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Thank you all for your helpful responses! I just got off the phone with my sister and shared all this information. She's going to apply right away - she had no idea there weren't any income/asset restrictions. We're going to try using that Claimyr service someone mentioned to get through on the phone since all the SSA offices near her have 2+ month appointment backlogs. I also explained the potential strategy of waiting until her FRA for the full 100% benefit, but she said she'd rather start receiving something now. She's planning to meet with her financial advisor next week to discuss the tax implications. Thanks again everyone - this community has been so helpful during a difficult time!
You're very welcome! One last tip - tell your sister to ask the SSA representative about the LUMP SUM DEATH BENEFIT when she applies. It's only $255, but many people don't know to ask for it and the SSA doesn't always volunteer the information. Every bit helps!
Social security is THEFT! They take our money our whole lives and then make it so complicated to get it back that half of people don't even get what they're entitled to! And what do you bet they'll change the rules again in a few years and cut benefits? The whole system is rigged!!
thats not helpful for the persons question... they just wanna know how to help their sister get benefits she deserves
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Just wanted to add - make sure you're using the 2024 earnings limit for survivor benefits at age 60, which is $22,320. Sometimes people use the wrong limit by mistake. And remember that only earned income counts - not investments, pensions, etc.
Yes, I'm using the correct limit for 2024. My earnings from my part-time job will be $22,339, which puts me $19 over. I don't have any other income that would count toward the limit.
WAIT! If you're only claiming in November, isn't there some kind of first-year rule where they look at your monthly earnings instead of annual? I feel like there was something special about the first year you claim benefits...
You're thinking of the Grace Year rule, but the original poster already mentioned that the monthly calculations wouldn't help because their earnings are higher in November/December (the months they're claiming benefits). The monthly limit would be $1,860, and if they earn more than that in those months, the Grace Year provision wouldn't be beneficial in this case.
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just wondering - did your sister check if she qualifies for the one-time death payment of $255? its not much but at least its somthing while she figures out the survivor benefits
No, I don't think she knows about that! Thanks for mentioning it - I'll definitely tell her to ask about that when she contacts SSA.
To summarize what your sister should do now: 1. File for survivor benefits immediately (even if she'll receive $0 now) 2. Request detailed calculations showing how the earnings test applies to her specific case 3. Consider reducing work hours if financially feasible 4. Plan ahead for whether to take full survivor benefits at FRA or switch between benefits 5. Apply for the $255 death payment if she hasn't already The most important thing is getting an application on file. Benefits can be retroactive for up to six months for survivors, but only if the application is filed.
This is incredibly helpful - thank you! I'm going to help my sister put together a list of questions and make sure she gets that application filed right away. I really appreciate everyone's advice and explanations.
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Just to provide a bit more clarity on the technical side: Under current law, the WEP reduction is capped at no more than 50% of your husband's non-covered pension (his state pension). So sometimes the actual reduction is less than the maximum WEP amount I mentioned earlier. Also, remember that for GPO, the current reduction is 2/3 of his government pension amount. So when calculating potential benefits after a repeal, you'd need to add back that reduction to see the full impact. One other point - while many commenters are skeptical about legislative action, there has been more bipartisan support recently due to teacher and first responder advocacy groups pushing hard for these changes. The proposed Social Security Fairness Act has gained significant traction in the current session.
Thank you for the additional details. The 50% cap on WEP reduction is interesting - I didn't know that. His state pension will be around $2,800/month, so I guess that means his WEP reduction couldn't be more than $1,400 anyway? I'm trying not to get my hopes up too much about the legislation passing, but it would certainly be life-changing for us and many others in similar situations if it does.
my friend's husband was in same situation exact situation and they got so confused they hired a financial advisor just to figure out all this GPO/WEP stuff!!! cost them $500 but they said it was worth it just to understand what they'd actually get. might be worth considering if you can afford it
That's not a bad suggestion, but be careful about who you hire. Look specifically for advisors who specialize in federal/state retirement systems and have experience with WEP/GPO calculations. Many general financial advisors don't fully understand these complex provisions.
Diez Ellis
One more important point: The earnings limit for survivor benefits increases in the year you reach your full retirement age (FRA), and then disappears completely once you hit your FRA. For example, if your FRA is 67, in the year you turn 67, the earnings limit jumps to around $59,520 (for 2025), and they only count earnings before the month you reach FRA. Then after your FRA, you can earn any amount without reduction. Since you're planning to switch to your own benefit at 70, you'll still need to be mindful of the earnings test between 60-67, but after your FRA, you can work as much as you want without any impact on your survivor benefits.
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Noland Curtis
•That's great to know about the higher limit in the year I reach FRA. My full retirement age is 67, so I'll need to plan carefully for the years between 60-67. I'm hoping to work part-time during those years anyway, but it's good to know I have more flexibility once I reach FRA.
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Laila Prince
my mom did something like this where she took my dads survivor benefit for a while then switched to her own later. worked out really well for her! good luck!
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