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.

i got married at 61 and wish i had known all this stuff before. make sure you both look at EXACT numbers because everyone on here is giving general advice but YOUR specific earnings records matter most. the SSA calculators online suck btw they never worked right for me

The most accurate way to estimate your specific situation is to: 1. Create my Social Security accounts online for both of you 2. Download your earnings records 3. Use the detailed calculator from SSA called "Anypia" (it's not user-friendly but it's accurate) Alternatively, you could schedule an appointment with a Social Security claims specialist and have them run projections for you. They can show you exactly how different filing ages and marriage timing would affect both your benefits. One timing consideration: If you marry shortly after turning 59, you'll satisfy the 1-year marriage requirement before earliest possible filing age (62).

One more important thing to note - even if your own retirement benefit amount doesn't exceed your survivor benefit now, it's still worth checking every couple of years if you continue working. Each additional year of earnings could potentially replace a lower-earning year in your 35-year calculation for your own benefit. The difference might be small each year, but over time it could eventually push your own retirement benefit higher than your survivor benefit. Also, don't forget that your continued work might affect your future Medicare Part B premiums through IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) if your income is high enough. This isn't directly related to your benefit amount but is something to be aware of as you continue working.

Just to share my experience - I was in a similar situation and discovered my own benefit had grown to be $230 higher than my survivor benefit! I had been working part-time for 8 years after starting survivor benefits. When I finally got through to SSA after countless attempts (seriously, their phone system is the worst), they did the calculation and switched me to my own benefit. They were only able to backpay me for 6 months though, which was frustrating since I could have been getting the higher amount for years if I'd known to ask. Don't wait - check on this now!

i think my mom had someting like this and they made her pay a penalty or something??? just make sure you ask if theres any downside to applying late

Just want to add that when you DO get through to SSA, INSIST they explain exactly how they calculate everything. I've had agents give me completely different answers about the same question. And get the agent's name and ID number too, because if they give you wrong info, you'll need to reference who told you what.

My aunt had almost identical situation. They reduced her survivors benefit because of some county job she had in the 90s. She fought it and eventually won, but it took multiple appeals. The key was proving she paid SS taxes during that job, which sounds like you did if your SS statement shows earnings. Don't let them get away with this!

I want to add something important: there's a 60-day deadline to request reconsideration from the date on your notice. If you're close to that deadline, file the request immediately, even if you haven't gathered all your evidence yet. You can always submit additional documentation later during the reconsideration process. Based on everything shared here, you have a strong case for having the GPO removed completely. Good luck, and please come back to let us know the outcome!