One more thought - if the form hasn't arrived when you visit, you can take your brother to a local SSA office with proper ID and they can print a duplicate 1099 on the spot. Might be easier than trying to call if you're already there with him. Just be sure to check the office hours before you go and bring your own ID too since you're helping him.

Just wanted to share my experience from last year - I help my elderly father with his taxes too and we had a similar situation. His SSA-1099 arrived on January 23rd, which was perfect timing for our planned visit. One thing that really helped was creating a checklist ahead of time of all the documents we'd need (W-2s, bank statements, etc.) so when I got there we could tackle everything efficiently in one trip. Also, if you're concerned about timing, you might want to have a backup plan ready - either the local SSA office visit that Sean mentioned or that phone service Katherine suggested. Having multiple options gave me peace of mind. Good luck with helping your brother!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I'm definitely going to continue working a few more years - between potentially increasing my SS benefit, building up my 401k a bit more, and enjoying my job, it makes sense for me. It's nice to know the recalculation happens automatically too.

Great thread! I'm in a similar situation - just turned 67 and considering whether to keep working. One thing I wanted to add that hasn't been mentioned yet: you can actually estimate your potential increase by looking at your Social Security Statement online. If you log into your mySocialSecurity account, you can see your complete earnings record showing all 35 years used in your current calculation. Look for the lowest amounts in that list (keeping in mind they're already indexed for inflation) - those are the years that would potentially be replaced by your current higher earnings. I did this calculation for myself and realized that even though I'm "only" making $75k now, it would replace a year where I made about $18k (indexed) back in the early 90s when I was working part-time. The difference should give me a decent bump when the recalculation happens. Also worth noting: even if you're not making dramatically more than your lowest years, every year you work past FRA is still adding to your overall retirement security through your 401k, building up cash reserves, delaying when you need to tap other retirement accounts, etc. The SS increase is just a nice bonus on top of all that!

As someone who went through this exact situation last year, I can confirm you can absolutely get spousal benefits while your husband is on SSDI! I was also a teacher with a pension, and while the GPO did reduce my benefit significantly, I still received about $150/month after all the reductions. The key thing I learned is that even if the math suggests you'll get zero, you should still apply because: 1) SSA sometimes makes calculation errors in your favor 2) Your pension amount or your husband's SSDI amount might change 3) Having the application establishes your filing date for any future adjustments Also, don't forget that when your husband reaches his full retirement age, his SSDI automatically converts to regular retirement benefits at the same amount - no action needed on your part, and your spousal benefit continues unchanged. I'd strongly recommend applying online at ssa.gov rather than trying to call. The online application walks you through everything step by step, and you can upload documents directly. Much easier than the phone maze!

I'm in a very similar situation - retired teacher with a pension and husband on SSDI. From what I've learned researching this, you're definitely eligible for spousal benefits while he remains on disability. The key things to know: 1) You can apply now at 62, but your benefit will be permanently reduced to about 32.5% of his full benefit amount instead of 50% 2) The Government Pension Offset will then reduce that amount by 2/3 of your teacher's pension 3) Many teachers end up with little to no spousal benefit after GPO, but it's still worth applying I'd recommend using the SSA website's benefit calculators to get a rough estimate before applying. Also consider that if you can work part-time to earn those 8 additional quarters for your own Social Security record, that might give you more options down the road, even with WEP reducing your own benefit. The online application process is definitely easier than trying to get through on the phone. Good luck!

My sister didn't have insurance between retiring at 63 and Medicare at 65. She got a NASTY case of pneumonia that cost her $37,000!!! Sometimes the peace of mind is worth the premium...

I completely understand your confusion - I went through this exact same situation when I retired at 64! The good news is that everyone here is correct: Social Security does NOT require health insurance to receive your retirement benefits. They're completely separate systems. However, I'd strongly recommend exploring your options on healthcare.gov since your income will be lower. You might qualify for premium tax credits that could make coverage much more affordable than those $675/month quotes you're getting. Also, look into short-term medical plans or healthcare sharing ministries as potential bridge options until Medicare kicks in at 65. One last tip: when you do file for Social Security, ask them about your Medicare enrollment timeline. You'll want to understand your Initial Enrollment Period so you don't accidentally face late enrollment penalties later. Good luck with your application!

make sure u check if ur eligible for any other benefits too... my neighbor thought she could only get her own retirement but turns out she qualified for some of her ex husbands benefits too and gets an extra $300/month

Just wanted to add something that might be helpful - when you do apply (whether online or in person), the SSA system will automatically cross-reference your earnings record with the name/SSN combination you provide. If there are any discrepancies or periods where you worked under a different name, their system will flag it for manual review even if you don't initially need to provide divorce papers. I'd recommend calling ahead to your local SSA office (or using one of those callback services mentioned earlier) to ask them to review your earnings record before you apply. They can tell you if there are any name issues that might cause delays. This way you'll know for sure whether to get that divorce decree beforehand or if you can proceed without it. Also, since you mentioned health issues in another comment - if your condition worsens, you might want to look into applying for disability benefits instead of or in addition to early retirement. The disability process takes longer but doesn't have the permanent reduction that early retirement does.