothes, etc.): ~$1,500-2,000 So out of $40,000 in gross earnings, she might only net around $26,000-28,000 after all deductions and benefit reductions. That's still meaningful income, but it's important she understands the real financial impact. The non-financial benefits of working (social interaction, sense of purpose, staying active) might make it worthwhile even with the reduced net gain. But having realistic expectations about the money will help her make the best decision for her situation.