Update: I called the SSA today and after a 45-minute wait, I spoke with someone who was actually very helpful! She confirmed that I should definitely correct the $15K error and said it could affect my benefit by about $65-75 per month. She also explained that the smaller discrepancies under $1000 likely wouldn't change my benefit calculation enough to worry about. She's sending me Form SSA-7008 and said I should include copies of my W-2 and tax return for 2019. She also said there's no time limit for corrections when you have proper documentation. Thanks everyone for your help!

its crazy how they can just mess up ur record like that and not tell u. makes u wonder what else is wrong that we dont know about

I'm dealing with this right now too lol. The whole Login.gov thing is a mess. Does anyone know if we need the EXACT same email as before? I have like 3 email addresses and can't remember which one I used originally 🤦‍♀️

UPDATE: I tried everyone's suggestions and finally got back into my account! What worked was going directly to Login.gov (not through the SSA site) and using the account recovery option with my email. They sent me a recovery link, and I was able to set up a new authentication method for my account. Then I could log into my Social Security account with no problems. Thank you all for your help - I'm so relieved I didn't have to create a completely new account!

To answer your question about the application process - I didn't have to go into an office. After I got connected through Claimyr, I did everything by phone, then submitted the required documents by mail (you can also submit online through their website if you have a my Social Security account). The whole process took about 45 minutes on the phone, then a few weeks for processing. Just make sure you have your husband's Social Security number, your marriage certificate info, his death certificate, and recent tax returns or pay stubs to verify your current earnings. They'll tell you exactly what they need during the call.

That sounds much easier than I expected. I'll get all those documents together before I call. Thanks again for your help!

dont 4get to think about taxes 2... up to 85% of SS can b taxable if ur other income is high enough

After reading all these comments, I want to share my experience. I applied exactly 3 months before my FRA and specifically told them I wanted benefits to start at my FRA. Everything went perfectly - no reduced benefits, no delays. The SSA representative confirmed multiple times that my benefits would start at my FRA, not before. I'd recommend applying in December for your March FRA, and make sure you clearly indicate when you want benefits to begin.

My dad had almost this EXACT situation! He worked till 83 (passed last year) but was getting same SS payment from when he started at 65. We finally got someone at SSA to help and turns out he was owed over $9000 in back increases! Make sure your dad pushes for back pay if they find an error!

It's worth noting that any benefit increase from post-retirement earnings will likely be modest. This is because: 1. Only earnings that replace lower years in the top 35 will impact the calculation 2. The benefit formula gives less weight to higher earnings 3. Post-FRA recalculations don't include delayed retirement credits For example, if your father's recent $130K earnings replace a year where he earned $50K (after indexing), this might only increase his monthly benefit by $20-40. The exact amount depends on his complete earnings history. That said, even small increases add up over time, and if he's been missing these adjustments for years, the back pay could be substantial. Definitely worth pursuing.

my brother is self employed too and he said u should ask ur CPA about SEP IRA or solo 401k...he says u can put away more $ for retirement that way n reduce ur taxes at the same time

When I was self-employed, I found it helpful to create a spreadsheet to track my Social Security contributions each year. I used it to project my future benefits. One thing to keep in mind is that benefits are calculated based on your highest 35 years of earnings, adjusted for inflation. If you have fewer than 35 years of work, they'll use zeros for the missing years, which can significantly lower your benefit amount.

My sister and I both retired around the same time (she was 65, I was 67) and there's about a 15% difference in our monthly payments even though we had very similar careers and earnings. Those two years make a big difference! Just something to think about...

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I think I'll apply in November 2024 so benefits can start in March 2025. I'm going to talk to my financial advisor one more time about whether I should wait until closer to my FRA given the reduction at 65. Really appreciate all the insights!

Thank you all for the helpful advice! Based on what everyone has shared, I think I need to reconsider my strategy. Since I'll still be working until September 2025 and earning well above the limit, it probably makes sense to wait until after I retire to apply for survivor benefits. I'll still be under my regular FRA but at least I won't have the earnings test reducing my benefits. Then I can consider switching to my own retirement benefit at 70 if the delayed credits make it higher than my survivor benefit. Is there anything else I should consider in this situation?

this whole system is rigged to CONFUSE US!! my neighbor got diff advice from EVERY ssa rep she talked to!! good luck figuring it out!!

One additional point that's important: if your potential new spouse has a significantly higher benefit than you, and you'd outlive them, remarriage might actually be financially advantageous for Social Security purposes. If they pass away, as their widow, you'd be eligible for 100% of their benefit amount if it exceeds your own.Many people don't realize that survivor benefits are much more generous (100% of the deceased's benefit) than spousal benefits (50% of the living spouse's benefit). This is something to consider in your long-term planning.

That's a really helpful perspective I hadn't considered. My boyfriend is actually 5 years older than me and has a higher earnings history, so that could potentially benefit me later in life. Not that I'm planning around that, but good to understand all the implications.

I've been dealing with both WEP and GPO for YEARS and can tell you that the key factor is WHO earned what. In your situation: 1. YOU earned SS benefits through YOUR work = You get your full SS retirement 2. YOUR HUSBAND earned a federal pension that pays you survivor benefits = Doesn't trigger GPO on your own SS GPO would only apply if YOU worked a government job not covered by SS AND tried to claim SS spousal/widow benefits based on your husband's SS record. WEP would only apply if YOU worked both SS-covered AND non-SS-covered jobs. Since neither applies to you, there's no reduction and no indicator needed on your account. You're receiving exactly what you're entitled to!

i think your fine but maybe they just havent caught up with you yet? my uncle got a letter 18 months after he started getting benefits saying they made a mistake and he had to pay back $$$. i would just save some money just in case they come after you later. SSA is so behind on everything