One more thing to consider - if your husband passes away before you, at that point you would be eligible for survivor benefits. As a widow, you could receive up to 100% of what your husband was receiving (including his delayed retirement credits). So while you might not get additional spousal benefits now, his decision to wait until 70 could still benefit you substantially in the future through higher survivor benefits.

dont forget about taxes!!!! if you get more SS benefits you might have to pay more taxes on them if your over the limit. my brother got a big surprise at tax time last year

wait i just remembered something. my brother also had to deal with this with his wifes check. he said if u cant get a fixed 1099 in time for taxes theres a line on form 1040 somewhere to put "repaid social security benefits" or something. maybe someone who knows more can explain better. but there IS a way to fix it on tax forms if SS is being slow about sending new 1099

Thank you all so much for the helpful advice! I'm going to try calling the SSA tomorrow morning as soon as they open to request a corrected 1099-SSA. I've gathered all my documentation - the original deposit receipt, bank statement showing the repayment check cleared, and the letter I received from SSA acknowledging the repayment. If I can't get through by phone, I'll try making an appointment at my local office. And I'll definitely check out that Claimyr service if I keep having trouble reaching someone. I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences. It helps to know I'm not alone in dealing with this confusing situation.

WAIT are you sure your state isn't one of those weird ones with mandatory pension contributions even if ur still working??? my coworker in Ohio thought same thing but turns out money was going into account even before full retirement!! check ur paystub for pension deductions!!!

For anyone hitting this thread with a similar issue - this is a perfect example of why it helps to file for Social Security benefits several months before you actually need them. These bureaucratic issues can take weeks or months to resolve, and you don't want to miss payments while waiting. The WEP/GPO provisions affect hundreds of thousands of public employees and the rules are exceptionally complex.

wait i just thought of something else - if ur brother ever gets remarried after 60 it wont affect any of his ss benefits. my uncle got remarried at 72 and was worried but the SSA said it dont matter after age 60!!

One more thing to consider - if your brother hasn't already, he should make sure the Social Security Administration knows about his wife's passing. Sometimes there can be issues if they aren't properly notified. Also, if he's struggling financially, he might want to check if he qualifies for any other programs like Medicare Savings Programs or Extra Help with Medicare prescription drug costs. These aren't related to survivor benefits but could help with his overall financial situation.

wait are u sure u can even get ex spouse benefits?? u have to be unmarried now and the marriage had to be 10 years i think

One last piece of advice - when you submit your application, take screenshots of the confirmation page and note the confirmation number. Also print the PDF copy of your application if the system offers it. If there are any issues later, having documentation of exactly what you submitted and when can save a lot of headaches. Also, set a calendar reminder to follow up if you don't hear anything within 2-3 weeks. SSA should send you an acknowledgment letter, but sometimes these get delayed. Being proactive about following up (especially regarding those marriage/divorce documents) will help ensure your January start date doesn't slip.