To directly answer your question: The earnings you're generating now will only increase your benefit if: 1. They're higher than your lowest indexed earnings year currently being used in your calculation (likely yes if replacing a zero) 2. The recalculation results in a benefit increase of at least $1 (they round down to the nearest dollar) It's important to understand that the actual increase might be small. For example, if you're earning $15,000 this year and it replaces a zero in your calculation, your benefit might increase by just $10-20 per month. This is because the earnings are averaged over 35 years, and the benefit formula is weighted. However, keep working as long as it's not a hardship for you. Those small increases can add up over time, especially if you live a long life. Plus, there's always the chance that Congress could modify or eliminate WEP in the future, which would make those earnings even more valuable.

Social Security automatically recalculates your benefit each year after your employer reports your earnings (typically after you file taxes). If your earnings increase your benefit, they'll make the adjustment and send you a notice. The increase would be effective January of the year following the work. However, there can sometimes be delays in this process. If you believe you should have received an increase based on recent earnings and haven't seen it after filing taxes for that year, it might be worth contacting SSA. Also, regarding your earlier question about trying to reach the substantial earnings threshold to reduce WEP: If you're able to work more without affecting your quality of life, it could be worthwhile. Each year of substantial earnings above 20 reduces your WEP penalty by 5%. So if you're currently at, say, 22 years of substantial earnings, getting to 25 would reduce your WEP penalty by an additional 15%.

WAIT! I just realized something important... if your husband is just now 70, has he already filed for his benefits? Because you can't get a spousal benefit until he files for his retirement benefit! Even if you're at your FRA, if he hasn't filed yet, you can't get anything based on his record.

One suggestion I want to make: request an appointment with a Claims Specialist at your local office rather than trying to resolve this by phone. Bring your husband with you if possible, as they may need information from both records. In-person appointments often result in more thorough explanations and accurate calculations since they can show you the numbers directly on their system. And make sure to ask them to provide you with a breakdown of the calculation in writing. This will be valuable for your records and for verifying that everything was done correctly.

my aunt got a special thing called medicare savings program that pays her medicare premium, maybe look into that??

Just to summarize what you've learned: 1. At 66, you're already at Full Retirement Age, so SSDI isn't applicable (it automatically converts to retirement at FRA) 2. Your options are either survivor benefits OR your own retirement benefits (whichever is higher) 3. Medicare is what you have at 66, not Medicaid 4. Look into Extra Help program for prescription drug costs 5. Consider contacting your Area Agency on Aging for arthritis support services It sounds like staying on survivor benefits is likely your best option financially, but it's worth having SSA do a calculation to confirm this. The resources others have suggested for managing your arthritis costs are excellent next steps.

To answer your follow-up question: The optimal strategy depends on your specific situation, but here are some general guidelines: 1. If your wife's benefit is significantly higher than yours would be, it might make sense for her to file at her FRA, then you could file for spousal benefits when you reach your FRA. 2. If your own benefit might be higher than the spousal benefit, you might want to delay filing for your own benefits until age 70 to maximize them (they grow by 8% per year beyond FRA until age 70). 3. Before 2016, there was a strategy called "file and suspend" that allowed more flexibility, but that's no longer available. 4. Remember: taking spousal benefits early (before your FRA) permanently reduces the amount. The Social Security timing decision is extremely specific to your individual earnings records, ages, health status, and financial needs. I recommend consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security strategies before making your final decision.

my cousin works for ssa and told me they NEVER automatically give you spousal benefits you have to ask for them specifically!!!! the computer doesn't just figure it out. when i applied i told them i wanted to compare my benefit to my husbands spousal amount and the difference was only $31 more for spousal but still that adds up over time!!!

I swear the whole social security system is DESIGNED to be confusing! My sister lost out on thousands because an SSA rep told her wrong information about survivor benefits. She couldn't even file a complaint that went anywhere. The whole system needs an overhaul!

Based on what you've shared, your best strategy would likely be to compare these two approaches: 1) Take your survivor benefit at FRA (when it's not reduced) and switch to your own retirement at 70 (after it's grown by 32%) 2) Take your reduced retirement benefit now and switch to the full survivor benefit at your FRA The right choice depends on your specific benefit amounts and your life expectancy. Generally, if you're in good health and expect to live past your early 80s, maximizing the higher benefit by delaying it can pay off significantly over time. I'd recommend contacting SSA directly to get detailed benefit estimates, and consider consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies.