What state are you in? Some states have different rules about how their pensions interact with Social Security.

Based on the numbers you've shared, here's what your situation might look like: 1. Your TRS pension will be $3,750/month 2. Your survivor benefit is $2,280/month 3. Your own SS benefit would be about $840/month Under GPO, they would reduce your survivor benefit by $2,500 (2/3 of $3,750), which would eliminate your survivor benefit completely. However, your own SS benefit of $840 would be subject to WEP but not GPO. The WEP reduction is generally less severe than GPO and depends on your years of substantial earnings under Social Security. So your best option might be to take your TRS pension and your own reduced SS benefit rather than the survivor benefit. I'd recommend speaking with an SSA representative who can calculate the exact WEP reduction based on your work history.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I'm disappointed that I can't change my decision to file early, but at least I understand my situation better now. I'm going to look into whether any recent work I did might increase my benefit through recalculation. I'm also going to call SSA (using that Claimyr service someone mentioned because I've tried calling before and it's impossible to get through). I'll check about the earnings limit too since I might pick up some part-time work. I really appreciate everyone taking time to explain this to me. The FRA system is more complicated than I realized!

Dont forget to look at other benefits too! My mom got widows benefits that were higher than her own SS check after my dad passed. They automatically should give you the higher amount but sometimes they miss things.

One other thing worth noting: the determination of whether you're exempt from WEP due to 30+ years of substantial earnings is made at the time you become eligible for Social Security benefits. So even if you leave your county job before vesting, those years of non-covered employment will still count as "zeros" in the substantial earnings calculation. This doesn't sound like it will affect you since you already have 36 substantial years, but it's an important nuance for others who might be close to the 30-year threshold. Each year of non-covered employment essentially "uses up" one of your potential substantial earnings years.

To clarify what the previous commenter said: Whether you vest in the pension or not doesn't affect your WEP calculation. What matters is whether you have 30+ years of substantial earnings under Social Security. Since you already have 36 years of substantial earnings, you're fully protected from WEP regardless of whether you vest in your county pension or not. Your Social Security benefits will be calculated using the regular formula, not the reduced WEP formula. Vesting only determines whether you get the county pension - it doesn't change how your Social Security is calculated. So you might as well stay and get that pension!

I was in almost exactly your situation last year! I took retirement at 62, then got MUCH worse health-wise at 63. My doctor actually suggested I apply for SSDI since I had to stop working completely. The phone interview was mostly gathering info and was less stressful than I expected. The thing nobody told me was how LONG the whole process would take. It was almost 5 months from my phone interview until I got the decision letter. Then it took another month for the payment adjustment to actually happen. So be prepared to wait... a lot. Oh, and having all your medical records and doctor contact info ready really helps speed things up. And don't get discouraged if they deny you the first time - something like 70% of applications get denied initially. I had to appeal but eventually got approved.

Honestly I wouldn't even bother applying for SSDI if you're already getting retirement. My brother-in-law tried this exact thing and got denied TWICE even though he literally can't walk without a walker now. The whole system is RIGGED against us. They make it impossible to get approved unless you hire a lawyer who takes a huge chunk of your backpay. It's all a scam!

I'd like to add some important details that others haven't mentioned: 1. While your future survivor benefit won't be affected by when you take your own benefit, there are still potential advantages to delaying your own benefit if you can afford to. 2. If your husband lives a long time, your own benefit (if you delay to 70) could grow to be more valuable over time with COLA adjustments. 3. If you're still working, taking benefits before FRA could subject you to the earnings test, which temporarily reduces benefits. 4. Tax implications: Having both your own benefit and eventually a survivor benefit could push you into a higher tax bracket. The optimal strategy depends on your complete financial picture, health situations, and other income sources. You might want to consult with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies.

wait i'm confused...if she takes her SS now at 65 isn't that still reduced since her FRA is probably 66 and something? my head is spinning trying to keep all these rules straight lol