Yeah there is a fee, but honestly after spending DAYS trying to get through and getting nowhere, it was worth it to me. Got my questions answered in one call instead of trying for weeks. Time is money too ya know!

Here's a summary of what we've discussed to help clarify: 1. If you're married at least 9 months before your husband passes away, you qualify for survivor benefits 2. If your husband passes away while on SSDI, your survivor benefit would be 100% of his disability benefit amount IF you claim at your Full Retirement Age or later 3. If you claim your own retirement benefit early (before your FRA) and later switch to survivor benefits, the RIB-LIM rule might reduce your survivor benefit amount 4. You can choose to receive either your own retirement benefit OR the survivor benefit, whichever is higher (not both simultaneously) 5. You can switch between benefits - for example, take your reduced retirement now and switch to survivor benefits later, or take survivor benefits first and switch to your own retirement later if it's higher The best strategy depends on the specific benefit amounts in your case. I recommend speaking with a knowledgeable SSA representative who can review both your records.

One crucial point that hasn't been mentioned: while claiming divorced spouse benefits doesn't require your ex to be receiving benefits, he does need to be age-eligible (at least 62). Since you mentioned he's 66, this requirement is already met. Even though your own benefit will be higher, it's still important to mention your eligible divorced spouse status when you apply. This ensures the SSA does the proper calculations and comparison. Given your substantial benefit amount ($2,950), I strongly recommend waiting until your Full Retirement Age to avoid permanent reductions. If your financial situation allows, waiting until 70 would increase your benefit by approximately 32% to around $3,900 per month for the rest of your life.

To answer your question about the break-even point for delaying benefits from FRA to age 70: Generally, you'd need to live until approximately 82-83 years old to break even. Every month you live beyond that age, you're coming out ahead by having delayed. With women's average life expectancy now in the mid-80s and continuing to increase, delaying benefits is often a smart financial decision, especially for women with family histories of longevity. It's essentially longevity insurance. Delaying also maximizes potential survivor benefits should you remarry. Something to consider in your overall planning.

Congrats on reaching FRA! Something no one mentioned yet - even though the earnings limit is gone, you still have to pay income tax on your combined income (work + SS benefits) if it goes over certain thresholds. For most people, up to 85% of SS benefits become taxable when your combined income gets high enough. Just something to budget for!

One final clarification for you: to maximize your benefits, remember that: 1. You can work unlimited amounts after FRA without benefit reduction 2. If you're switching to your own retirement benefits, consider whether it makes sense to delay claiming your own retirement past FRA to earn delayed retirement credits (8% per year until age 70). You could potentially continue receiving survivor benefits while delaying your own retirement benefit, depending on which is higher. 3. Any new earnings that replace lower earnings in your 35-year calculation will increase your benefit. SSA recalculates annually. 4. Watch those IRMAA thresholds for Medicare premiums - for 2025 (based on 2023 income), the first tier starts around $97,000 for individuals. Based on everything you've shared, you're making good decisions. Starting work in January 2025 after reaching FRA gives you complete freedom from the earnings test.

My neighbor did somethng like this and regretted it later. Just my 2 cents

One more important factor to consider: if you claim your benefit early at 64, and your husband passes away in the future, your survivor benefit would be affected. As a widow, you would be eligible for up to 100% of what your husband was receiving (including any delayed retirement credits), but if you had claimed your own benefit early, your survivor benefit would be reduced. This is one reason why, in couples with significant benefit differences, financial advisors often recommend that the lower-earning spouse consider claiming early while the higher-earning spouse delays as long as possible. This maximizes the survivor benefit protection.

Quick follow-up on my earlier response: when you go back to SSA, ask specifically about the "restricted application" for survivor benefits. This is the technical term for what you want to do - restricting your application to ONLY the survivor benefit while letting your own retirement benefit grow. Also, you should know that survivor benefits taken before your Full Retirement Age are reduced for early claiming (unlike switching to your own benefit at 70, which doesn't get penalized). Since you're turning 65 and your FRA is 66 and 10 months, that $1,850 figure already includes the early claiming reduction. If you waited until your FRA to claim the survivor benefit, it would be slightly higher, but that's rarely the optimal financial strategy when your own benefit will exceed the survivor benefit eventually.

this is why i always tell people to do their own research about social security before going in. so many of the workers give wrong info its scary!!