Everyone's talking about taking benefits now vs. waiting, but there's another option: You mentioned you can apply now but preserve January as your filing date. This is likely referring to the 6-month retroactive benefits available at FRA. If you apply in March, you could potentially get benefits back to September (not January though, unless I'm misunderstanding something). With retroactive benefits, you'd get a lump sum for those months, which could impact your taxes differently than monthly payments. Worth considering how a lump sum vs. regular payments might affect your tax situation.

One consideration I haven't seen mentioned: if you're planning to claim your own Social Security retirement benefit someday (separate from the survivor benefit), the timing of the survivor claim doesn't affect your own retirement benefit. You could take the survivor benefit now and later switch to your own retirement benefit if it ends up being higher. Regarding taxes, calculating the exact impact would require knowing your specific tax situation, but if you're already in the 24% or higher federal bracket, expect to pay at least that rate on about 85% of your SS benefits. State taxation varies - California doesn't tax Social Security, which is helpful for you. A financial planner who specializes in public employee pensions might be worth consulting for your specific situation.

wait im confused... you said your single but getting spousal benefits? did you mean survivor benefits? or are you divorced? those are different things with ss

One additional consideration regarding your Medicare premium: The $174.70 you mentioned is the standard Part B premium for 2024. However, if your modified adjusted gross income from 2023 (as reported on your tax return) was above certain thresholds, you might be subject to IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount), which would increase your premium. Based on the income you mentioned, you're likely below those thresholds, but it's something to be aware of if your income fluctuates year to year.

The SSA website is SO confusing about this!!! I spent hours trying to understand the rules for my mom. They seriously need to hire people who can explain things clearly!

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I feel much more confident in the advice I'm giving her now. I'll make sure she understands: 1. Take her own benefit now at 65 ($670/month) 2. If her husband passes before her FRA, decide whether to take reduced survivor benefits immediately or wait until FRA for the full amount 3. The decision will depend on her financial needs and the exact reduction amount The differentiation between FRA for retirement vs. survivor benefits is something I hadn't considered - I'll make sure she asks specifically about that at the SSA office. This has been incredibly helpful!

also think about what happens when you do fully retire. will your wifes benefit be enough to support both of you if yours hasn't started yet? my friend had to go back to work at 72 because they didn't plan this right!!

One additional consideration that hasn't been mentioned yet: while your Social Security benefits can be subject to income tax, they're typically taxed at a lower effective rate than regular income. So even if you're in a higher tax bracket due to working + collecting SS, you may still come out ahead financially compared to just your work income alone. Also, if you're planning to continue working for several more years, claiming now gives you more flexibility. You could use the SS income to max out retirement account contributions, pay down debt, or build an emergency fund that will serve you well in full retirement.

Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions! Between the SSA glossary page, the Statistical Supplement, and the other resources mentioned, I've been able to figure out most of the acronyms I was struggling with. Still can't believe there's no single comprehensive resource though. I'm going to try Claimyr to get through to someone about scheduling an in-person appointment - I really need to sort out these survivor benefit details. I'll also request those specific POMS sections as suggested. Really appreciate all the help!

Glad we could help! One last tip - when you do speak with someone at SSA, ask them to note in your file exactly which POMS sections they're referencing when they explain things to you. That way, if you need to follow up later, you can refer to specific sections rather than starting over. It helps with consistency, especially since different reps sometimes interpret rules differently.