I've been following this thread closely as someone who works with Social Security claims regularly, and I want to emphasize a few critical points that could save you thousands of dollars in the long run. First, regarding the timing strategy mentioned - you're absolutely right that birth year matters for restricted applications. If you were born before January 2, 1954, you still have access to some claiming strategies that were grandfathered in. This could allow you to claim survivor benefits first while letting your own retirement benefit grow until age 70. Second, I want to stress the importance of getting multiple calculations from SSA. Ask them to show you: - Your own retirement benefit at 62, FRA, and 70 (with WEP applied) - Survivor benefits with GPO reduction at different claiming ages - Ex-spousal benefits with GPO reduction - The "break-even" ages for each strategy Third, don't overlook the Medicare implications. Since you mentioned paying Medicare taxes in your government job, you're covered there, but the timing of when you claim Social Security can affect Medicare Part B premium costs due to IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) thresholds. The strategy of taking your own reduced benefit at 62 plus part-time work could indeed be optimal, especially given that your pension has no COLA while Social Security does. Just make sure any part-time work won't push you over the IRMAA thresholds for Medicare premiums. This is definitely a situation where getting professional help - either through SSA directly or a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security - could pay for itself many times over.

I've been working as a Social Security disability attorney for over a decade, and I can tell you that cases involving government pensions are some of the most complex I see. Your situation is actually more common than you might think, and while the WEP/GPO rules are frustrating, there are still strategies to optimize your benefits. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the importance of understanding exactly how your pension is structured. Some state pension systems have portions that DID pay into Social Security (like if you had any federal employment or if your state system changed over time). If any portion of your pension comes from SS-covered employment, that could affect the GPO calculation. Also, regarding your ex-spouse benefits - make sure to verify that your ex-spouse is still living and hasn't remarried before age 60 (which would affect your eligibility). The 12-year marriage length is good since it exceeds the 10-year requirement, but there are other eligibility factors to confirm. I'd strongly recommend bringing copies of ALL your pension documents, marriage certificates, divorce decree, and your late husband's death certificate to your SSA appointment. The more documentation you have upfront, the more accurate their calculations will be. Given the complexity and the significant financial impact over your lifetime, this might also be worth a consultation with a Social Security attorney who handles retirement planning, not just disability cases. Many of us offer free consultations for retirement benefit optimization.

I'm in a very similar situation - just turned 64 and planning to start SS benefits while working part-time. This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea that earnings are counted when earned rather than when paid. One question I haven't seen addressed yet: what happens if you work irregular shifts that span midnight? Like if I work a shift from 11 PM on January 31st to 7 AM on February 1st - which month do those earnings count toward? Also, has anyone dealt with commission-based pay while on SS? I'm wondering if commissions follow the same "when earned" rule or if there are special considerations since commission earnings can be harder to pin down to specific dates. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that's impossible to find on the official SSA website!

This entire discussion has been so helpful! I'm in a similar boat - 65 and considering claiming SS while working part-time. The "earned vs. paid" distinction is crucial and something I completely misunderstood before reading this thread. One thing I'm wondering about that I haven't seen mentioned: what about vacation days that you've accrued but haven't taken yet? If I have 40 hours of vacation time built up from working earlier in the year, and then I take that vacation time in December, does that count toward December's earnings limit even though I "earned" those hours months earlier? Also, for anyone dealing with this - I found it helpful to set up a monthly calendar reminder to review my earnings tracking. It's easy to forget to update your records when you're focused on just getting through each work week, but staying on top of it monthly has saved me from any surprises. Thanks again to everyone for sharing their real experiences with this complex system!

Thank you everyone for the incredibly helpful responses! I feel much better knowing that my husband's pension won't affect my Social Security benefits. I'm definitely going to look into creating that my Social Security account to see the exact numbers for claiming at different ages. After reading all your advice, I'm now thinking I should consider waiting until my full retirement age of 66+10 months instead of claiming at 65. The 10% difference in benefits could be significant over time. I appreciate all the personal experiences shared too - it's reassuring to hear from others in similar situations who are receiving both pension and Social Security without reductions.

I'm glad you're feeling more confident about your situation! One thing I'd add - since you mentioned your husband only had about 7 years of Social Security-covered work, you might still want to double-check if there are any survivor benefits available on his record, even if they're small. Sometimes people are surprised by what's available, and you can always switch between your own retirement benefit and survivor benefits if circumstances change. Also, when you do create that my Social Security account, pay attention to the "break-even" analysis. It shows you at what age the total lifetime benefits from waiting longer would exceed taking benefits earlier. For many people, if you're in good health and expect to live into your 80s, waiting until full retirement age (or even longer) often pays off in the long run. Good luck with your retirement planning - you're being smart to research all this ahead of time!

I'm facing a very similar decision at 66, so this thread has been incredibly valuable! One thing I'd suggest is also considering your health insurance situation. If you're currently getting employer-sponsored health insurance, make sure you have a solid plan for coverage after you retire in May. Medicare doesn't kick in until 65 (which you've already passed), but if you're still on an employer plan, you'll want to coordinate the timing of when you leave that coverage. Also, I've found it helpful to think about this decision in terms of your overall retirement income strategy. Social Security is just one piece of the puzzle along with any 401(k), pension, or other retirement savings. Sometimes starting that steady monthly SS payment provides a good foundation that makes it easier to manage withdrawals from other accounts. The automatic recomputation feature really does take a lot of the guesswork out of the timing decision. You can start benefits when you're ready and let SSA handle the earnings updates later. That removes the pressure to get the timing "perfect" from a financial optimization standpoint.

I'm 64 and planning ahead for this same decision in a couple years, so this discussion has been incredibly helpful! One aspect I haven't seen mentioned yet is the impact of inflation on your decision timeline. Social Security benefits get annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLA), but your current earned income doesn't get that same protection once you stop working. So there's value in locking in that Social Security benefit sooner rather than later, especially given the current economic uncertainty. Also, I've been tracking my earnings on the SSA website for the past few years, and I noticed they're actually pretty good about updating earnings relatively quickly - usually within 3-6 months of when employers submit their quarterly reports. So your early 2025 earnings might show up faster than the traditional "wait until after tax season" timeline that some people mention. @William Schwarz - your plan sounds very solid. Filing at FRA while continuing to work gives you the best of both worlds, and the automatic recalculation takes the guesswork out of timing. Plus, you'll have that predictable monthly income starting right away, which can make budgeting and retirement planning so much easier. Good luck with your decision!

After reading all these comments, I'd suggest you have a one-on-one consultation with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies. With a significant difference between your benefit amounts, proper timing could make a substantial difference in your lifetime benefits, especially considering survivor benefits down the road. While the spousal benefit won't increase if your husband delays claiming, survivor benefits would be based on his actual benefit amount including any delayed retirement credits.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently navigated this! I was in a very similar situation - my own benefit was around $400/month and my husband's was $3,800. The key thing that helped me understand it was when the SSA representative explained that you essentially get "topped up" to the higher amount. So you're not losing your own work credits - they're still there as the foundation - but you get supplemented up to that 50% spousal amount. Also, definitely recommend keeping detailed notes when you talk to SSA reps because I got slightly different explanations from different people, which was confusing. The bottom line for me was getting about $1,900/month total (50% of his PIA) instead of my $400. Make sure you understand the timing requirements too - I had to wait until after my husband filed, but once he did, the process was pretty straightforward. Good luck!