i tried that claimyr thing someone mentioned when i had a survivors benefits question last month and it actually worked. got through to ssa in like 20 mins instead of being on hold for hours. just saying it might save u a lot of time

Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to try calling using that Claimyr service tomorrow morning, and if that doesn't work I'll write everything on paper and send it certified mail. I'll make sure to include all my info - SSN, contact details, my expected earnings, and a clear explanation. I'll update if I run into any more issues. Really appreciate all the help!

my sister took SS at 62 and her neighbor waited till 70. the neighbor gets like $1000 more a month but my sister already collected for 8 years before neighbor got anything. sister says shell be dead before neighbor catches up lol

Thanks everyone for the thoughtful responses! After reading all your comments, I've decided to wait until 70 to claim my Social Security. I'll look into the special home renovation loans that were suggested and plan to have the work done after I fully retire. The math of getting an extra $744/month for potentially 20+ years is just too compelling to ignore.

To clarify a few technical points: 1. When you were receiving disability benefits on your husband's record, you were actually receiving what's called "Disabled Widow(er)'s Benefits" (DWB), a specific type of survivor benefit, not traditional SSDI on your own record. 2. Now that you've reached your FRA and switched to your own retirement benefit, you've undergone what's called a "technical termination" of your disability status. Your benefit is now calculated and treated exactly like any retirement benefit. 3. The earnings test (which limits how much you can earn) only applies to people receiving benefits before their FRA. Since you're at your FRA, you can earn unlimited amounts without affecting your monthly benefit amount. 4. The question about future work is standard during benefit conversion interviews. It helps the representative determine if they need to explain earnings limitations (not applicable in your case) or provide information about how work might affect taxes on your benefits (which is still relevant). 5. You don't need to report your intention to work to SSA, but your earnings will be reported through normal tax channels, which is all that's required.

Just wanted to add that working part-time from home was such a positive thing for me after years on disability. Beyond the extra income, it gave me purpose and routine that actually helped my health in some ways. Hope it works out well for you too!

You guys are all confusing me more!!! So is it better to take SS at 65 or wait?? I'm in the same situation retiring next year and now I don't know what to do!!!

I want to thank everyone for their helpful responses! I've learned that my FRA is actually 67, not 66 like I thought. So waiting from 65 to 66 reduces my early retirement penalty but isn't actually delayed credits yet. I still get about 7.5% more monthly benefit even without working, which sounds worth it to me. And I'll definitely remember to sign up for Medicare at 65 regardless of when I take SS benefits. This has been incredibly helpful for my retirement planning!

Just to clarify something important: if your husband passes away before you, your situation would change significantly. As his widow, you would be eligible for survivor benefits equal to 100% of what he was receiving - including all those delayed retirement credits from waiting until 70. This is actually one of the key retirement planning strategies for couples with age differences. The higher earner often delays benefits until 70 specifically to maximize the survivor benefit for the younger spouse. So while you don't benefit from his delayed credits now, they could provide significant financial protection for you later.

That's actually comforting to know. I didn't realize survivor benefits would include his delayed credits. At least there's some benefit to his decision to wait until 70.