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Another important point - since your husband's benefit is only about 40% of yours, you should definitely consider how his filing decision impacts potential spousal benefits. While he's alive, he wouldn't qualify for spousal benefits on your record until you file for your own benefits. After you file at 70, he could potentially receive a spousal supplement if 50% of your PIA exceeds his own benefit (including reductions for early filing). This gets complicated, but it's worth understanding the full picture. The timing of both your claims can have significant impacts on your combined lifetime benefits.
i get so confused with all this PIA and FRA and spousal stuff. wish they made it simpler!!
Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! We definitely have more to consider than I initially thought. I'm going to talk with my husband about possibly waiting until his FRA after learning about the survivor benefit implications and the hassle of dealing with the earnings test. Seems like the small amount he'd get now (after reductions) might not be worth the permanent cut to his benefit. Really appreciate all your insights!
Sounds like a wise approach. If you have any specific questions as you continue planning, don't hesitate to ask. The rules can be complex, but taking time to understand them now can make a significant difference in your combined lifetime benefits.
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Wait I'm confused... You said your son gets benefits but then said daughter... which one is it?
Sorry for the confusion. I have a daughter who receives the survivor benefits. I was typing quickly and mixed up the details. Thanks for catching that.
One other thing to keep in mind - if you start receiving survivor benefits now and then find a new job, you'll need to be careful about the earnings test if you're working before your FRA. But since you mentioned you're 67 already, the earnings test no longer applies to you! You can earn any amount without reduction of benefits. That's another reason why taking survivor benefits now while continuing your job search could be advantageous.
That's a huge relief! I was worried about the earnings test because I've heard about benefit reductions if you work. I didn't realize that once you hit FRA, that no longer applies. So if I find a new job after starting survivor benefits, I can keep everything? That's really good to know.
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Update: I FINALLY got through to someone at SSA after trying for days. The agent explained that I misunderstood how the monthly earnings test works. She said that in the first year of retirement, they look at any month where I earned under the limit AND didn't perform "substantial services" as a month I should receive benefits, regardless of my annual total. But here's the catch - they're saying my part-time work still counts as "substantial services" even though I'm earning under the monthly limit! Apparently because I'm working more than 15 hours weekly at the bookstore (I work about 22 hours), they're considering it substantial work. This feels like a complete gotcha - stay under the earnings limit but still get penalized because of hours? I'm going to request a formal review. This just doesn't seem right.
The "substantial services" rule primarily applies to self-employment, not wage employment. For regular employment, they should only be looking at your earnings, not your hours. It sounds like the representative may have confused the two tests or incorrectly applied self-employment rules to your wage employment situation. Definitely request a formal review and bring documentation showing: 1. When you reduced your work from full-time to part-time 2. Your monthly earnings after starting benefits 3. That you're a wage earner, not self-employed The "substantial services" hour limit should not apply to your bookstore job if you're a regular employee (W-2, not 1099).
Reading through all this, I'm seriously considering just waiting until I hit my FRA to avoid this mess altogether. The rules are way more complicated than they initially appear, and it sounds like even the SSA reps give conflicting information. Losing a few months of benefits might be worth avoiding the headache!
That's often the simplest solution if you're close to your FRA and still working. Once you reach FRA, you can earn unlimited amounts without any reduction to your benefits. If you're only a few months away, it might be worth waiting just for the peace of mind.
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my cousin in florida just used some website to figure it all out... i think its called maximize my social security or something
You're probably referring to Maximize My Social Security. It's one of several good software tools (along with Social Security Solutions and others). These can be helpful, but often work best when combined with professional guidance, especially for complex situations like the OP described with pension offsets.
I forgot to mention - make sure whoever you work with understands the implications of the teaching pension. Georgia is one of those states where some teachers didn't pay into Social Security, which triggers the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and possibly the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These can significantly reduce your benefits, and many advisors don't have experience with these provisions.
This is really important - thank you! I did pay into Social Security for my teaching years (I was in a different state back then), but I definitely want someone who understands all these special provisions.
StarStrider
OK I'm a little confused here. Isn't SSI different from retirement benefits? I thought the earnings limits only applied to disability? Also doesn't SS check with IRS anyways so they know what you make?
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Chloe Taylor
•You're mixing up several different programs. SSI (Supplemental Security Income) is needs-based and has very strict income and resource limits. Retirement benefits and SSDI (disability) both have the earnings test that applies before FRA, but the rules are different for each. And yes, SSA does eventually get information from the IRS, but that's after tax returns are filed and processed - which could be more than a year later. That's why they ask for estimates and why they sometimes have to send overpayment notices later if your actual earnings were higher than estimated.
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GalacticGladiator
Thank you all for the helpful information. I think I understand better now. I'll probably apply in April but request benefits to start in January (a few months after I turned 62). And I'll make sure to be totally clear about my earnings for 2025 so I don't get surprised with an overpayment notice. I'm going to call SSA next week to confirm all this. If I can't get through, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. I really want to make sure I'm doing this correctly.
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