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Thanks for all the great advice, everyone! I think I'm going to hold off on claiming for now since I'm still working and don't absolutely need the SS income yet. That 8% guaranteed increase each year seems too good to pass up. I'll check out that tax withholding calculator too since I definitely don't want a surprise tax bill. Really appreciate all your help!
Smart choice! One final tip - even though you're delaying benefits, I'd recommend creating your my.ssa.gov account now if you haven't already. It's a good way to check your earnings record for accuracy and get updated benefit estimates as you continue working. Those additional earnings might further increase your eventual benefit amount.
Just set up my account! You're right - very helpful. Shows what my benefit would be at different ages. Thanks again!
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Wait so your own benefit is higher than your husbands? In my case my husbands benefit was way higher than mine would ever be so I just took his. But if yours is higher then yeah do what everyone is saying.
Good point about benefit amounts. If the survivor benefit is higher than her own retirement benefit would be at FRA, then she should just take the survivor benefit permanently. But since she mentioned her own benefit would be higher (after 38 years as a nurse), the strategy of taking survivor benefits temporarily and then switching makes perfect sense.
Thanks everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to try making an appointment at my local office instead of dealing with the phone system. I'll be very clear that I ONLY want survivor benefits for now. I'll also bring printouts of the SSA rules about this to the appointment, just in case. It's so frustrating that even the SSA employees seem confused about their own policies sometimes. I just want to make sure I'm not leaving money on the table while I wait for my FRA in a few months.
That's a smart approach. One more tip: when you go to your appointment, ask specifically for someone who specializes in survivor benefits. And if you sense the person helping you seems unsure, politely ask to speak with a technical expert or supervisor. Good luck!
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i think u need his w2s too maybe? or at least thats what my aunt needed when she did this
No, she won't need his W-2s. The SSA already has his complete earnings record in their system. They just need enough identifying information to locate his record (SSN, date of birth, etc.) and proof of the marriage/death.
Thank you all for your help! I called SSA this morning but couldn't get through after waiting an hour. Will try that Claimyr service tomorrow. I found all our documents including his social security card. I had no idea I might be missing out on hundreds of dollars each month for the past 2 years. Really appreciate everyone's advice!
Come back and let us know how it goes! I'm hoping you'll see a significant increase in your monthly benefit.
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my cousin said something about a 60 day window after applying where u can withdraw ur application if u change ur mind about taking early benefits. might be worth asking about that too in case she decides to wait for full amount later
That's interesting and could be really helpful information. I'll add it to the list of things for her to ask about. Thanks!
Another thing she should consider is that survivor benefits taken early are reduced differently than regular retirement benefits. The reduction for survivor benefits at age 62 is about 28.5%, while regular retirement at 62 would be reduced by about 30%. The exact percentage depends on her specific FRA. The SSA representative should be able to calculate the exact amount during her appointment.
I didn't realize there was a difference in how they calculate the reductions. Thanks for pointing that out!
Ava Martinez
I'm so jealous! I tried to do something similar but messed up my earnings calculation and went over the limit by about $4,800. Now SS is making me pay back some benefits and it's a whole hassle. Make sure you track your income REALLY carefully especially if you get any bonuses or overtime that might push you over unexpectedly.
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Giovanni Colombo
•If anyone finds themselves in this situation where SSA is seeking repayment of benefits due to exceeding the earnings limit, you have options: 1) You can request a waiver if it wasn't your fault and repayment would cause financial hardship (Form SSA-632) 2) You can set up a payment plan if you can't repay all at once (Form SSA-634) 3) If you disagree with their determination, you can file for reconsideration (Form SSA-561) It's best to contact SSA directly to discuss your specific situation. Getting through to them can be challenging though. If you're having trouble reaching a representative, I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get a callback when handling my mother's survivor benefits issue. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - saved me hours of hold time.
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Dylan Campbell
This is a textbook example of how to strategically time your Social Security benefits while managing the transition to retirement. Well done! One thing to consider: once you fully retire in July, you'll want to adjust your withholding on your Social Security benefits. Since you'll have lower total income for the second half of the year, you might be overwithholding. You can file Form W-4V to change your federal tax withholding rate on your Social Security benefits to either 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22% of your monthly benefit. Also, keep in mind that any severance package from your employer would count toward the earnings test limit in the year received. If you're expecting any significant payout when you leave your job, factor that into your calculations. Your strategy shows how powerful it can be to understand the nuances of Social Security rules!
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Amara Okafor
•Thank you for mentioning Form W-4V - I'll definitely look into adjusting my withholding once I fully retire. And excellent point about severance! I am expecting a small package (2 weeks per year of service), so that will definitely count toward my earnings limit. I'll recalculate to make sure I stay under even with that included. I appreciate the reminder!
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