That's exactly right! Just watch your earnings for July and August, and from September onward you're completely free from any earnings restrictions. If your July-August income might put you over the prorated limit, you could always ask your employer to delay your hours increase until September to avoid any potential benefit reduction.

Thank you everyone for the helpful information! I'm going to accept the full-time position now that I understand the rules better. It's such a relief to know I only need to be mindful of my earnings through July, and after that, I'm free to earn without restrictions. I really appreciate all the clear explanations and personal experiences shared here!

Don't wait!!! My sister-in-law was in your EXACT situation (teacher for 29 years, GPO affected) and she listened when they told her to "just wait" - BIG MISTAKE! She ended up waiting THREE EXTRA MONTHS for her first payment because of the direct deposit issue! Go to your local office IN PERSON with your ID, a voided check, and your case number. Insist they document in your file that you provided direct deposit info. The website is RIGHT and the phone rep was WRONG. With this GPO repeal affecting so many people, SSA is overwhelmed and giving out incorrect information.

I know this isn't exactly what you asked, but make sure you understand how the GPO repeal implementation timeline works. SSA announced they'll process cases in phases, with the first payments expected to go out in late January 2025. Those who already applied (like you) are in the first group. But they also said benefits won't be retroactive to the repeal date - they'll start when SSA processes your case. So getting your direct deposit set up is definitely important to avoid further delays once they get to your case!

i went thru this with my mother last year!!! the SSA people told her she wasnt eligible but that was WRONG!! we had to talk to a supervisor to get it fixed. they kept saying she remarried but she NEVER did. if they give u trouble, ask for supervisor right away dont take no for answer.

One more thing to consider - if your mother is receiving any SSI (Supplemental Security Income) or other means-tested benefits in addition to her Social Security retirement, the increased income from survivor benefits could affect her eligibility for those programs. It's almost certainly still worth applying for the higher survivor benefit, but be aware there might be effects on other benefits she receives.

To give you some concrete numbers about WEP, with 23 years of substantial earnings, your WEP reduction won't be the full amount. The maximum WEP reduction for someone reaching 62 in 2025 is about $613 per month, but with 23 years of substantial earnings, your reduction would be significantly less - about 70% of that maximum. Delaying until 70 still increases your WEP-reduced benefit by 8% per year beyond FRA. Since GPO is likely eliminating most or all of your spousal benefit anyway, focusing on maximizing your own benefit might be your best strategy. Consider requesting a detailed benefit calculation from SSA that shows your WEP-adjusted amounts at different claiming ages. This will give you the specific numbers to make your decision.

i think everybody born after 1954 got screwed by that law change!! my brother in law was born in december 1953 and got to do the restricted thing but my sister missed it by 3 months. not fair!!

If you're determined to maximize what you can get, here's what I'd suggest: 1. Consider working part-time to earn those final 3 quarters. In 2025, you need to earn about $1,640 per quarter to get a credit. So that's around $4,920 total to get your 40 quarters. 2. Once you have 40 quarters, you'd be eligible for your own benefit (though it will be small and reduced by WEP), but it might be more than what you'd get as a spouse after the GPO reduction. 3. Request a detailed benefits calculation from SSA. They can run the numbers with and without the additional credits to help you make an informed decision. 4. Make sure SSA has your complete earnings record. Sometimes quarters from decades ago can be missing, and you might actually be closer to 40 than you think. Additionally, both WEP and GPO have maximum reduction amounts, so in some scenarios, it might be worthwhile to understand exactly how these would impact your specific situation.

I want to thank everyone for all this helpful information. I'm going to try that Claimyr service mentioned above to actually speak with someone at SSA without the endless waiting and disconnections. I'm also going to look into part-time work to get those last 3 quarters - even if the benefit is small, it sounds better than nothing. The whole GPO situation is really disheartening. I had no idea my teaching career would end up reducing benefits I might have received through my husband's record. I wish there had been better retirement planning resources specifically for teachers when I was younger. If anyone has had success getting benefits despite GPO or has found other strategies, I'd still love to hear about them!