Sounds like you're making a well-informed decision based on your specific circumstances, which is exactly the right approach. There's no universal

One factor I don't see mentioned yet is healthcare costs. If you're not yet on Medicare and need to bridge health insurance until 65, that monthly premium could eat into your early SS benefits significantly. On the flip side, if you have good employer coverage or can afford marketplace plans, the early benefits might help cover those costs. Also worth considering is whether you have any high-interest debt - using early SS to pay that down could provide a guaranteed "return" that's hard to beat. The peace of mind factor is real too - some people sleep better knowing they have that guaranteed monthly income locked in, regardless of what happens to the Social Security system down the road.

Great news! One more thing to consider: make sure you request a benefit verification letter after everything is processed. This will show your correct benefit amount and serve as documentation in case there are any future questions. You can request this through your my Social Security account online or by calling SSA directly.

Congratulations on getting this resolved! This is exactly why communities like this are so valuable - collective knowledge helps people navigate these complex systems. Your experience is a perfect example of why it's important to question SSA decisions and seek second opinions. The difference between 50% and 100% benefits is huge over a lifetime. Thanks for sharing the update - it will definitely help others who face similar confusion with SSA representatives mixing up divorced spouse vs divorced survivor benefits.

One more thing to consider - if your husband starts SS benefits in October but continues working, he'll still be paying FICA taxes on his earnings which slightly increases his benefit amount through something called the Annual Earnings Test Recalculation. SSA automatically recalculates his benefit each year to account for additional earnings. So he could see a small bump in benefits after he fully retires. Most people don't know about this little bonus!

Welcome to the community! I'm new here but wanted to share what I learned when my wife and I went through this exact situation last year. Your husband can absolutely start collecting Social Security at his FRA in October while continuing to work - that's totally allowed and actually pretty common. The key benefit is there's no earnings limit once you reach FRA, so his work income won't reduce his SS benefits at all. One thing I'd suggest is running the numbers both ways: collecting starting in October vs. waiting until March. While waiting past FRA does increase the monthly benefit (about 2/3 of 1% per month), you'd be giving up 5 months of payments. In most cases, it takes several years to "break even" on that delay, so collecting at FRA while still working is often the better financial move. Also, don't forget to factor in the tax implications - with both his salary and SS benefits, you'll likely be in the taxable range for Social Security. We had to adjust our withholding to avoid a big tax surprise. Good luck with the decision!

One additional consideration - your husband's earnings after claiming might increase his benefit amount, but these increases are typically small and applied once per year. In my husband's case, he saw about a 1.5% increase annually from continued work. Something to factor into your calculations when deciding on timing. Also, make sure both of you have created your my Social Security accounts online. That way you can see your exact estimated benefits at different ages, which helps tremendously with planning.

As someone who recently went through this exact situation, I can confirm what others have said - once your husband reaches FRA, there's no earnings limit! My husband filed at his FRA last year and continued working full-time without any reduction in benefits. One thing I wish we had considered more carefully was the tax implications. Since we're both still working and collecting Social Security, we ended up in a higher tax bracket than expected. The "provisional income" calculation for Social Security taxation caught us off guard - it includes half of your Social Security benefits plus all other income. Also, don't overlook the psychological aspect. My husband thought he'd feel ready to retire once he started collecting, but having that monthly Social Security check actually made him feel more comfortable continuing to work since the financial pressure was reduced. Just something to consider in your planning! The automatic benefit recalculations are nice, but as others mentioned, they're usually pretty modest compared to the delayed retirement credits you'd get by waiting until 70.

Regarding your question about notification before they reclaim the payment - no, they typically don't provide advance notice. The Treasury Department electronically withdraws the funds directly from the financial institution. This is why it's important to keep sufficient funds in the account to avoid overdraft fees. Also, I wanted to clarify about the month of death benefits since there's some confusion in the comments. The rule is: - Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month they're due for - A person must live through the entire month to be entitled to that month's payment - Since your wife passed in November, the November payment she received was her October benefit - This payment is proper and won't be reclaimed - However, since she didn't live through all of November, she wasn't entitled to a November benefit (which would have been paid in December) As a survivor, your benefits would typically start with December (paid in January). But since there's a processing delay, you'll eventually receive back payments for all months they owe you.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Isabella. Losing a spouse is devastating, and dealing with Social Security bureaucracy on top of grief is incredibly difficult. I went through this exact situation when my husband passed away two years ago. The 45+ day wait is unfortunately very typical right now - mine took 82 days to process. A few things that might help: 1. Keep calling every 2-3 weeks to check status. Sometimes this helps move things along, and you want to make sure your file hasn't gotten lost in the system. 2. Document everything - dates of calls, who you spoke with, what they told you. This becomes important if there are any issues later. 3. Regarding that final payment - they WILL take it back without notice. I learned this the hard way when it caused an overdraft. Keep extra money in that account until they do the clawback. 4. You should receive 100% of her benefit amount since you're at FRA. When it finally processes, you'll get back payments from December forward plus the $255 death benefit. The waiting is agonizing when you're already dealing with so much. Hang in there - it will eventually get processed and you'll receive what you're entitled to.