One more thing to add - make sure you understand exactly how much you'll get after GPO. The calculation is: 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount MINUS (2/3 × your teacher's pension). So if your husband's PIA is $2,300, half of that is $1,150. Then if your pension is $1,875, two-thirds of that is $1,250. So $1,150 - $1,250 would mean zero benefit. But if his PIA is higher than what he receives, you might get something. The SSA can calculate this precisely for your situation.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this process recently. I was a school librarian for 35 years and applied for spousal benefits last fall at age 78. The good news is that yes, you can absolutely get retroactive benefits for up to 6 months if you were eligible during that period, which you definitely were. When I applied, I specifically asked for retroactive benefits back to my eligibility date, and they approved it. The SSA worker was very clear that I needed to request it - it's not automatic. After the GPO reduction (2/3 of my pension), I ended up with about $180/month, which was more than I expected because my husband had delayed his benefits past FRA so his PIA was higher. My advice: apply in person if possible, bring all your documents, and don't let them discourage you about the GPO until they run the actual numbers. Sometimes the calculation works out better than you think, especially if your husband's PIA is higher than his current benefit amount. Good luck!

One more important reason to maintain access: fraud prevention. By regularly checking your account, you can make sure no one has attempted to change your payment information. Unfortunately, Social Security fraud targeting seniors is increasingly common. The online account lets you verify that everything is still set up correctly and no unauthorized changes have been made.

As someone who works with seniors on tech issues, I'd strongly recommend restoring his access. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that having online access becomes crucial if he ever needs to appeal a decision or report changes in circumstances. The portal also lets you track the status of any requests or applications in real-time. For the recovery process, I'd suggest calling SSA early in the morning (around 8 AM) when wait times are typically shorter. If that doesn't work, the in-person office visit is definitely your best bet. Bring multiple forms of ID and any documentation related to his benefits. They can usually reset everything on the spot and help set up new security questions he'll actually remember. The peace of mind alone is worth it - especially given how difficult it can be to resolve issues without account access!

Pro tip: if you can't get through online, try calling your local SSA office instead of the main number. Sometimes they can help you over the phone or set up an in-person appointment if needed. Google 'SSA field office locator' to find the closest one to you.

I had this exact same issue a few months ago! It turned out my account had some kind of verification flag that was causing the loop. What finally worked for me was calling the SSA technical support line (1-800-772-1213) and specifically asking to speak to someone in the "online services" department. They were able to reset something on their end that fixed the login issue immediately. The whole call took about 30 minutes once I got through. Definitely mention that you've already tried different browsers and clearing cache - that shows you've done the basic troubleshooting steps.

When my wife hit FRA last year they suddenly DECREASED her survivor benefit without ANY WARNING!!! Said something about the 'family maximum' we never heard about before. And they gave us a $5,700 OVERPAYMENT notice!!! The whole system is DESIGNED to confuse people!!

I had a similar experience with SSA reps making changes I didn't request! When I called to update my address last year, they somehow also changed my withholding elections without me asking. It took three more calls to get it sorted out. For your situation, definitely call back and be very specific about what you want. I've found it helps to ask them to repeat back exactly what changes they're making before they process anything. Also, consider calling early in the morning (like right at 8 AM) - the wait times are usually shorter then. The good news is that direct deposit changes are usually pretty straightforward to fix once you get through to someone who knows what they're doing. Just be persistent!

Thank you all for the helpful information! I think I understand the situation better now. My husband would still likely benefit from the spousal boost even with filing early, but: 1. He can't receive ANY spousal benefits until I file at my FRA 2. He needs to explicitly request spousal benefits when applying 3. He'll get his own reduced benefit PLUS potentially an additional amount to reach the reduced spousal benefit level I think we need to run some calculations and possibly consult with SSA directly before making our final decision. I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge!

Just wanted to add one important point that might help with your planning - you mentioned your husband is planning to retire at 65, but remember that he doesn't have to file for Social Security benefits just because he retires from work! If you have other sources of income (401k, savings, etc.) to bridge the gap, he could potentially retire at 65 but delay filing for SS until you claim at your FRA. That way he'd avoid the early filing reduction on both his own benefit AND any spousal benefits. Of course, this only works if you can afford to wait, but it's worth considering since the financial impact of those reductions lasts for life. The break-even analysis between claiming early vs. waiting can be tricky, especially when spousal benefits are involved.