ALSO!!! Make sure you talk to your boyfriend about this!!! My friend lost nearly $15,000 in benefits during her "gap year" after remarrying. If I were you, I'd ask the new husband-to-be to help cover that loss since it's happening because of the marriage. Only fair, right???

Based on everything discussed, here's a summary of your options: 1. Remarry now: Lose ex-spousal benefits immediately, possibly receive only your own (likely lower) benefit for one year, then receive 50% of your new husband's PIA if that's higher than your own benefit 2. Wait until FRA to remarry: Potentially keep ex-spousal benefits even after remarriage if your new husband is receiving Social Security benefits 3. Calculate the financial impact: Compare one year of reduced benefits against the long-term higher benefit you might receive based on your new husband's record I'd recommend creating a spreadsheet to calculate different scenarios. This is ultimately a personal decision that involves both financial and emotional factors.

Just to add a practical note - make sure you also check the substantial earnings amount for each year you worked in covered employment. Sometimes people have years they didn't count because they fell just short of the threshold. The substantial earnings amount for 2025 is $31,275, but it was much lower in previous years. For example, in 1990 it was only $9,525. You might have more qualifying years than you think!

My friend said u can also reduce ur WEP if u keep working after u start getting SS??? Is that true? I'm so confused with all these rules!

To answer your follow-up question - yes, you can absolutely request a partial withholding instead of having them take your entire check. When you receive the overpayment notice, there will be information about how to request a payment plan. You can also be proactive and contact them now. The key form is SSA-634 (Request for Change in Overpayment Recovery Rate). On this form, you'll provide information about your income, expenses, and assets, and propose a monthly amount you can afford to repay. As long as your request is reasonable based on your financial situation, they'll typically approve it. Since your overpayment will be relatively small (around $380 based on your estimates), you could propose paying it back over 2-3 months instead of all at once.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I've learned that: 1. SSA will only recover the money from my SS benefits, not my work paycheck (huge relief) 2. I need to be proactive and contact them to set up a payment plan 3. I can request a partial withholding using form SSA-634 4. I should prepare for potential tax implications on both income sources I'm going to try that Claimyr service to get through to an agent since calling directly hasn't worked. I'll update once I get this resolved. Really appreciate everyone's advice!

Just my two cents but i think its silly to be so secretive about retirement. your employer will find out eventually anyway and they might appreciate more notice. but its your choice obv

Just to summarize the accurate information shared so far: 1. For standard retirement benefits: SSA does NOT contact employers. They use their existing earnings records. 2. For Medicare: They MAY contact employers to verify current health insurance coverage for the Medicare Secondary Payer determination, but you can: - Provide complete insurance information yourself to minimize this chance - Specifically request no employer contact when you apply - Speak with an SSA representative to note this preference on your account before applying 3. For disability claims (SSDI): They DO typically contact employers (not relevant to your situation) Hope this helps clarify everything!

one more thing! dont forget they take TAXES out of social security!!! i never knew this and got a big surprise at tax time!!! if ur other income is over like $25000 they tax up to 85% of the ss money!!! its highway robbery!!!

Based on all the comments here, I'd recommend taking these steps: 1. Create a my Social Security account and check your own estimated benefit 2. Gather your marriage certificate and divorce decree 3. Contact SSA directly (use the Claimyr service someone mentioned if you have trouble getting through) 4. Ask specifically about: - Ex-spouse benefits based on a disability record - Early filing reduction amount - Earnings test limits if you're still working - Tax implications based on your total income Apply about 3 months before you turn 62 to give them processing time. The benefit will start the month you turn 62.

I'm so sorry about your husband. When I lost my spouse, dealing with SSA was the last thing I wanted to do, but it had to be done. Here's what worked for me - I scheduled an appointment at my local office (didn't just walk in) and specifically asked for someone who specializes in survivor benefits. I brought a list of questions including exactly what my benefit amount would be. It took some persistence but I finally got the information. The survivor benefit amount should be approximately what your husband was receiving when he passed, if you claim at your full retirement age. If he hadn't started benefits yet, it would be what he would have received at his FRA. Hope that helps with your planning at least a little while you wait for the official number.

My sister had to call like 6 or 7 times before she got someone who actually knew how to calculate survivor benefits. Not all the reps are trained on all the different benefits I guess. So frustrating!

We retired last year and i had almost the exact numbers as you. I get my own benefit plus a little extra to reach the spouse amount. It ended up being about $1250 for me on my own and then they added another $200 to get me up to the spouse amount (which was half of my husbands benefit). So your friend was kinda right but also wrong because you dont get BOTH full amounts.

A few years back I was told I'd get my own SS plus spousal but when I actually applied they said no, just the higher amount. I was so frustrated! I waited on the phone for 3 hours to talk to someone who could explain it. One important thing no one mentioned yet - if you take your benefit early (before your Full Retirement Age), your spousal benefit will be permanently reduced too. It's not just your own benefit that gets cut for claiming early.

i retired early at 57 from teaching after 22 years and started a business. worked 8 more years paying into SS. still got hit with WEP but not as bad as i feared. the good thing is my business income was higher than teaching so my SS benefit is still decent even with reduction. sometimes the best option is just earning more in your new career!

I've been researching this topic for months and there's been occasional talk in Congress about reforming or eliminating WEP, though nothing has passed yet. The "Social Security Fairness Act" gets reintroduced regularly. Might be worth keeping an eye on potential legislative changes over the next few decades before you retire.

When I finally got through to SSA about my divorced spouse benefits, they asked for my marriage certificate and divorce decree to verify I met the 10-year marriage requirement. They also wanted to know if I had remarried (remarriage generally ends eligibility for ex-spouse benefits unless that marriage has also ended). Make sure you have all that documentation ready when you call.

Based on all the information shared, here's what you should do: 1. Contact SSA to get exact benefit estimates for both scenarios (your own reduced benefit at 62 vs. divorced spouse benefit) 2. Consider how long you plan to keep working and how that affects the earnings test 3. Think about your longevity - waiting increases your lifetime benefits if you live longer 4. Factor in your current financial needs - sometimes taking reduced benefits early is necessary If the numbers are close, and you can afford to wait, delaying benefits to avoid permanent reductions is often financially advantageous in the long run if you live into your 80s or beyond.

when my sister was figuring this out for her kid, she applied for SSI first and got denied because of family income but then she used all that paperwork for the DAC application later. might be worth applying for SSI even knowing you'll get denied just to get the disability determination process started. less headache later.

Let me address your specific timing question. If you're 55 now and considering filing at 62 (in 7 years), your husband would be 55 at that time and 12 years away from his FRA. Let's map this out: - When you're 62: You could file for reduced benefits (~$1,015/month) and your son could receive DAC benefits on your record (~$507/month) - When you're 74: Your husband reaches FRA, files for his full benefit ($3,650), and your son can switch to his record for higher benefits ($1,825/month), while you receive spousal top-up benefits Is waiting until your husband files at his FRA worth it? That's 19 years from now. If your son received $507/month on your record for 12 years, that's approximately $73,000 in benefits he would receive before switching to the higher amount. Another consideration: if your husband becomes disabled before his FRA or passes away, your son could access benefits on his record sooner. Not something anyone wants to think about, but it's part of comprehensive planning.