btw make sure ur NOT confusing SSI and SSDI with retirement benefits. totally different rules for those programs

One more important point: When you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA), the earnings test disappears completely. So once you turn 66, you can earn unlimited income without any reduction in benefits. Keep that in mind for your future planning.

One other thing to consider - if you're going to reach Full Retirement Age (FRA) this year, then there's a higher annual limit ($59,520 for 2025) and the reduction is only $1 for every $3 over the limit. After you reach FRA month, there's no limit at all! So your specific situation might be different depending on your age.

Just to follow up on the June situation: If you want to avoid going over the limit, you could ask your employer to shift one of your June shifts to July, or take one unpaid day off in June. At your hourly rate of $16.64, working about 117 hours would keep you just under the $1,950 limit. Alternatively, if this is a one-time situation and you'll be under the limit for all other months, you might actually be better off just working the extra hours, going slightly over in June, and having a small benefit reduction rather than losing a full day's wages.

my cousin in florida just used some website to figure it all out... i think its called maximize my social security or something

I forgot to mention - make sure whoever you work with understands the implications of the teaching pension. Georgia is one of those states where some teachers didn't pay into Social Security, which triggers the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and possibly the Government Pension Offset (GPO). These can significantly reduce your benefits, and many advisors don't have experience with these provisions.

One other thing nobody mentioned - part of your SS can become TAXABLE when your income goes up too!!! So the IRMAA isnt the only hit they might be taking!!!

Quick follow-up on tax implications: Up to 85% of Social Security benefits can become taxable when provisional income exceeds certain thresholds. Provisional income = Adjusted Gross Income + 50% of SS benefits + tax-exempt interest. For single filers: - Below $25,000: No tax on SS - $25,000-$34,000: Up to 50% taxable - Above $34,000: Up to 85% taxable For joint filers, thresholds are $32,000 and $44,000. So yes, selling large assets can create a double whammy - higher Medicare premiums AND more of their Social Security becoming taxable. Careful planning across multiple tax years is really important.

My husband just went through this. No special form but make sure to read carefully! There's a difference between WEP (affects YOUR benefits if you get a non-covered pension) and GPO (affects SPOUSAL/SURVIVOR benefits if you get a non-covered pension). Different rules apply to each one!

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I'm going to: 1) Check my earnings record for accuracy, 2) Complete the SSA-150 form to get an estimate with WEP calculated, 3) Be extremely clear about my pension when I apply for benefits, and 4) Keep documentation of everything. It sounds like there's no separate WEP application, but I need to make sure I answer all pension questions accurately on the regular retirement application. I'll also use Claimyr to talk to a representative before I file to double-check everything. This has been really helpful!

Wait I'm confused... You said your son gets benefits but then said daughter... which one is it?

One other thing to keep in mind - if you start receiving survivor benefits now and then find a new job, you'll need to be careful about the earnings test if you're working before your FRA. But since you mentioned you're 67 already, the earnings test no longer applies to you! You can earn any amount without reduction of benefits. That's another reason why taking survivor benefits now while continuing your job search could be advantageous.

Just to add one point to all this good advice - since you've continued working, your benefit amount might actually be higher than what it would have been at exactly age 70. Social Security recalculates your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) annually if you have new earnings that might increase your benefit. So when you apply, you'll get the maximum DRCs (Delayed Retirement Credits) plus any increase from recent higher earnings years replacing lower earning years in your calculation.

I was able to get through to SSA finally! The agent confirmed I'll only get 6 months of retroactive benefits, so I've definitely lost some money by waiting. But at least I'm getting it sorted now. The agent mentioned my benefit amount is a bit higher than it would have been at exactly 70 due to my extra work years, just like someone mentioned here. Still mad at myself for not knowing about this sooner though!

hey does anyone know how long her grandkids can keep gettin there benifits? my neice is turning 18 soon and i'm worried about her payments stopping

Thank you all so much for the helpful responses! I just talked to my niece and she's so relieved to know that her applying won't hurt the kids' benefits. She's going to look into that Child-in-Care benefit that was mentioned and will try using that Claimyr service to get through to SSA since she's been trying to call for weeks. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to share your knowledge and experiences!

Does anyone know if they'll stop payments automatically once the funeral home reports the death? My uncle passed last week and we're worried about the overpayment issue too.

Update: I finally got through to SSA yesterday. They confirmed what everyone here said - the $255 death benefit isn't available if there's no surviving spouse or dependent child. They also told me they already had record of my dad's death from the funeral home's report, so that's one less thing to worry about. The representative helped me verify that his final payment will be returned automatically by the bank. Thanks everyone for your help and advice during this difficult time.

To answer your question about applying for both SSDI and early retirement simultaneously - yes, this is possible and sometimes recommended. It's called "concurrent filing." Here's how it works: 1. File for both SSDI and reduced early retirement benefits 2. Collect the reduced retirement benefits while waiting for SSDI decision 3. If SSDI is approved, benefits will be adjusted to the higher SSDI rate The advantage is getting some income during the potentially long SSDI determination process. The main downside is paperwork complexity. Also, if the SSDI claim is eventually denied, he'll be permanently locked into the reduced early retirement benefit rate. Given his documented bipolar diagnosis and current hospitalization, he likely has a stronger SSDI case than many applicants, but approval is never guaranteed.

When I called Claimyr to get connected to Social Security for my situation, the agent I spoke to mentioned that hospital social workers can help file something called a "dire need" request to expedite SSDI processing. Has anyone done this successfully? Might be worth asking about given the hospitalization.