Thank you all for these helpful responses! I think I understand now that survivor benefits would be based on his Primary Insurance Amount rather than his reduced benefit, which is a relief. I'm going to try to speak with someone at SSA directly to confirm based on our specific situation. Hearing about that Claimyr service is helpful since the last time I tried calling SSA, I gave up after being on hold for over an hour.

I just wanted to add one thing - make SURE you keep a copy of your marriage certificate and divorce decree!!! My aunt went through this last year and SSA rejected her claim TWICE because they said they needed "original" copies even though she sent certified copies. The whole process took her 9 months to resolve and she almost lost her house waiting for the benefits to start!!! The system is HORRIBLE for widows and survivors!!!

i'm confused about something... if the husband already took SS early doesnt that mean he gets a permanently reduced amount forever? even as a survivor?

Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I feel much better knowing my husband would have immediate access to survivor benefits if needed. I'll definitely make sure we keep good records and that he knows about the application process. I think we'll try to schedule an appointment with SSA to get specific calculations based on our actual earnings records too. This community has been so helpful!

My friend just went thru this!!! The SSA made her payback like 7 months of benefits when she went back to work and it was a NIGHTMARE getting everything processed right. She said it would have been easier to just let them reduce her benefits based on her earnings instead of dealing with the withdrawal process. Just my 2 cents!

One last point to consider: if you withdraw your application and repay benefits, you're essentially resetting the clock. This means your future benefit amount will be higher when you claim again, especially if you wait until your Full Retirement Age (66 and 10 months for someone born in 1960) or even age 70. However, if you keep your current filing date and just work while receiving reduced benefits, you're stuck with that early filing reduction permanently (though partially offset by any months benefits are completely withheld). For someone still in good health with longevity in your family, withdrawing might be the better long-term financial decision if you can afford to repay the benefits now. I'd recommend using the calculators on ssa.gov to compare your lifetime benefits under each scenario based on how long you expect to live.

I had a similar issue with my ex-spousal benefits claim last month. After weeks of getting nowhere with the regular SSA number, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a representative without the endless hold times. They have a video demonstrating how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I reached was actually able to see the specific exceptions on my claim and explained that one was related to my pension verification and the other was a system flag for the GPO repeal claims. They sent a message to the payment center requesting urgent resolution due to financial hardship, and my claim was processed within a week after that. The key is getting someone who will actually look at the specific exceptions rather than just giving generic information.

Just a quick update on GPO repeal claims - I've heard from several clients that SSA is now starting to process the backlog more quickly. Several people who applied in the first month after the repeal just received approval notices this week. It seems like the payment centers finally received complete processing instructions about two weeks ago. One thing that might help: make sure your online my Social Security account is set up with accurate contact information. Some payment centers are sending electronic messages there rather than paper notices for these claims.

Another CRITICAL thing to know - if your sister ever does decide to apply for SSDI (not just retirement), there's a 5 MONTH waiting period before benefits start AND Medicare doesn't kick in until 24 MONTHS after SSDI approval!!! The system is designed to make disabled workers SUFFER!!! And btw - if your sister's injury happened 8 years ago, has she even TRIED applying for SSDI? If her injury is permanent and prevented her from working, she might qualify for SSDI which could actually pay MORE than early retirement. The SSDI benefit is calculated as if she worked until full retirement age!

After reviewing numerous cases like this in my work, here's the most accurate information I can provide: 1. The Worker's Compensation offset for Social Security benefits varies by state law and policy language. 2. In most states, there is a distinction between SSDI and retirement benefits in how they're treated for offset purposes, but approximately 15 states do allow offsets against retirement benefits. 3. The key factor is often when the injury occurred in relation to age. If the worker was disabled well before retirement age, some policies treat any Social Security as partially attributable to the disability. 4. The safest approach is to request a formal written determination from the WC carrier about how they would treat retirement benefits specifically. 5. There may be a maximum combined benefit amount specified in state law (often 80% of pre-injury wages). I recommend having your sister request her earnings record from Social Security to calculate potential retirement benefits, then discuss with both a WC attorney and a financial advisor to determine the optimal strategy.