One additional point worth mentioning: If your mother is getting misinformation at her local office, she can request to speak with a Technical Expert who specializes in survivor benefits and the GPO. Not all SSA representatives are equally familiar with these provisions. Also, remind her that even if she's only eligible for a small monthly amount after the GPO reduction, it's still worth applying. These benefits include annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs), which can add up over time.

I'm a retired teacher who went through this exact situation with my late husband's benefits about 6 months ago. The key thing that helped me was being persistent and asking the right questions. When I first went to SSA, they told me I wasn't eligible for anything because of my pension. But I kept reading online and knew that wasn't right. What finally worked was calling the national SSA number (1-800-772-1213) and specifically asking to speak with someone about "survivor benefits for divorced spouses subject to GPO." I had to wait on hold for 2 hours, but I got someone who actually knew the rules. Turns out I was eligible for about $180/month after the GPO reduction. Make sure your mom emphasizes that she was married for MORE than 10 years (17 years in her case) and that she never remarried. Those are the key eligibility factors. Also, bring multiple copies of everything - they kept my documents for weeks during processing. Don't let them brush her off. She has rights under current law even if the new legislation hasn't passed yet!

wait i'm confused... doesnt the earnings limit go away at 62? or is it 67? my brother is dealing with this too

I'm sorry for your loss, and I understand how confusing this whole situation can be. You're actually doing everything right! The key thing to remember is that even though your survivor benefit is reduced because you claimed at 60, you still have the flexibility to switch to your own retirement benefit later if it's higher. Since you're planning to wait until 70 for your own benefit, you'll get those delayed retirement credits that can make your own benefit significantly higher than the survivor benefit. The months where you don't receive survivor payments due to working aren't "lost" - you're still building up your own Social Security record during that time. One tip: keep track of your earnings each year and maybe consider using the SSA website to estimate what your benefit will be at 70. That way you can plan ahead and know for sure which benefit will be better when the time comes to switch.

Yes, they said my own benefit at FRA would be about $2,650. So the ex-spousal benefit would be less than my own even at FRA. And waiting until 70 gives me an extra $800/month for potentially decades. Since I'm still working part-time and have some savings, I think I can make it work financially until 70.

Great job getting all that information sorted out! Just wanted to add that you should also consider getting a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if you don't already have one. It'll show you projections of your benefits at different claiming ages and update annually with your latest earnings. Also, since you're planning to wait until 70, make sure to file your application about 3 months before your 70th birthday - benefits can't be paid retroactively beyond 6 months, so you don't want to accidentally lose any money by filing too late. The delayed retirement credits stop accumulating after age 70, so there's no benefit to waiting beyond that point.

Thank you all for the helpful explanations! I feel much better now understanding that my benefits won't be affected regardless of what my ex tries to do. And it sounds like because of the GPO, he probably wouldn't qualify for anything on my record anyway with his pension being so substantial. I appreciate everyone taking the time to explain all the technical details - Social Security rules are so complicated!

Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - even though your ex probably won't qualify for benefits on your record due to GPO, he could still potentially file an application just to get an official determination from SSA. Sometimes people are surprised by the exact calculations, especially if their pension amount changes or if there are other factors involved. The worst case scenario is he gets a formal denial letter, but at least then he'd have definitive answers rather than assumptions. That said, based on what you've described with his $4,800 monthly pension, the math definitely suggests GPO would eliminate any potential benefit.

one thing nobody mentioned is you get the money back eventually!!! when you hit your FRA they recalculate your benefit and give you credit for all the months they took away. at least that's what the guy told my husband. doesn't help now but at least its not gone forever.

Just wanted to add that you should also check if your state has any additional considerations. Some states don't tax Social Security benefits, but they might treat that bonus differently for state tax purposes. Also, since you mentioned you're doing consulting work, make sure you're setting aside money for estimated quarterly taxes on that income - the IRS doesn't care about the SSA earnings test when it comes to tax obligations. You'll still owe taxes on both the bonus and consulting income regardless of any benefit reductions. Good luck navigating this - the timing rules are definitely frustrating but at least you're getting ahead of it now rather than being surprised later!