My friend just went thru this!!! The SSA made her payback like 7 months of benefits when she went back to work and it was a NIGHTMARE getting everything processed right. She said it would have been easier to just let them reduce her benefits based on her earnings instead of dealing with the withdrawal process. Just my 2 cents!

One last point to consider: if you withdraw your application and repay benefits, you're essentially resetting the clock. This means your future benefit amount will be higher when you claim again, especially if you wait until your Full Retirement Age (66 and 10 months for someone born in 1960) or even age 70. However, if you keep your current filing date and just work while receiving reduced benefits, you're stuck with that early filing reduction permanently (though partially offset by any months benefits are completely withheld). For someone still in good health with longevity in your family, withdrawing might be the better long-term financial decision if you can afford to repay the benefits now. I'd recommend using the calculators on ssa.gov to compare your lifetime benefits under each scenario based on how long you expect to live.

my husband has diabetes and SSA has him labeled as disabled even though he works full time and has never received benefits. when i asked about it they said its just how their system categorizes certain medical conditions even if the person isnt functionally disabled or receiving anything. might be similar for genetic stuff?

I think ur overthinking this tbh. as long as ur daughters checks keep coming its fine

just wondering but did u already tell the funeral home? they sometimes report deaths to social security when they file the death certificate

Yes, the funeral home said they would report it as part of their process, but they also mentioned it could take several weeks with the current backlog. I'm still going to try to report it myself though, just to be safe.

does anybody know if they count rental income? my aunt gets social security but also rents out her basement apartment

To answer your original question about increasing benefits by working longer: Each year the SSA automatically reviews your record and recalculates your benefit if your recent earnings are higher than one of your previous 35 highest years. The increase varies based on your earnings history, but it's typically modest - perhaps 0.5-1.5% per additional year of substantial earnings. For someone with a $2,000 monthly benefit, that might mean an extra $10-30 per month for each additional year. Since you'll be working part-time, the increase would be on the lower end of that range, but still beneficial over the long term since benefits receive annual cost-of-living adjustments.

I had a similar issue with my ex-spousal benefits claim last month. After weeks of getting nowhere with the regular SSA number, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a representative without the endless hold times. They have a video demonstrating how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I reached was actually able to see the specific exceptions on my claim and explained that one was related to my pension verification and the other was a system flag for the GPO repeal claims. They sent a message to the payment center requesting urgent resolution due to financial hardship, and my claim was processed within a week after that. The key is getting someone who will actually look at the specific exceptions rather than just giving generic information.

Just a quick update on GPO repeal claims - I've heard from several clients that SSA is now starting to process the backlog more quickly. Several people who applied in the first month after the repeal just received approval notices this week. It seems like the payment centers finally received complete processing instructions about two weeks ago. One thing that might help: make sure your online my Social Security account is set up with accurate contact information. Some payment centers are sending electronic messages there rather than paper notices for these claims.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that DRCs only accumulate until age 70. After that, there's no benefit to waiting longer. For someone with an FRA of January 2025 born in 1958, they would be able to accumulate DRCs until January 2029 (when they turn 70). Just something to keep in mind for the complete picture.

I WISH someone told me about retractive benefits before!!! I waited 8 months after my FRA thinking I had to choose an exact date and I picked 8 months later... then I filed 2 months after THAT so I missed 2 months of payments I couldve gotten! The SSA doesn't volunteer this info you have to know to ask!!!

Another CRITICAL thing to know - if your sister ever does decide to apply for SSDI (not just retirement), there's a 5 MONTH waiting period before benefits start AND Medicare doesn't kick in until 24 MONTHS after SSDI approval!!! The system is designed to make disabled workers SUFFER!!! And btw - if your sister's injury happened 8 years ago, has she even TRIED applying for SSDI? If her injury is permanent and prevented her from working, she might qualify for SSDI which could actually pay MORE than early retirement. The SSDI benefit is calculated as if she worked until full retirement age!

After reviewing numerous cases like this in my work, here's the most accurate information I can provide: 1. The Worker's Compensation offset for Social Security benefits varies by state law and policy language. 2. In most states, there is a distinction between SSDI and retirement benefits in how they're treated for offset purposes, but approximately 15 states do allow offsets against retirement benefits. 3. The key factor is often when the injury occurred in relation to age. If the worker was disabled well before retirement age, some policies treat any Social Security as partially attributable to the disability. 4. The safest approach is to request a formal written determination from the WC carrier about how they would treat retirement benefits specifically. 5. There may be a maximum combined benefit amount specified in state law (often 80% of pre-injury wages). I recommend having your sister request her earnings record from Social Security to calculate potential retirement benefits, then discuss with both a WC attorney and a financial advisor to determine the optimal strategy.

im in a simlar situation and was told by my tax guy that my husbnd needs to file for his SS first then they will give him the higher amunt whether its his or spousal. for us it's about $180 more a month with the spousal. good luck

One important thing no one's mentioned yet - when your husband does eventually file (whether at 62 or 70), if your SSDI converts to retirement benefits by then, the SSA will automatically check if he's eligible for the higher of either his own benefit or a spousal benefit. If 50% of your primary insurance amount (PIA) is higher than his own benefit would be, he'll automatically get the higher spousal amount. But with your husband's FRA benefit estimated at $2,700, it's unlikely the spousal benefit would be higher unless your SSDI benefit is over $5,400/month, which would be unusual.

One additional important point: when you do turn 60, be aware that survivor benefits taken before your Full Retirement Age (FRA) are reduced. At exactly age 60, you'd receive about 71.5% of your husband's full benefit amount. Each month you wait between 60 and your FRA increases that percentage. Also, if you work while receiving early survivor benefits, the earnings limit applies ($21,240 for 2023, though this increases annually). Earning over the limit reduces your benefits temporarily (though you get the money back later after reaching FRA). Consider these factors when planning - sometimes waiting even a few months past 60 can make a financial difference.

i keep hearing SSA is RAISING the min age for survivor benefits to 61 or 62 soon!!!!! anyone else hear this??

I just remembered that there's some worksheet on the SSA website that helps u calculate this!!! Google "SSA reduction factors" and it might come up

One question nobody's addressed - have you checked if your husband's FRA benefit amount is actually higher than yours? If your earnings were similar throughout your careers, it might not make sense to switch at all. The best strategy depends on your specific earnings histories and the difference between your benefit amounts. Also, consider how early claiming affects survivor benefits. If your husband passes away, you would be eligible for survivor benefits equal to what he was receiving. If he delayed claiming until 70, that's a larger survivor benefit for you.