To answer your original question directly: Yes, Social Security will calculate how much you're over the earnings limit ($45,000 - $23,200 = $21,800), determine the withholding amount ($21,800 ÷ 2 = $10,900), and withhold full monthly payments until that amount is covered. Then they'll resume paying your regular benefit. And yes, you should definitely tell them your expected earnings when you file in February. You can update this estimate if things change. This helps prevent overpayments that you'd have to repay later. When you reach your Full Retirement Age (likely 67), they'll recalculate your benefit and give you credit for the months when benefits were withheld. So while your benefit is permanently reduced for filing early, you do eventually get credit for those withheld months.

Just wanted to add one more consideration for your planning - make sure you understand how the monthly earnings test works too. If you're planning to start benefits in February but earn most of your $45k in the early months of 2025, SSA might use a monthly test for your first year. They'll withhold $1 for every $2 you earn over about $1,933 per month (the monthly limit). This could affect which specific months you receive payments. Once you've been collecting for a full year, they switch to the annual earnings test. It's worth asking about this when you file since your consulting income might not be evenly spread throughout the year!

To answer your original question directly - no, there is no official implementation date for WEP repeal because it hasn't passed yet. The current Congressional session ends in January 2025, so any bills not passed by then would need to be reintroduced in the next Congress. If your FRA is March 2025, you should definitely plan your retirement based on current law. The calculations you mentioned sound about right - WEP can reduce benefits by up to half of your non-covered pension or about $600 per month maximum (adjusted annually), whichever is less.

I'm in a similar boat - my FRA is coming up in June 2025 and I've been watching the WEP situation closely. From what I've researched, even if something does pass Congress (which is a big IF), most proposals include phase-in periods or only apply to future filers. One thing that might help is to get your exact WEP calculation from SSA. I finally got through to them (took forever!) and learned that my reduction was actually less than I expected because of how they calculate the "substantial earnings" years. They also confirmed that any legislative changes would likely have effective dates well after 2025. My advice? Plan for the WEP-reduced amount and treat any future changes as a pleasant surprise. The $580/month difference you mentioned is significant, but don't let uncertainty about potential changes delay your retirement planning if you're otherwise ready to file at FRA.

My cousin went through this exact situation last year. Had to change his start date because of the earnings limit. Just call SSA and tell them you want to modify the application to change the start month to May. Shouldn't be a big deal as long as benefits haven't started being paid yet. They told him it happens all the time.

Just wanted to add some reassurance - I'm a benefits specialist and see this situation frequently. You're absolutely making the right call to be cautious about the earnings limits. The SSA overpayment process can be really stressful and they're not always quick to resolve issues. A few quick tips for when you call SSA to change the start date: 1. Have your husband's Social Security number and confirmation number from his original application ready 2. Ask to speak to a claims specialist specifically about modifying a retirement application 3. Get a confirmation number for the change and ask when you can expect written confirmation Also, since you mentioned budgeting concerns - remember that even though his first SS check won't come until June now, you can still plan around knowing exactly what that amount will be. The delay is frustrating but much better than dealing with overpayments later! Your Medicare timing will work perfectly regardless of the SS benefit start date.

Thank you everyone for your helpful explanations! I understand now that my husband won't receive any additional spousal benefits since his own benefit already exceeds 50% of what my Primary Insurance Amount would be at full retirement age. I'm going to look into whether it makes sense for me to delay claiming beyond 62 for survivor benefit purposes as someone suggested. Really appreciate all the insights!

One thing I wanted to mention that might help with your planning - since you're both filing early (before full retirement age), both of your benefits are permanently reduced. Your husband's $1,650 would have been higher if he'd waited until his FRA, and your $1,950 at 62 will also be less than your full benefit. The spousal benefit calculations others mentioned are based on the unreduced Primary Insurance Amounts, which is why the math might seem confusing when comparing to your actual reduced payments. If you do decide to contact SSA directly, ask them to show you both your PIA amounts so you can see exactly how the spousal benefit would be calculated in your case.

Something to consider - have you calculated what your spousal benefit will be at FRA versus what your own benefit will grow to with delayed retirement credits if you wait until 70? If your own benefit plus delayed credits would be higher than your spousal benefit at FRA, this whole issue might be moot. For example, if your own benefit at FRA would be $1,500 and could grow to $1,860 at age 70, but your spousal benefit at FRA would only be $1,700, you'd be better off focusing on maximizing your own benefit rather than worrying about the spousal component. Do you know both those numbers? If not, I'd recommend calling SSA to get an estimate of both scenarios before proceeding with any withdrawal.

I'm actually going through something similar right now! I'm 64 and was planning to file for my own benefits soon while waiting until FRA for spousal benefits. After reading your post, I immediately logged into my mySocialSecurity account to run some projections and make sure I understand exactly what will happen when I apply. This deemed filing rule seems like such a trap - especially since the online application doesn't make it crystal clear that you're automatically applying for ALL benefits you're eligible for. I've been doing research for months and this is the first time I'm seeing real-world examples of how confusing the process actually is. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like the Form 521 partial withdrawal approach might work, but you definitely need to get it submitted before your first payment. Have you been able to get through to SSA again to get a second opinion on the exact wording for the form? Also, thank you for sharing this experience - it's probably going to save me from making the same mistake when I file in a few months!