For your specific situation with a 12-year age gap, here's what you should consider: 1. Your husband should coordinate Medicare enrollment at 65 regardless of when he takes Social Security 2. Since you're only 52, you have 10+ years before you reach your own eligibility for retirement benefits 3. Given your age difference, maximizing your husband's benefit has long-term advantages: - Higher survivor benefits for you if he passes away first - Increased household income when you're both in your 70s and 80s - Protection against longevity risk (outliving your money) 4. For self-employed individuals with historically low reported income: - Yes, working a W-2 job with higher reported income for even 3-5 years can significantly increase benefits - Consider restructuring your business to pay yourselves higher W-2 wages if possible - Look into voluntary increased contributions to Social Security (there are limitations) The book recommendation from another commenter is excellent. I'd also suggest scheduling a consultation with an SSA claims specialist to review your specific earnings record and options. Their expertise is free and they can model different claiming strategies based on your exact situation.

just wanted to add that the medicare part is totally different from ss benefits! my husband signed up for medicare right at 65 but waited till 68 for his ss checks to start. you can do them separate

Quick follow-up on my earlier response: when you go back to SSA, ask specifically about the "restricted application" for survivor benefits. This is the technical term for what you want to do - restricting your application to ONLY the survivor benefit while letting your own retirement benefit grow. Also, you should know that survivor benefits taken before your Full Retirement Age are reduced for early claiming (unlike switching to your own benefit at 70, which doesn't get penalized). Since you're turning 65 and your FRA is 66 and 10 months, that $1,850 figure already includes the early claiming reduction. If you waited until your FRA to claim the survivor benefit, it would be slightly higher, but that's rarely the optimal financial strategy when your own benefit will exceed the survivor benefit eventually.

this is why i always tell people to do their own research about social security before going in. so many of the workers give wrong info its scary!!

One more thing I think is important to mention: If your ex has remarried but you haven't, you can still claim on their record. Their current marriage has no impact on your eligibility. Also, you can claim even if your ex hasn't filed for their own benefits yet, but they must be eligible for benefits (at least 62) and you must have been divorced for at least two years. Lastly, taking ex-spouse benefits doesn't create any notification or paperwork for your ex, and they'll never see any reduction in their own benefits. The SSA handles everything independently.

my neighbor tried to do this and SSA lost her marriage certificate TWICE!! took her 8 months to get approved. make copies of EVERYTHING and don't let them keep originals!!

Try logging out completely and clearing your browser cookies, then log back in. Sometimes the system gets stuck in a weird state. That fixed a similar issue for me where I couldn't access certain forum features a few months ago.

hey quick question thats off topic but since ur applying for SSDI - did they make u wait the full 5 months before your first payment? my doctor said sometimes they waive that for certain conditions

Here's another tip: When you submit your application online, you'll get a confirmation number. Write this down immediately! I didn't, and when I needed to follow up on my application status, they kept asking for it. Also, create a my Social Security account online if you haven't already - you can track your application status there and it's much easier than calling.

Just to clarify something important: Even though you'll continue working, you should still apply for Medicare at 65 (if you haven't already), regardless of when you plan to start your Social Security benefits. Many people don't realize these are separate decisions. Missing your Medicare Initial Enrollment Period can result in permanent premium penalties, even if you have employer coverage.