Update: We submitted the SSA-521 form yesterday! Thank you everyone for your advice. The rep we spoke with initially tried to tell us we couldn't withdraw after FRA, but we politely asked to speak with a technical expert and showed them the regulation numbers that were mentioned here. The technical expert confirmed we're within our rights to withdraw within the 12-month window regardless of FRA status. Now we're just waiting for the repayment letter so we know exactly how much to send back. I'll update again once everything is processed!

Good job being persistent! That's exactly the right approach - politely escalate when you know the rules. Please do update us on how it goes. Make sure to keep copies of EVERYTHING, including certified mail receipts if you mail the payment.

I had a similar situation 2 years ago. Bad health, income dropped, worried about SS calculation. What I found is that Social Security replaces more of your income if you're a lower earner (it's progressive). So the calculation isn't strictly proportional. Someone earning $30k doesn't get exactly half the benefit of someone earning $60k. The lower earner actually gets more than half.

After reading all this advice, what are you thinking you'll do? It's good to get different perspectives, but ultimately it's a personal decision based on your unique circumstances.

Thank you all so much for this helpful information! I created my SSA account last night and was surprised to see that my own benefit estimate at 62 would be about $1,125/month. My ex's FRA benefit amount would be around $3,200 based on what he's told me, so 50% of that would be $1,600, reduced to around $1,080 if I claim at 62. So it seems like there's not a huge difference between my own record and ex-spouse benefits in my case. BUT, the earnings test would affect either one while I'm still working. Based on all your advice, I think I'm going to: 1. Postpone any marriage plans until I've spoken directly with SSA 2. Try that Claimyr service to actually get through to them 3. Consider working a few more years to increase my own benefit Thanks again - you've all been so helpful in explaining these confusing rules!

That sounds like an excellent plan! One last thing to consider: Since your own benefit at 62 ($1,125) is very close to what your ex-spouse benefit would be at 62 ($1,080), you might actually be better off claiming your own benefit and letting it grow. Reason: If you claim your own benefit at your Full Retirement Age instead of 62, it would be approximately 33% higher. But if you claim ex-spouse benefits at FRA instead of 62, you'd only get the flat 50% of his benefit. In your specific situation, maximizing your own benefit by waiting might be the best financial move regardless of marriage plans. Definitely discuss this with SSA when you reach them!

To your original question - you're absolutely right that you need 40 quarters (10 years) of Social Security-covered employment to qualify for retirement benefits. If you're at 22 quarters now, you'd need 18 more, which means about 4.5 more years of work where you pay into Social Security. If you do get those 40 quarters and qualify, your benefit would still be reduced by WEP because of your state pension. The reduction is most severe if you have under 20 years of substantial earnings. Each year of substantial earnings you have between 20-30 years reduces the WEP penalty gradually. Since you said you have 23 years in state government, I'm assuming most or all of that was non-covered employment (not paying into Social Security). So you'd need to figure out how many years of substantial earnings under Social Security you actually have.

Something else to consider - even if you get your 40 quarters and qualify for Social Security retirement benefits (reduced by WEP), you should also check if the Government Pension Offset (GPO) might affect any potential spousal or survivor benefits you might be eligible for. GPO is separate from WEP and reduces spousal/survivor benefits by 2/3 of your government pension amount. These provisions can be quite complex, so it might be worth consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in federal benefits before finalizing your retirement plans. The SSA's WEP calculator can also help you estimate the impact: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/anyPiaWepjs04.html

ANYBODY dealing with SS should know they ALWAYS mess up family maximum calculations!!!! I had to fight them for 6 months and finally got backpay for my kids of over $7000 because they calculated wrong from the beginning!!!! KEEP FIGHTING!!

To summarize the key points for anyone else with a similar family maximum question: 1. When you receive benefits on your own work record plus a spousal top-up, only the spousal portion counts against the family maximum on your spouse's record 2. At FRA, you can file for your own retirement first, then apply for the spousal benefit if it would result in a higher total benefit 3. The SSA will not automatically recalculate other family members' benefits when your benefit source changes - you must request this recalculation 4. Consider the long-term impact of claiming strategies - maximizing benefits now might reduce lifetime benefits if delaying until 70 would be more advantageous 5. Document all conversations with SSA representatives and get explanations in writing when possible 6. If WEP potentially applies due to non-covered employment, that adds another layer of complexity requiring specialized assistance