what about if u wait til your full retirement age? would u get more money then? sometimes its better to wait i think....

I'm so sorry for your loss, and I completely understand the difficult position you're in with your family's reactions. As someone who's dealt with similar family dynamics around Social Security decisions, I want to encourage you to move forward with your application. Your family's emotional reactions, while understandable, don't change the legal and practical reality of your situation. You sacrificed career advancement during your 22-year marriage to support your family, and the Social Security system specifically recognizes this contribution through survivor benefits for divorced spouses. A few thoughts that might help with the family conversations: - Emphasize that this isn't about your feelings toward your ex-husband or "profiting" from his death - it's about financial security in retirement - Explain that these benefits exist because society recognizes the economic impact of career sacrifices made for family - Point out that your claiming benefits doesn't reduce anyone else's benefits The $800+ monthly difference between what you'd get on his record versus your own is substantial and could be the difference between financial stress and security in your later years. You've already confirmed your eligibility with SSA - now it's just a matter of following through. Your daughter and others may come around once they see this is simply you accessing benefits you're legally entitled to, not an emotional statement about your past marriage.

my neighbor worked for SSA for 30 years before retiring and she always told me they never actually skip payments unless theres a problem with eligibility. have you had any changes lately? new job? inheritance? moved? sometimes these trigger reviews and they hold payments

After reading through all your responses, I'm pretty sure this is a specific issue that needs direct SSA intervention. One possibility is that there was an unprocessed Change of Payment Address (even if you didn't change addresses), a bank account verification issue, or a routine eligibility review. These can sometimes result in a payment being held but not necessarily communicated clearly in your online account. Your March payment being scheduled suggests you're still eligible, which is good news. I would definitely prioritize speaking with an agent directly.

I wonder if they'd make the repeal retroactive?? Like would we get back pay for all the years we should have been getting benefits? Probably not, knowing how the government works, but it would be nice!!

As a fellow educator who's been following this issue closely, I want to add that timing matters a lot here. The current Social Security Fairness Act (H.R.82/S.393) has more cosponsors than previous attempts, but it still needs to get through committee and floor votes in both chambers. For your specific situation with 36 credits, you're actually pretty close to the 40-credit threshold. If you have any other work periods where you paid into SS (even part-time jobs, substitute teaching in districts that pay SS taxes, etc.), those might push you over. It's worth double-checking your complete work history. Also, regarding Medicare Part B - if GPO repeal passes and you start receiving spousal benefits, SSA would automatically deduct your Part B premiums from your SS check, which many people find more convenient than paying separately. Just another small benefit to consider! The reality is that this affects millions of public servants, and the political pressure is building. While I can't predict if/when it will pass, the momentum does seem stronger than in previous years.

my sister in law waited 2 extra years for higher benefits and then passed away suddenly. don't mean to be negative but nobody knows how long theyll live! sometimes bird in hand worth two in bush as they say

Sofia, I went through this exact decision two years ago when I was 65 and 8 months. Like you, I was torn between taking the reduced survivor benefit immediately versus waiting for my FRA. After reading all the great advice here, I'd add one more consideration: have you thought about doing a "what if" calculation for different scenarios? Here's what helped me decide - I calculated the total amount I'd receive over different time periods. If you take $2,160 now for 10 months, that's $21,600. Then you'd get $2,480 ongoing. Compare that to waiting and getting $2,480 from the start. The crossover point is around 5.5 years, meaning if you expect to live longer than that from when you start benefits, waiting pays off financially. Given that you're in good health with family longevity, plus the earnings test issue others mentioned with your $22K job, waiting those 10 months seems like the right call. You've already waited 3 years - what's 10 more months for a permanently higher benefit and no earnings restrictions?

After reviewing all the responses, here's a practical summary: Contact SSA proactively to report your anticipated earnings. The reduction will be $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit. They may suspend payments for some months or reduce each payment until the amount is recovered. If you don't report it, they'll eventually find out through tax records and send you a notice of overpayment. The good news is that once you reach your Full Retirement Age, these earnings limitations disappear completely, and your benefit will be recalculated to give credit for the months benefits were withheld.

I'm in a similar situation and have been researching this extensively. One thing I learned is that SSA has a "grace year" policy for your first year of retirement - they only count earnings from the month after you start receiving benefits. Since you started in January, this might not apply to you anymore, but it's worth mentioning to others. Also, if you do end up with an overpayment, you can request a waiver if repayment would cause financial hardship. They'll consider your income, expenses, and assets. You can also appeal their earnings calculations if you think they made an error. The key is documentation - keep records of when you worked, what you earned, and any communications with SSA. One more tip: if this contract work is temporary and you'll be back under the limit next year, the reduced benefits now will actually increase your monthly payment slightly once you reach FRA, since they recalculate to account for the months they withheld benefits.