When my sister turned 66 (her FRA) she got a job and her benefit check went UP the next year! Something about recalculation of her benefits because she was working again. So working might actually help your benefit amount in the long run too!

I think what matters most is how much this job is gonna pay you. If it's just a few hours a week maybe you don't even hit the limit? My cousin works at Walmart just 15 hours a week and stays under just fine.

my frend had same problem she went 2 congressman office and they fixed everything in 2 weeks!! try that maybe?

Thank you everyone for the suggestions! I'm going to try using the specific terminology that was recommended when I call next time - "Medicare Beneficiary Statement" and "Special Notice Flag" seem like the magic words I need. If I can't get through on the phone, I'll try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. As a last resort, I like the idea of contacting my congressman's office - I hadn't thought of that. It's somewhat comforting to know I'm not the only one dealing with this WEP/GPO communication black hole. I'll update here if I make progress!

i think they sometimes do this on purpose to save money. my neighbor had something similar and they kept "losing" his paperwork for like 6 months!! he had to get really mad and threaten to call his congressman before they finally fixed it. the whole system is rigged to make it hard for us seniors!!

Update: I just got back from another office visit after using all the specific terminology suggested here. What a difference! I asked for a Technical Expert specifically and mentioned "Critical Payment Correction" and "Administrative Action Review." The TE actually found that my payment HAD been recorded but in a different part of their system than what shows on my online account. They're initiating a correction process that she said should take about 2 weeks to sync up their records. In the meantime, they're starting my survivor benefits provisionally! Thank you all SO MUCH for your help with this - I would never have known what to ask for without your suggestions.

i filed at 62 while working part time and regret it so much!!! they take back so much of my check some months i barely get anything. plus when i do fully retire my benefit is permanently lower. wish i had just waited.

Based on what you've shared, waiting until your consulting work ends makes the most financial sense. One additional factor to consider: tax implications. When you're working and also receiving Social Security benefits, up to 85% of your SS benefits may become taxable depending on your combined income. This is separate from the earnings test and is another reason many working people delay benefits. If you both have solid earnings records, a common strategy for married couples in good health is for the higher earner to delay until 70 (maximizing the eventual survivor benefit) while the lower earner claims at FRA. This provides some income flow while still optimizing your household's lifetime benefits.

To clarify something important from the comments - after you reach Full Retirement Age (which you have at 68), there is NO earnings limit whatsoever. You can work and earn as much as you want without any reduction to your Social Security benefits. This is different from when someone collects early (before FRA) when there are strict earnings limits. Your neighbor may have been referring to the rules that apply before reaching FRA.

Regarding your specific situation, I'd recommend taking these three steps: 1. Request your Social Security Statement online through your my Social Security account or by calling SSA - this will show if your recent work has already increased your benefit 2. File an application for divorced spouse's benefits immediately - since your marriage was over 10 years and you're already receiving retirement benefits, there's no downside to applying 3. Keep documentation of your current earnings to verify that future benefit adjustments are correct While the automatic recalculation happens annually after tax information is processed, it's still good practice to monitor your benefit amount for changes. These recalculations typically happen in October of the year following your work.