Thank you everyone for all the helpful information! After reading all your comments, I understand now that: 1. My husband's benefit won't be reduced no matter how many eligible people claim on his record 2. My spousal benefit (up to 50% of his PIA) isn't reduced because his ex-wife is also claiming 3. The only reduction I'll face is due to claiming early at 62 instead of waiting until my FRA 4. The family maximum likely won't apply in our situation This is such a huge relief! I'll still try to speak with SSA directly to confirm everything for our specific situation, but at least now I know what questions to ask. This forum has been incredible - thank you all!

Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - when you do talk to SSA, ask them to run the numbers for claiming at different ages (62, your FRA, and 70). Since you mentioned you're planning to claim next year at 62, it's worth seeing the dollar difference between claiming early versus waiting. The spousal benefit doesn't grow past your FRA like your own retirement benefit does, but if your own work record is substantial, waiting until 70 could significantly increase your personal benefit. Sometimes the math works out better to wait on your own record even if you could claim spousal benefits earlier. Good luck with your new marriage and navigating all this!

Based on your additional details (good health, family longevity, home ownership, and reasonable retirement savings), here's my recommendation: File for your benefits now at 69. The immediate income will preserve your emergency fund during this uncertain period. The difference between 69 and 70 is only an 8% increase in benefits, which is significant but not dramatic enough to justify financial stress now. Focus on protecting your larger retirement accounts from premature withdrawals, as those have greater long-term implications than the difference in your SS benefit.

Great decision! One thing to add - since you mentioned you're an engineer, check if you have any consulting opportunities that might come up after you start collecting. At 69, you're past full retirement age so there's no earnings test penalty. You could potentially earn unlimited income from consulting work without affecting your Social Security benefits. This could give you the best of both worlds - guaranteed SS income now plus potential project-based income if opportunities arise. Many companies prefer experienced consultants for short-term technical projects, and your engineering background could be valuable even if full-time positions are scarce.

I really appreciate everyone's responses! To summarize what I understand now: Taking my own retirement 5 months early will only reduce MY benefit by about 2.8%, and won't affect any future survivor benefits from my ex-husband's record. When he eventually passes away, I'll get the higher of either my reduced benefit OR his full benefit (assuming he didn't claim early himself). This makes my decision much simpler. I'll probably go ahead with claiming 5 months early since the reduction is fairly small.

Just wanted to add one more consideration that I don't think was fully addressed - make sure you understand the timing rules for survivor benefits. You can claim survivor benefits as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled), but they'll be reduced if you claim before your FRA. However, you have flexibility in timing - you could potentially claim your own reduced retirement benefit now, then switch to survivor benefits later when your ex passes (if that benefit is higher). The key is that you're not locked into any permanent reduction of the survivor benefit by taking your own retirement early. Good luck with your decision!

My sister had a similar situation last year and she ended up using the online tax withholding estimator tool on the IRS website to figure out exactly how much she needed withheld. Have you tried that? It asks about all your income sources and helps calculate what you should withhold.

As someone new to this community, I wanted to share my experience with a similar situation. I'm 63 and recently remarried to someone who's still working full-time. The tax implications were definitely confusing at first! What helped me was creating a simple spreadsheet to track our combined income and estimate our tax liability. I took my survivor benefits, added my husband's W-2 income, and used the IRS withholding calculator that Chloe mentioned. It really opened my eyes to how much we might owe. One thing I learned is that you can also make quarterly estimated tax payments instead of withholding from SS benefits. This gives you more control and flexibility. You can adjust the amounts each quarter based on how your income is tracking. The key is definitely getting professional help if you're unsure. I paid $200 for a consultation with a tax preparer who specializes in retirement income, and it was worth every penny for the peace of mind. Good luck with whatever you decide!

One critical thing to watch for: When your ex passes and your daughter switches to survivor benefits, SSA may initially calculate the benefit incorrectly. Be prepared to appeal if the amount seems wrong. Request a detailed explanation of the calculation in writing. The formula they should use is 75% of his PIA without WEP reduction. Also, ensure your daughter's Medicare premiums (if applicable) are correctly adjusted with the benefit change. And remember that any month-of-death payment would go to whoever was living with him, not automatically to your daughter.

I'm dealing with a similar situation with my own disabled son and WEP complications. One thing that helped me was getting a written statement from SSA about how they would calculate his future survivor benefits. When I finally got through to a knowledgeable representative, I asked them to send me a letter explaining the calculation methodology they would use when the time comes. Having that documentation has given me peace of mind and will hopefully prevent errors later. You might want to request the same - ask them to put in writing exactly how your daughter's survivor benefits will be calculated under the new WEP repeal rules. It's one more layer of protection against potential mistakes during an already difficult time.