my mom went thru this last year. make sure ur wife checks if survivor benfits would be higher than spousal! that's a whole different calculation and GPO affects it differently sometimes.

To summarize for clarity: 1. Your wife cannot claim spousal benefits until you file for your retirement benefits 2. Due to GPO, any spousal benefits she'd receive would be reduced by 2/3 of her government pension 3. When you do file at 70, SSA will automatically determine if adding a spousal benefit would increase her total benefit 4. If her own reduced benefit already exceeds what she'd get as your spouse after GPO, no additional amount would be paid 5. Delaying until 70 is still valuable for potential survivor benefits later Regarding GPO and survivor benefits: The same 2/3 pension offset applies, but since survivor benefits can be up to 100% of your benefit (versus 50% for spousal), there's more likely to be something left after the offset.

I just remembered something else!!! Make SURE you ask about any LUMP SUM DEATH BENEFIT when you apply!!! My friend almost missed out on the $255 death payment because no one at SSA told her about it - she had to specifically ask. They don't automatically tell you everything you're eligible for!!

After reading through all these comments, I think your best approach is to: 1. Schedule an appointment with SSA (either by phone or in-person) 2. Apply for survivor benefits regardless of potential GPO impact 3. Request a detailed calculation showing how GPO affects your specific case 4. Also request a computation of your own future retirement benefit at 70, accounting for WEP 5. Make your decision based on these personalized calculations Many people in your situation find that even with GPO, they might receive a small survivor benefit, which can provide some income between 60 and 70 while your own benefit grows with delayed retirement credits. The key is getting accurate calculations based on your specific earnings history rather than general advice.

dont forget to bring ur marriage certificates and divorce papers!! they wont be able to tell u accurate info without those!! my sister went in 3 times before they could help her with ex spouse benefits bcuz she didnt have right paperwork

Something no one has mentioned yet: if your current husband passes away, you could take widow's benefits at 60 (reduced), then switch to your own retirement at 62 if higher, then potentially switch AGAIN to ex-spouse survivor benefits if ex-spouse #2 passes away and those benefits would be higher. This maximizing strategy is complex but could mean thousands more in benefits over your lifetime. Make sure to ask the SSA rep to explain all possible sequencing scenarios. And definitely mention the RIB-LIM rule specifically - not all reps are familiar with how it works unless you use the technical term.

has anyone here tried going to the congressperson office for help with SS? my neighbor did that when she couldnt get anwhere with her disability claim and suddenly everything got fixed in like 2 weeks

Update on your deadline question: Submitting a written request for extension BEFORE the deadline counts as meeting the requirement. Make sure you include your name, SSN, the date of the denial letter, and explain your good cause reason (documented phone attempts + doctor unavailability). Send it certified mail with return receipt. You should still try to submit your appeal form with whatever evidence you currently have, but the extension request protects your rights.

I'm so confused about all this COLA stuff. I'm on SSDI (not SSI), will I get the same 3.2% increase? And when will it show up? My payment date is January 24th this month.

Thanks everyone for the helpful info! I'll let my sister know about the PA state supplement too - she probably doesn't even know about that extra $22. Seems like such a small amount though when everything costs so much these days.