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I had a friend who thought she'd just wait to apply until after she retired completely so she wouldn't have to deal with any earnings test or complicated stuff. Turned out she lost 6 months of benefits she could have collected! Don't wait to apply - you can apply 3-4 months before you want benefits to start.
Thank you all for this incredibly helpful advice! I've called my local office and scheduled an in-person appointment for next month. I'm going to gather all my pension documentation, earnings records, and my husband's information as well. I'm still disappointed to learn about the GPO potentially reducing spousal benefits too - I had only known about WEP affecting my own record. It feels like being penalized twice for having a government job. Does anyone know if they'll calculate both options for me (my own benefit with WEP vs. spousal with GPO) and give me the higher amount automatically? Or do I need to specifically request they check both?
They should calculate both automatically and give you whichever is higher. However, I recommend specifically asking them to show you both calculations. In my experience, they sometimes rush through appointments and might not properly explain everything. Also, bring a notepad and write down the name of the person helping you and any specific figures they provide. I found this helpful when I had follow-up questions later.
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One more important point I want to clarify: The survivor benefit is based on what your husband would have received at the time of his death, including any delayed retirement credits. Since he passed at 69 (3 years after his FRA), his benefit would include approximately 24% in delayed retirement credits (8% per year for 3 years). To calculate: If the SSA is telling you the amount at his FRA would be $2,975, then with delayed retirement credits, your survivor benefit should be approximately $3,689 (2,975 × 1.24). The difference is over $700 per month - or more than $8,400 per year - for the rest of your life. This is absolutely worth pursuing. When you go back, ask specifically for a Technical Expert and use these precise terms: "I need a calculation of my survivor benefit that includes my deceased husband's delayed retirement credits from age 66 to 69.
Thank you for doing that calculation! That's exactly what I needed to know. $700+ per month difference is life-changing for me. I'm definitely going back with this specific wording. I'll update once I get it resolved.
Based on everyone's advice, here's what I recommend you do: 1. Make an appointment with your local SSA office (don't just walk in) 2. Ask specifically for a Technical Expert who specializes in survivor benefits 3. Bring your husband's death certificate, his Social Security statement if you have it, and your marriage certificate 4. Use this specific language: "I need a recalculation of my survivor benefits that includes the delayed retirement credits my husband earned between his FRA at 66 and his death at 69" 5. Request a written explanation of the calculation they provide If you continue to face resistance, you have the right to file for a reconsideration or even appeal the decision. But hopefully, speaking with the right specialist will resolve this without further steps.
Thank you for these clear steps! I'll follow them exactly. I've already called and made an appointment for next Tuesday. I'm bringing all the documents you mentioned plus I found my husband's last Social Security statement from right before he passed, which shows the increased amount with his delayed credits. Fingers crossed this gets resolved!
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Smart approach! One more thing to consider in your decision: If you're still working and plan to continue past age 65, option #3 (waiting until FRA) might be best because you avoid the earnings limit completely. But if you're not working or earning under the threshold, then comparing the actual benefit amounts for options 1 and 2 makes the most sense. And remember that spousal benefits don't earn delayed retirement credits past FRA, so there's no advantage to waiting beyond your FRA of 67.
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BEWARE about those survivor benefits - they don't tell you this but if you remarry before age 60 you LOSE THEM ALL!!!! My friend lost $175,000 in benefits because she remarried at 59 and they never warned her! The whole system is rigged against us.
You're correct that remarriage before 60 affects survivor benefits, but there's an important clarification: the beneficiary wouldn't lose ALL potential benefits, just eligibility for survivor benefits on the ex-spouse's record. If the new marriage ends (divorce or death), eligibility for the previous survivor benefits can be reinstated. Additionally, at FRA, they could still potentially claim spousal benefits on the new spouse's record if that would be higher. The rules are complex but designed to prevent collecting multiple benefits simultaneously rather than to penalize remarriage.
Maybe technically but try telling that to my friend who lost everything! The SSA representative literally told her "sorry, nothing we can do" and she's struggling financially now. They should WARN people about this before it happens!
Update: I found the W-4V form online and filled it out. I opted for 10% withholding to start. I was nervous about mailing such an important document, so I made an appointment at my local office (earliest was 3 weeks out) to drop it off in person. Thank you everyone for your helpful advice - especially about the earnings limit. I'm going to carefully track my consulting income this year to make sure I don't go too far over the limit.
smart choice! its so much better than dealing with quarterly payments. one less thing to worry about!
Great decision! Remember you can always adjust the withholding percentage later if 10% turns out to be too much or too little. And good thinking about tracking your earnings - that'll help you avoid any surprises at year-end.
Freya Christensen
what's irmaa??? is that different from cola?
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NeonNebula
•IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) is completely different from COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment). IRMAA is an extra charge added to Medicare Part B and D premiums for higher-income beneficiaries. COLA is the annual increase in Social Security benefits to keep up with inflation. They're unrelated systems.
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Chloe Robinson
once i got random deposit from SS for $412 and it turned out they had calculated my benefits wrong for 3 months! but took them 5 months to tell me that lol. SS works in mysterious ways
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StarSurfer
•Seems like unexpected money showing up with no explanation is a common theme! I just wish their communication was better.
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