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Mei Zhang
I had a question about your sister's situation - since she's 63, is she getting reduced benefits by claiming before her FRA? I'm trying to decide whether to take my spousal benefits at 62 or wait until my full retirement age at 67 to get the full 50%. Did your sister consider waiting?
Yes, she is getting somewhat reduced benefits by claiming at 63 instead of waiting until her FRA (which would be 66 and 8 months for her). She calculated that she'd need to live past 78 for waiting to be worth it financially. Plus, her financial situation didn't really give her the option to wait - she needed the income now. It's really an individual decision based on health, finances, and other factors.
NeonNomad
•This is an important calculation everyone should do. Taking benefits at 62 gives you about 32.5% of your ex's PIA instead of 50% at FRA. However, you're collecting for 60 extra months. The breakeven age varies based on benefit amounts and life expectancy. For many people with immediate financial needs, taking reduced benefits makes sense despite the permanent reduction.
Amara Eze
Thank you for sharing this success story! I've been so discouraged lately with my own SSA issues. This gives me hope. Did you need to involve a lawyer at any point in the process? I'm wondering if I should hire one for my case.
We actually consulted with a lawyer who specializes in Social Security cases after the second denial. They gave us some helpful guidance on what specific documentation to emphasize, but we didn't formally hire them to represent us. If we'd gotten to the hearing stage, we probably would have hired them. For complex cases or disability claims, a lawyer can be really valuable, but for straightforward benefits like divorced spouse benefits, persistence and good documentation can often be enough.
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Malik Davis
One other thing to consider is that if your brother passes away (hopefully not for many decades!), your SIL would be eligible for survivor benefits. Those are calculated differently than spousal benefits. As a widow, she could get 100% of what your brother was receiving if she's at her full retirement age when she claims survivor benefits. However, if she claims survivor benefits early, they'll be reduced. The reduction factors for survivor benefits are different than for retirement or spousal benefits. This is why Social Security planning for couples often involves considering the higher earner delaying as long as possible (to age 70 ideally) to maximize the survivor benefit for whichever spouse lives longer.
GalacticGuru
•This is a really good point. My financial advisor always said the higher earning spouse should try to delay until 70 if possible, especially if there's a big difference in benefit amounts between spouses.
After reading through this whole thread, I think your SIL has essentially three options: 1) Claim now at 63 and accept permanent reductions to both her retirement AND spousal benefits. This gives her income now but less income later. 2) Wait until her FRA to claim either benefit. This maximizes her spousal benefit when your brother claims. 3) A compromise approach: If she absolutely needs income now, she could consider whether she qualifies for any other benefits (like spousal benefits from a previous marriage if applicable) or look at other income sources to bridge the gap until FRA. The deemed filing rules that took effect for people born after January 1, 1954, eliminated many of the clever claiming strategies that used to exist. Now, when you file for one benefit, you're effectively filing for all benefits you're eligible for.
Emma Wilson
•This summary is incredibly helpful. I'll discuss these options with them. I think they were hoping there was some clever strategy that would let her claim now without penalizing her later spousal benefit, but it sounds like those loopholes have been closed. Really appreciate everyone's insights!
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NeonNova
Is your husband gettin SSI or SSDI? if its SSI then u DO hve to report his earnings every month cuz thats need-based!!!!
Ethan Wilson
•The poster mentioned her husband is 71 and collecting retirement benefits, not SSI or SSDI. You're right that SSI has different reporting requirements because it's need-based, but that doesn't apply in this situation. Regular Social Security retirement benefits past full retirement age don't require manual reporting of earnings.
I think people who say SS automatically recalculates are being optimistic lol. My brother-in-law had to actually request a recalculation after working 3 years past retirement. Maybe it's supposed to be automatic but with the govt who knows if it actually happens!
You raise a good point. While SSA is supposed to automatically recalculate benefits when new earnings might increase your benefit, the system isn't perfect. If your husband continues working for more than a year past full retirement age, it wouldn't hurt to contact SSA every couple of years to request a benefits review. You can do this by calling their main number at 1-800-772-1213 or contacting your local office.
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Something else to consider: if you have any periods of employment where you DID pay into Social Security (outside of your non-covered pension job), you might qualify for your own Social Security benefit. If that's the case, you wouldn't be subject to GPO on those benefits - only on the spousal/survivor benefits. This could potentially increase your total retirement income. Do you have any work history outside of your pension-covered employment?
Yes! I worked part-time at a private clinic for about 8 years after leaving my county job. I paid into Social Security during that time. I didn't think it would amount to much since it wasn't full-time work. Would that really make a difference?
That could absolutely make a difference! Those 8 years of covered employment would contribute to your own Social Security benefit, which would not be reduced by GPO (though it might be affected by WEP, but differently). In fact, if your own benefit is higher than your reduced spousal benefit, you'd receive your own instead. When your husband passes, you'd then get the higher of: your own benefit OR your reduced survivor benefit. Having multiple income sources can significantly improve your financial situation. I strongly suggest getting a Social Security benefits analysis to see exactly how these calculations would work in your specific case.
This is extremely helpful information. I had no idea my part-time work could make such a difference. I think I'll definitely need to speak with someone at SSA to get the exact calculations. I feel a bit more hopeful now about my financial situation. Thank you!
Yuki Yamamoto
All this FRA and earning limit stuff is why I just waited until I fully stopped working to claim SS!!! The rules are IMPOSSIBLE to understand and I was terrified of messing up and owing them money later. SSA is the WORST at explaining their own rules clearly!!! 😡😡😡
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Aisha Rahman
•Same!! I waited until I completely retired too. My neighbor tried to do this partial year thing and ended up with an overpayment notice a year later. Too much hassle!
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Mateo Perez
•The rules can seem complicated, but they're actually quite straightforward once you understand them. The key is just knowing which income counts (work earnings) and which doesn't (pensions, investments, etc.). For most people reaching FRA with modest work income, there's usually no benefit reduction at all.
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Aisha Rahman
My sister just went through this! Very important - make sure you tell Social Security your EXACT planned retirement date when you apply. She told them she'd work until June but then decided to quit in February, and didn't notify them. They kept withholding benefits based on her original income estimate and it took months to fix. Just keep SSA updated on any changes to your work plans!
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Zara Malik
•That's a great point! I'm pretty set on my part-time schedule through April, but if anything changes, I'll definitely let them know right away. Did your sister have to pay anything back?
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Aisha Rahman
•No, she actually got money BACK since she earned less than she originally told them she would. They sent her a nice unexpected check about 6 months later!
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