I called my wife's pension system today. Her projected pension after 24 years (when she plans to retire) will be about $3,850 monthly. So if I'm understanding correctly, the GPO reduction would be about $2,567 (2/3 of $3,850). My SS benefit at 70 would be around $3,940 vs. $2,950 if I claimed now at 64. So it looks like if I delay to 70, she would still get about $1,373 in survivor benefits after the GPO reduction. If I claim now, she'd only get about $383 after GPO. Does that math look right to everyone? Seems like delaying would still help her significantly in this case.

As a new member who's been researching this topic for my own family situation, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed discussion. The math example that Camila provided really helps illustrate how these calculations work in practice. One thing I'd add for anyone reading this thread: make sure to also consider that your wife's own Social Security benefit (from her 12 years of covered employment) will likely be reduced by WEP when she starts collecting it. This is separate from the GPO impact on survivor benefits, but it's another piece of the puzzle that affects overall retirement planning. Also, I've found that many local SSA offices have staff who aren't fully versed in WEP/GPO calculations, so getting multiple opinions or using the online calculators on SSA.gov can be helpful to verify the numbers you're given. Your situation shows that even with these provisions, strategic timing decisions can still make a meaningful difference. The $990 monthly difference in survivor benefits you calculated is substantial over time.

To summarize what everyone's saying (since there's been some confusion in this thread): 1. Your SSDI benefit will convert to retirement benefits when you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA) - which is NOT 65, but later depending on your birth year 2. The dollar amount remains EXACTLY the same when this conversion happens 3. The conversion is automatic - no paperwork needed 4. You'll continue to receive COLA increases 5. If you're already on Medicare through SSDI, nothing changes with your Medicare Hope this helps provide clarity!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I just went through this exact transition last month. I was on SSDI for 4 years after a workplace injury, and like you, I was terrified my benefits would drop when I hit my FRA (which was 66 and 8 months for me, born in 1958). The good news is everyone here is absolutely right - my payment amount stayed exactly the same down to the penny. The only thing that changed was the letter I get each month now says "retirement" instead of "disability" benefits. One thing I didn't see mentioned yet is that you might want to create a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov if you don't already have one. You can see your benefit history, projected retirement amounts, and get official documents there. It really helped ease my anxiety to see everything laid out officially rather than relying on what people told me. Hang in there - sounds like you've been through a lot with your back injury and the financial stress. At least this is one thing you don't have to worry about!

my brother tried suspending and said it was a nightmare to restart. took him like 4 months to get payments going again when he turned 70. just something to think about...

Update: I called SSA this morning (waited about 45 minutes) and got some helpful info. The agent confirmed I can suspend anytime after FRA, and my benefits will grow by 2/3% every month they're suspended. She also mentioned that if I earn enough at my new job, I could potentially increase my benefit amount that way too because they'll recalculate based on my new earnings if they're higher than what was previously used. So it's like a double advantage! Thanks everyone for your helpful advice!

congrats on retireing!! i wish someone explained this earnings stuff to me before i started SS. would have waited til my FRA probly

Welcome to the community! I went through this same situation when I started my benefits at 64. One thing that really helped me was keeping detailed records of my monthly earnings - I created a simple spreadsheet tracking each month's wages so I could stay under that $1,860 monthly limit. Also, since you're working at an accounting firm, you probably already know this, but make sure you're tracking gross wages, not net pay - SSA uses your gross earnings for the earnings test. The system is definitely confusing, but it sounds like you're asking all the right questions early on. That puts you way ahead of where I was!

just wondering..... why did u divorce and remarry the same person?? lol thats kinda funny 😂

This is actually more common than you might think! I work at a Social Security field office and see cases like yours fairly regularly. You're absolutely right to get your documentation together ahead of time. Since you're applying on your own record, the marriage history won't affect your benefit calculation, but SSA still needs the complete record for their files. One tip: if you can't locate your original divorce decree or first marriage certificate, most counties now have online portals where you can request certified copies - it's often faster than mailing in requests. Good luck with your application next month!