I'm in a similar situation but decided to wait. Financially it makes more sense for most people unless you have health issues or really need the money now. That 30% permanent reduction is significant.

To calculate your specific amount with precision: take your annual earnings over the limit ($34,000 - $22,560 = $11,440), divide by 2 = $5,720 annual reduction. Then divide your full benefit by 12 months ($1,800 × 12 = $21,600 annual benefit). Subtract the reduction ($21,600 - $5,720 = $15,880 annual adjusted benefit). Divide by 12 to get monthly = $1,323/month approximately. Remember this is before any tax considerations. And the earnings limit typically increases slightly each year with inflation adjustments.

A quick tip: When you call or visit SSA, specifically ask for a "TECHNICAL EXPERT" who specializes in WEP/GPO cases. Regular claims representatives often don't fully understand these complex provisions. A technical expert can provide a detailed, written explanation of your benefit calculation. Also, while it doesn't apply to your current situation, I want to mention for others reading this thread: If you're affected by GPO, there's something called the "Last Day of Employment" exception. If you were eligible for your government pension before July 1, 2004, and your last day of government employment was before July 1, 2004, you might be exempt from GPO. Always worth checking if this applies to your situation.

Based on all the information you've shared, here's my analysis of what might be happening: 1. Your own benefit may be correctly reduced by WEP (unless you qualify for the 30-year exception) 2. Your husband's PIA is likely lower than his current benefit amount 3. Your spousal benefit is being reduced by GPO The formula should be: Your WEP-reduced benefit + [max(0, (50% of husband's PIA - 2/3 of your pension))] If the amount in the parentheses is negative, you get nothing additional from the spousal benefit. The fact that you're getting some spousal addition means that 50% of your husband's PIA is more than 2/3 of your pension, but the difference is small. My recommendation: Request a "PEBES" (Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement) and a detailed calculation of your WEP and GPO adjustments. Then make an appointment with a technical expert at SSA to review everything.

My brain hurts trying to understand all this lol. But I do know that the SSA workers are SUPER OVERWORKED so sometimes they don't have time to look into complicated cases. I would definitely try again and maybe go in person like others have said. Phone calls are useless for complicated stuff!!

One more important point that hasn't been addressed: Your friend mentioned her first husband was on disability when he died. This means his SSDI benefit amount would have already been calculated before his death, making it easier to determine what the survivor benefit would be with COLAs applied. She should request what's called a "Survivor Benefit Estimate" from both deceased spouses and compare them to her current benefit. If either would be higher, she can switch. The fact that the SSA representative dismissed her quickly suggests they either: 1. Didn't understand the full complexity of her case 2. Didn't check both deceased spouses' records with COLAs applied 3. Saw something specific that would disqualify her, but didn't explain it properly Definitely worth following up with a scheduled appointment. Make sure to bring: - Marriage certificates for both marriages - Death certificates for both husbands - Any old benefit award letters she might have kept - Her own Social Security statement showing current benefits Persistence often pays off with these complex cases.

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice! I'm definitely going to pursue this correction right away. I'll try to get the wage transcript from the IRS, gather my tax returns and pay stubs, and make an appointment at my local SSA office. The potential $300+ monthly difference is definitely worth fighting for, especially considering that's thousands of dollars every year for the rest of my life. I'll look into Claimyr too if I have trouble getting through on the phone. Does anyone know if there's a specific department at SSA that handles earnings corrections that I should ask for when I call?

my neighbor had something similar happen and it took TWO YEARS to fix!!! and then they had the nerve to say they "expedited" it!!! 🤬

Thank you all for such helpful information! I understand much better now. I'll make sure to specifically request the spousal benefit when I file for my own retirement, and I'll bring all our documentation. It's good to know the approximate amount too - every extra bit helps with today's costs. I might use that Claimyr service when the time comes since getting through to SSA seems to be a common frustration. One last question - if I decide to file at exactly 67 (my FRA), how long does it typically take for my husband's spousal addition to start showing up in his payments? I want to make sure we budget correctly.

If you apply for your benefits and your husband's spousal benefit at the same time, they typically process both together. Usually, it takes about 30-60 days for the first payments to begin, though the spousal adjustment might take an additional payment cycle to appear. I recommend applying 3 months before you want benefits to begin to allow processing time. Keep in mind that Social Security pays benefits in the month following the month they're due for, so there's always that one-month delay in the payment schedule. If you run into any issues with the spousal benefit not appearing after 2-3 months, definitely follow up with SSA directly.