Based on all the advice you've received, here's a summary of your best path forward: 1. Wait until January 2026 to apply for survivor benefits (you'll be 60.5 by then) 2. Let your own retirement benefit grow until age 70 3. Switch to your own higher benefit at age 70 Also, don't forget that you may be eligible for a one-time death benefit of $255, and if you have any children under 18 or disabled adult children, they might qualify for benefits too. When you do apply, bring your marriage certificate, husband's death certificate, both your Social Security cards, and your birth certificate. You'll save time if you have all documents ready.

I'm so sorry for your loss. What a difficult situation to navigate during such a hard time. You've gotten excellent advice here - the SSA representative definitely gave you incorrect information about the earnings test. The annual earnings limit applies to your entire calendar year earnings, not just the months you're actively working. Since you've already exceeded the 2025 limit, waiting until January 2026 is absolutely the right call. I wanted to add one more consideration: when you do apply in January 2026, make sure to ask about the "file and suspend" option timeline. Since your own benefit at 70 will be significantly higher ($3,700 vs $1,850), you're making the smart choice to take the smaller survivor benefit first. Just be aware that you'll need to actively switch to your own retirement benefit when you turn 70 - Social Security won't automatically give you the higher amount. Also, consider meeting with a Social Security representative in person at your local office when you apply. Given the misinformation you received over the phone, an in-person appointment might help ensure you get accurate guidance and proper documentation of your filing strategy.

i thought WEP only applies if you retire from that non SS job? my friend said if you leave the teacher job and work somewhere else with SS for 5 years you dont get the WEP penalty?? is that true?

One more thing to keep in mind - if your pension payment amount ever changes (like with cost of living adjustments), you should contact Social Security to update your WEP information. Otherwise, you could end up with an overpayment that they'll want back later. I learned this the hard way when my pension got a 3% increase and I didn't report it. SSA discovered it during their annual verification and I had to pay back $420 in SS benefits!

have u checked ur mysocialsecurity acct online? sometimes u can see benefit estimates there

I work as a customer service representative for SSA (though I can't provide official advice here). From my experience, when agents quote survivor benefit amounts over the phone, they SHOULD be giving you the reduced amount based on the age you mentioned. However, mistakes do happen, and some agents might quote the full retirement age amount by accident. Given that you're 61 and mentioned wanting to claim at that age, the $1,768 is most likely already reduced by about 28.5%. But I'd definitely recommend calling back and asking them to clarify exactly what that figure represents. One tip: when you call, ask to speak with a Claims Specialist rather than just any representative. They tend to be more knowledgeable about benefit calculations and can walk you through the math. Also, if possible, try calling right when they open (8am local time) - you'll usually get through faster. Don't feel bad about calling multiple times to confirm this - it's a huge financial decision and you have every right to understand exactly what you'll be receiving.

As someone new to navigating Social Security benefits, I found this discussion incredibly informative! I'm in a somewhat similar situation (divorced after 12 years, currently remarried) and had no idea about the GPO rules or how government pensions could affect Social Security benefits. One question I have after reading through everyone's responses: Is there a way to get a preliminary estimate of what benefits might be available before going through all the paperwork and appointments? It seems like there are so many variables (whether the job paid into SS, GPO calculations, benefit timing, etc.) that it would be helpful to know if it's even worth pursuing before investing time in gathering documents and scheduling appointments. Also, for those who have been through this process - about how long did it take from initial inquiry to getting a definitive answer from SSA? I'm trying to plan ahead like the original poster and wondering if this is something that takes weeks or months to resolve. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this community has been so helpful in breaking down these complex rules!

I'm also new to this community and found this thread incredibly educational! As someone who will likely face similar decisions in the future, I wanted to thank everyone for sharing their experiences and knowledge. One thing that stood out to me from reading all the responses is how much the specifics of each person's situation can vary. It seems like the key factors are: 1) whether the ex-spouse's government job paid into Social Security, 2) the GPO rules and calculations, 3) timing of when to claim benefits, and 4) which benefit would be higher. For anyone else following this discussion, it sounds like the most important first step is to determine if the ex-spouse's firefighter/government position was covered by Social Security. As @Dmitry Ivanov mentioned, contacting the HR department or pension administrator directly seems like the best way to get that information. I'm curious - for those who have gone through this process, did you find that different SSA representatives gave you consistent information? @Axel Bourke mentioned getting different answers from different reps, which would be concerning when making such important financial decisions. Also, has anyone found it helpful to work with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies, or is the SSA generally able to provide all the guidance needed?