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Oh, I stand corrected! Thanks for explaining that. I wish someone had told me about the limited widow's benefit when my wife passed. The SSA rep never mentioned it.
Have u checked if u can get more on ur husbands record NOW? My wife got more on my record even before i retired! Worth checking!!
Thanks everyone for the advice! After reading all your comments, I'm leaning toward waiting until my FRA to claim any benefits. It seems like the math works out better long-term, even though it's tempting to take something now. I'm going to try that Claimyr service to talk directly with SSA and get the exact numbers for my situation. I'll also talk with my husband about our overall retirement strategy to make sure we're coordinating our claiming decisions properly. It's such a relief to get all this information!
I'm so confused...I went to SSA office yesterday and the person told me they aren't processing these yet and to come back in April. But you all are saying you've gotten calls? Are different offices handling this differently?
There seems to be some inconsistency between different SSA offices. The main processing is being handled by specialized units rather than local offices, which may explain why you got different information. I would recommend filing your application online immediately rather than waiting until April. Once it's in the system, it will be routed to the appropriate processing unit regardless of what your local office advised.
This is why I tell EVERYONE to file as early as possible when new benefits become available! My mother-in-law waited 3 months after the POMS update for GPO and now she's at the back of the line. The early bird gets the worm with SSA. Always file right away and let them sort it out.
if your husbands abusive why wait til december? the 2 year mark only matters for certain benefits but not worth staying in danger
StarSurfer
Wait I thought the whole WEP repeal thing didn't pass?? My father in law was telling me Congress was talking about it but nothing actually happened. Are you sure its actually repealed?
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Zoe Christodoulou
•You're right to question this. The full WEP repeal hasn't actually passed at the federal level yet. There have been several bills introduced in Congress (like the Social Security Fairness Act), but none have become law as of early 2025. It's possible the original poster is confusing proposed legislation with actual law, or perhaps referring to a state-level initiative that affects certain pensions but not the federal WEP provision itself. Always good to verify this kind of information directly with SSA.
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Carmen Reyes
Since several people have pointed out that the WEP repeal hasn't actually happened yet, your husband's current situation remains unchanged. His benefit is still reduced by WEP, and if that amount ($1,375) is higher than half of your PIA at your FRA, then he wouldn't qualify for spousal benefits at this time.
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Aisha Ali
•Thank you. We'll keep an eye on any legislation that passes and reconsider if/when the WEP is actually repealed. For now, it seems he should just continue with his current benefit.
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