dont forget that survivor benefits and retirement r different things! my sister thought they were the same and got confused when applying

One important detail that hasn't been mentioned yet: When you reach your Full Retirement Age (66 in your case), the earnings test no longer applies to survivor benefits. This means you can earn any amount without having your survivor benefit reduced. Before FRA, benefits are reduced if earnings exceed certain limits ($22,320 in 2025 with $1 reduction for every $2 over the limit). So while taxes will take a bite out of your benefits at your income level, at least you won't face the additional reduction from the earnings test once you reach 66 in February 2025.

my friend said theres a lump sum death benefit too dont forget to claim that its not much but its something

One additional consideration: If your own benefit at Full Retirement Age would be more than 50% of your ex-spouse's PIA (Primary Insurance Amount), you might want to run the numbers on a different strategy. It might be worth delaying your own retirement claim and taking reduced ex-spouse benefits now (if you're eligible). The math gets complicated, but a good SSA agent can help you compare scenarios. Also, when calculating potential survivor benefits, remember that your ex receiving $4,900/month means he delayed until 70, receiving 132% of his PIA. Survivor benefits are based on that higher amount (including the delayed retirement credits), not his original PIA.

Just to add a practical note - if your brother-in-law's bipolar disorder includes periods where he has trouble managing his finances, you might want to look into becoming his representative payee. My daughter has bipolar and during manic episodes, she would spend all her money immediately, leaving nothing for rent and necessities. Being a rep payee allowed me to ensure her benefits were used for housing and basic needs first. It's a bit of paperwork but worth considering if money management is an issue during episodes. SSA has a specific form for this (SSA-11).

A quick update on timing expectations: the reconsideration phase typically takes 3-5 months (though some areas are faster). If denied again, requesting a hearing before an Administrative Law Judge (ALJ) can take 8-12+ months depending on your location. The good news is that the ALJ approval rate is much higher (around 50%) than initial applications or reconsideration. With appropriate medical documentation and attorney representation, those odds improve significantly. For SSI/SSDI concurrent benefits calculation: if he's approved for SSDI at $1,200/month, his SSI would be reduced to approximately $743 (current $943 SSI minus $200), for a total of $1,200. This is because SSA counts SSDI as unearned income for SSI purposes, but they disregard the first $20 of unearned income. Hope this helps with planning!

just want to point out something nobody mentioned - when ur husband files makes NO difference to your spousal benefit amount!! your spousal benefit is based on his PRIMARY INSURANCE AMOUNT (his benefit at full retirement age), not whatever benefit he actually receives when he files. so if his PIA is $2000, your max spousal is $1000 (50%) whether he files at 62, 67, or 70!!!

The previous commenter is absolutely correct, and it's an important point that's often misunderstood. Your spousal benefit is based on 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is his benefit at full retirement age - NOT the increased amount he would get by delaying beyond FRA. So from a spousal benefit perspective, there's no advantage to your husband waiting to file beyond his FRA, as your benefit amount won't increase. This is different from survivor benefits, which ARE based on the actual amount he was receiving (including any delayed retirement credits). Given this information, if your financial situation allows it, it often makes mathematical sense for the higher-earning spouse to file at FRA if the other spouse is eligible for spousal benefits only. The exception would be if there are strong reasons to maximize the survivor benefit (e.g., significant age difference or health considerations).

Has anyone actually succeeded in getting spousal benefits approved since the GPO repeal? I keep hearing about denials but no successes yet. Makes me wonder if we're all misunderstanding something about the implementation timeline...

Update: I finally spoke with an SSA representative! After trying for days, I got through this morning. The rep confirmed I should absolutely file an appeal rather than a new application. She said they're aware of the issue with applications being automatically denied and are working on a fix, but it could take months. She also mentioned they're developing special procedures for GPO-affected claims. I've submitted my appeal online and included specific reference to the Social Security Fairness Act repealing the GPO provision. Now I just wait... again! Thank you all for your help and advice.