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Should I take Social Security at my FRA (66+8mo) or wait until 70? $1,200 monthly difference but good longevity genes
So I'm approaching a big decision and could use some wisdom from folks who've been there. I'm turning 66 and 8 months next spring (my full retirement age according to SSA). I've been running the numbers on my Social Security benefits and I'm stuck between two options: Option 1: Start taking benefits at my FRA (66+8mo) - around $3,100/month Option 2: Delay until 70 - would be about $4,300/month That's roughly a $1,200 difference each month for the rest of my life if I wait. The thing is, my family has some serious longevity genes - both my parents are still kicking in their 90s! Dad is 94 and mom just turned 91 last month. I'm in pretty good health myself (just the usual cholesterol meds and occasional back pain), but as we all know, tomorrow isn't promised. I have enough savings to bridge the gap until 70, so that's not a major concern. But I keep going back and forth - take the smaller amount sooner and enjoy it longer, or hold out for the bigger monthly check? Anyone faced this decision recently? What factors helped you decide? I'd especially love to hear from people with parents who lived into their 90s - did that influence your timing?
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Social Security survivor benefits at FRA - working full-time without penalties
I lost my dear wife to cancer back in November. She was 72 and had been collecting her own Social Security retirement. I'm turning 67 in June (born in 1958) and still working full-time because I need the income. My HR department is pressuring me about retirement plans, but I honestly don't know what my options are with Social Security survivor benefits. Can anyone tell me at what age I can collect 100% of my wife's Social Security benefit without being penalized for working full-time? I've heard conflicting things about this - some say I have to wait until 67, others say I can get full benefits at 66. If I am eligible soon, when should I submit my application? Does it make a difference if her benefit would be higher than what I'd get on my own record? I'm completely overwhelmed trying to figure this all out while still grieving. The one time I called SSA, I waited 2+ hours before getting disconnected.
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I started receiving my deceased husband's benefits right after he died but i was already 68 so no issues with working. The whole process took about 45 days from application to first deposit. Make sure u have certified copies of everything they ask for.
One more important point - you mentioned your HR department is pressuring you about retirement plans. Just to be clear, collecting Social Security survivor benefits doesn't require you to retire from your job. You can work indefinitely while collecting survivor benefits once you reach your FRA of 66 and 8 months. Also, when you apply, make sure SSA compares your own benefit amount to your wife's. They should pay you the higher of the two. And if you delay your own retirement benefit until 70 while collecting survivors now, be aware that you'll need to proactively apply for your retirement benefit when you reach 70 - the switch isn't automatic.
This is really helpful, thank you. I'm going to make an appointment with HR to clarify that I plan to continue working even after I start collecting survivor benefits. And I'll definitely mark my calendar to apply for my own benefits at 70 if that ends up being the better option.
Will WEP reduce my Social Security by exactly $587 from my $1720 FRA estimate?
I recently found out I'm subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) due to my pension from teaching in California for 18 years where I didn't pay into Social Security. I've been trying to understand exactly how much my SS benefits will be reduced. My Social Security statement shows an estimated benefit of $1720/month at my full retirement age (67). From what I've read, if you have 'substantial earnings' for less than 20 years, the maximum WEP reduction in 2025 will be $587/month. So am I correct in assuming that my actual benefit will be $1720 - $587 = $1133 per month? Is the calculation really that straightforward, or am I missing something? I had 22 years of work under Social Security before switching to teaching. I'm planning retirement for next year and need to get this figured out ASAP. The SS office gave me the runaround when I called.
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Definitely try to get that 20th year if you can! And remember that WEP only applies to the retirement benefit based on your own record. If you're eligible for spousal benefits or survivor benefits based on someone else's record, those aren't affected by WEP (though they might be affected by GPO - Government Pension Offset - which is different).
i thought SS retirement estimates already factor in WEP???? mine does i think, it says something about 'modified formula used' on my statement
@casual_commenter - No, the Social Security Statement estimates do NOT automatically factor in WEP. The statement explicitly says this in the fine print. The only way to get an accurate WEP calculation is to contact SSA directly. Online estimates don't have access to information about non-covered pensions, which is necessary to calculate WEP.
I just checked my statement again and you're right - there's a note that says the estimate doesn't account for WEP or GPO. I completely missed that before. I'll definitely work to get that 20th year of substantial earnings and then try to get an accurate calculation. Thank you all for the helpful information!
Should I delay divorced spousal benefits application until WEP repeal adjustment is processed for my Social Security?
My situation is getting complicated with the WEP repeal and I need some advice. I started my application for divorced spousal benefits in December and submitted everything at my local SSA office. They scheduled a phone interview for February 12th to complete the process. Here's where it gets tricky - I taught for 22 years but also worked in the private sector for 16 years paying into Social Security. With the WEP being repealed, I'm expecting my own SS benefit to increase significantly (based on what I've calculated). My two questions: 1) Should I postpone finalizing my divorced spousal application until after my own benefit gets recalculated without WEP? I'm concerned about creating confusion at SSA if I have two things happening at once. From my estimates, the divorced spousal will still be higher than my own benefit even after the WEP adjustment. 2) Can the SSA rep handling my phone interview for divorced spousal benefits also process my WEP adjustment during the same call? Or are these handled by different departments? My ex is still alive, if that affects anything. Just trying to navigate this correctly and maximize my benefits without creating administrative headaches.
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In my experience, yes, it worked great. I was skeptical too but was desperate after trying for days to reach someone. Got connected in about 15 minutes when I'd been unable to get through at all on my own.
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I've decided to go ahead with my phone interview as scheduled rather than postponing it. I'll make sure to mention the WEP situation during the call so it's documented, but won't expect them to process that adjustment manually. I'm a bit nervous about the overall confusion at SSA with all the WEP adjustments happening, but it sounds like delaying would just put me further back in line for the divorced spousal benefit without actually helping the WEP situation. I'll update after my February appointment if anything interesting comes up!
That's definitely the right approach. One final tip: During your phone interview, request an email confirmation of what was discussed and what next steps are expected. This creates a paper trail that can be valuable if there are any issues later. Good luck!
How long for Social Security retirement application approval? Applied late October, still waiting
I submitted my husband's Social Security retirement application on October 26, 2024, with benefits set to begin February 2025 (his FRA month). The SSA website mentioned about 30 days processing time on average, but we're approaching that timeframe now and haven't heard anything. With Thanksgiving and Veterans Day in November, I'm wondering if holidays are slowing things down.For anyone who applied in September or October, how long did your approval take? Did SSA notify you by mail or through your online account? Starting to get a bit anxious since we're planning finances around this timeline. Any experiences would be helpful!
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My neighbor said her daughter had to call the SS office like 20 times before they even looked at her application last month. Something about them being super understaffed right now???
Ally Tailer
After thinking about your situation more, one more important factor: the 4% rule for retirement withdrawals suggests you can safely withdraw about 4% of your nest egg annually. If your SS payment would be $1,200/month higher by waiting ($14,400/year), that's equivalent to having an additional $360,000 in retirement savings ($14,400 ÷ 0.04). This perspective often helps people see the true value of delayed Social Security benefits. If you had an extra $360K in your retirement account, would you be more comfortable?
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Landon Flounder
AuthorWow, I hadn't thought about it that way! Putting it in terms of equivalent retirement savings makes the delayed credits seem much more valuable. When you frame it as essentially having $360K more in my retirement account, waiting to 70 sounds like a no-brainer given my family history.
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Callum Savage
everyone keeps talking bout the MATH but what about ENJOYING LIFE?? my brother waited to 70 and then got cancer at 71... all that waiting for nothin. just my 2 cents
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Landon Flounder
AuthorI'm very sorry about your brother. That's definitely the fear I have too - waiting and then not getting to enjoy it for very long. It's the uncertainty that makes this such a tough decision.
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Miranda Singer
This is a valid perspective that highlights the personal nature of this decision. The mathematical optimization approach assumes longevity, but life has no guarantees. Each person needs to balance the statistical likelihood of living longer (especially with family history of longevity) against the desire to enjoy benefits earlier.
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