Just a warning - the SSA is SERIOUSLY understaffed right now! I've heard processing times are getting longer and longer. If I were you I'd apply 4 months early just to be safe. The official recommendation might be 3 months but that was before all the staffing issues they're having now. Better safe than sorry!!!

I went through this same process last year and can share what worked for me. I applied exactly 3 months before my FRA birthday in October, and everything went smoothly - my first payment arrived right on schedule in November. One tip that really helped: I created a my Social Security account online first (if you don't already have one) and spent some time reviewing my earnings record before applying. This way I could spot any discrepancies ahead of time. The online application itself was pretty straightforward, but having all my documents organized made a huge difference. Since you're planning to stop work in July and your FRA is in August, applying in May would put you right at that 3-month mark. That should give SSA plenty of time to process everything, and you'll avoid any potential earnings complications since you'll already be retired when benefits start. Don't stress too much about the weekend birthday - the system handles all that automatically. Good luck with your application!

One more important point: If you do qualify for the survivor benefit, you should calculate whether it's financially beneficial to take it now while letting your own benefit grow. If your own benefit at 66 is already substantially higher than the survivor benefit would be (especially since it might be reduced because your ex died before FRA), then it might make more sense to just claim your own benefit now or wait until 70 for the maximum amount.

Just wanted to add one more consideration that might help with your decision-making process. When you do contact SSA (whether through the regular phone line or using a service like Claimyr), make sure to ask them to provide you with written estimates of both benefit amounts. Request an estimate of what your survivor benefit would be based on your ex-husband's record, and also get a projection of what your own retirement benefit would be at different claiming ages (66, 67, 68, 69, and 70). Having these concrete numbers will make it much easier to determine the optimal strategy. Also, don't forget that if you do take the survivor benefit now, you can still switch to your own benefit later if it becomes higher - you're not locked into one choice forever. Good luck navigating this complex situation!

Just wondering - have u checked if your pension plan is one of the ones exempt from GPO? My friend worked for a school district in a state where they paid into Social Security AND their pension, and she didn't get hit with GPO. Might be worth double checking?

I went through a very similar situation with my state pension and spousal benefits! The "suspended" status is really just SSA's way of saying they're still calculating the GPO impact - it doesn't mean anything is wrong with your application. Given that your teacher's pension is $2,400/month, the GPO reduction would indeed be $1,600 (2/3 of your pension), which completely wipes out your $865 spousal benefit. So withdrawing and reapplying wouldn't change your monthly payment at all - you'd still get $0. The smart move here is to keep your current application active. Even though you won't receive spousal benefits now, having that established application date could be crucial if you ever need to file for survivor benefits later. Survivor benefits have different GPO calculations and might still be partially payable despite your pension. Plus, if there are any future changes to GPO rules (which lawmakers occasionally discuss), you'd already have your application in the system. I'd just let it ride and focus on maximizing your own Social Security benefits when you're ready to claim those.

One more thing to consider: The WEP calculation is based on the year you turn 62, not when you actually claim benefits. So the substantial earnings threshold and maximum reduction amount that will apply to you will be based on the year you turn 62, even if you wait until 67 or 70 to start benefits. For planning purposes, you should request a WEP-adjusted benefit estimate directly from SSA. The online statements don't factor in WEP reductions.

As someone who's been researching this extensively after making a similar career change, I can share a few additional insights that might help. The WEP reduction is calculated on a sliding scale - with your 22 years of substantial earnings, you're already in a much better position than someone with fewer years. The key thing to remember is that WEP can never reduce your Social Security benefit to less than 50% of what it would be without WEP, so there's a floor to how much you can lose. Also, since you're only 48, you have time to potentially reach that magic 30-year mark that eliminates WEP entirely. Even part-time consulting work in your old marketing field during summers could count toward substantial earnings if you hit the annual threshold. The whole system is frustrating, but you're not as trapped as it might initially seem!

my cousins husband died too and she got a one time payment of like $255 did you get that?? not much but its something

I'm new to this community but wanted to share that I'm in a very similar situation - I'm 61 and still working primarily for health insurance for my special needs son. Reading through this thread has been incredibly helpful! I had no idea that survivor benefits don't grow after FRA - I thought all SS benefits worked the same way. The earnings limit calculations are really eye-opening too. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and knowledge. It's comforting to know there are others navigating these complex decisions while trying to do what's best for our families. The strategy outlined here makes so much sense - work until FRA for the insurance, then claim survivor benefits, then switch to your own at 70. I'm definitely going to check my numbers on ssa.gov now!