Anybody know if investment income counts toward the earning limit? I have some dividend stocks and rental property income besides my regular job.

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I think I have a much better understanding now. I'll keep my earnings under $22,320 for 2025, and be mindful of that higher threshold in early 2026 before I hit my FRA in June. I'm going to set up a spreadsheet to track my earnings monthly to make sure I don't accidentally go over.

One thing no one mentioned - if you just need basic Medicare enrollment and don't have special circumstances, you might not even need an appointment. I got my Medicare card automatically a few months before turning 65 since I was already receiving Social Security benefits. Are you already getting SS retirement? If so, check your mail because they might have already enrolled you in Medicare Part A automatically.

Update on my earlier comment: Starting in 2023, SSA implemented an online appointment scheduler for some services, but it's somewhat hidden in their website. Here's how to find it: 1. Go to SSA.gov 2. Click on "Menu" at the top 3. Select "Contact Us" 4. Choose "Schedule, reschedule or cancel an appointment" 5. Follow the prompts However, not all services are eligible for online scheduling. Medicare enrollment specifically might require calling. The best approach is probably still to try calling early (8:00-8:30 AM) or use one of those call connection services others have mentioned if you continue having trouble getting through.

wait is WEP the same as GPO? my wife gets a teacher pension and her SS widow benefits got cut by 2/3rds they said it was government pension offset

I had this EXACT situation last year - retired teacher with SS from other jobs. You've lost 40% of your benefit (keeping 60%). The formula is complex, but here's what happens: 1. Normal SS formula uses 90% of first chunk of your earnings in calculation 2. WEP reduces that 90% to 40% (a 50% reduction) 3. This doesn't mean 50% of your TOTAL benefit, just 50% of that first calculation tier 4. Result is usually a 30-40% reduction of total benefit With 18 qualified years, you should be getting a slight break on the full WEP penalty. Did you verify all 18 years meet the substantial earnings threshold? Each year has a different dollar amount.

One more thing to consider - if you were married for at least 10 years, you might be eligible for spousal benefits based on your ex-spouse's record. You could receive up to 50% of their benefit amount if that's higher than your own benefit. This doesn't affect their benefit at all, and they don't even need to know you're claiming on their record. Also, if you're currently married, make sure you understand survivor benefits. If your spouse passes away, you'd be eligible to receive their full benefit amount if it's higher than your own.

Everyone's talking about the website but my grandson helped me call the Social Security number (1-800-772-1213) and they mailed me a statement that showed all my options. Took about 2 weeks to get it. Shows what I'd get at 62, 67, and 70. I'm going with 67 since my health isn't great and I need the money. Don't believe what the financial advisors say about always waiting - sometimes taking it earlier makes sense!

has anyone actually used the ssa website calculator?? when I try to use it I can't make heads or tails of the results. just a bunch of numbers that don't explain anything. Also the monthly amount it shows is like WAY less than what I thought I would get. Kind of freaking out about that now tbh

Update: I showed my husband all your comments and the SSA link about delayed retirement credits. He was surprised but still skeptical. We logged into his my Social Security account together and looked at his projected benefit amounts at different ages. Seeing the actual dollar difference ($475 more per month if he waits until 70!) finally convinced him. He's now planning to use some of our savings to bridge the gap between 68-70 and wait to claim his Social Security. Thank you everyone for your help explaining this! And special thanks to the person who mentioned the survivor benefit aspect - that was something we hadn't considered at all.

btw make sure he brings ID and the marriage certificate if he still has it when he applies. my uncle forgot his and had to go back a second time

Also just wanted to say... I'm sorry about his ex-wife's condition. Even though they're divorced, I know it can still be emotional when someone you shared that much life with is in hospice. Sending good thoughts to everyone involved.

My sister thought the same thing but then her check stayed exactly $1,782 after she turned 65. Not a penny difference lol

Thanks everyone for clearing this up! Sounds like I don't need to do anything and my payment will stay the same. I was worried I might have to choose between two different benefit amounts.

I took early retirement at 62 when my disability claim was pending. Big mistake IMHO. When I finally got approved for SSDI 8 months later, they did switch me to the higher payment (about $600 more per month for me), but I'm worried about what happens at age 67. Somebody at my retirement group said that because I took early retirement first, my permanent benefit after 67 will still be reduced. Anyone know if that's true?

A couple timing considerations for you: 1. There's a 5-month waiting period for SSDI benefits after your established onset date of disability. So backpay doesn't start immediately from when you became disabled. 2. If you take early retirement while appealing, and then win your SSDI case, they'll pay you the difference retroactively, but this can create some complicated tax situations. 3. The SSDI appeal process can take 1-2 years to reach the hearing level, so having some income during that time is important to consider.

Just wanted to update this thread - WE WON THE APPEAL! After submitting all the documentation everyone suggested (Form 1372, letter from the school director, doctor's note, and most importantly the letter from our state education department), SSA reversed their decision.The state education department letter confirming that my son's specialized school meets educational requirements was definitely the key piece of evidence. They've reinstated his benefits AND will be sending backpay for the months he missed.For anyone dealing with this issue, definitely cite POMS RS 00205.300 like @former_claims_specialist suggested, and get that state education dept verification. Thank you all for your help!

That's fantastic news! So happy to hear your appeal was successful. Thanks for updating us - it's helpful for others who might face similar issues in the future.

my brother tried using his savings at first but switched to checking cuz of the 6-transaction limit thing some people mentioned. but also depends on YOUR spending habits. if u just transfer one big chunk to checking once a month after SS comes in, savings is fine. just something to think about.

One more thing to consider: many banks now offer checking accounts that earn interest too (sometimes called interest checking or high-yield checking). Might be worth asking your bank if they have options that would give you the best of both worlds - the flexibility of checking with at least some interest similar to savings.