my husband is on SSI not SSDI and i was told i cant get any spousal benefits at all!! is that different? why do disability people get different rules its so UNFAIR

Thank you all for this incredibly helpful information! I've decided to schedule an appointment with SSA to go through my specific numbers before making a decision. Based on your advice, I'll ask about: 1. The exact amount I'd receive at 62 vs. FRA for both my retirement and spousal benefits 2. How the deemed filing would work in my case 3. The long-term impact of taking reduced benefits now vs. waiting It sounds like there's no way to just take spousal and let my own grow (which is what I was hoping for), but I need to understand the exact numbers before deciding. I'll try that Claimyr service to avoid the phone wait nightmare!

wat about if u work part time after retiring? My neighbor works 2 days a week at walmart and still gets ss but shes over 67 i think

I just called my HR department and they actually weren't sure how this would be reported! They're checking with payroll. This is making me really nervous now. Should I just delay my SS application by a month to avoid this issue completely?

To your second question about applying in June - you'll get provisional credit for the DRCs you've earned when you apply, but the final recalculation happens the following January. It's usually a small adjustment. If your FRA monthly benefit would have been $2,500, and you've earned 6 months of DRCs (4% annually = 0.33% per month, so 2% total for 6 months), your initial payment would be about $2,550. If any minor adjustments are needed, they'll happen in January. For what it's worth, with today's longer lifespans, the math usually favors taking the DRCs over retroactive benefits unless you have serious health concerns or an immediate need for the lump sum.

The DRC annual recomputation ALWAYS happens in January, no matter when you apply during the year. That's just how their system works. It's one of the MANY confusing aspects of Social Security that they don't explain clearly! One more IMPORTANT point: when you apply, make ABSOLUTELY SURE the SSA representative understands what you want. Some reps automatically process retroactive benefits without fully explaining the DRC trade-off. Be VERY clear about whether you want retroactive benefits OR you want to preserve your DRCs. Get it in writing if possible!

She was fully retired. If your husband plans to work at all while collecting before FRA, definitely look into the earnings test. For 2025, if you earn over $22,320 and are under FRA, SSA withholds $1 for every $2 earned above that limit. Once you reach FRA, there's no earnings test.

Sounds like you have a good plan forming. Just to summarize the key points from this discussion: 1. Lower-earning spouse claiming early makes mathematical sense when the higher earner delays (especially since the higher benefit will become the survivor benefit) 2. Be aware of the earnings test if your husband plans to work while collecting before FRA 3. Consider potential tax implications of having Social Security income while you're still working 4. Remember that when you file, your husband might qualify for a spousal benefit if it's higher than his own, but it would be reduced if he claimed his own benefit early I recommend creating a spreadsheet to compare your total household benefits under different scenarios through age 85-90. This often helps couples visualize the long-term impact of different claiming strategies.

Update: I FINALLY got through to someone at SSA after trying for days. The agent explained that I misunderstood how the monthly earnings test works. She said that in the first year of retirement, they look at any month where I earned under the limit AND didn't perform "substantial services" as a month I should receive benefits, regardless of my annual total. But here's the catch - they're saying my part-time work still counts as "substantial services" even though I'm earning under the monthly limit! Apparently because I'm working more than 15 hours weekly at the bookstore (I work about 22 hours), they're considering it substantial work. This feels like a complete gotcha - stay under the earnings limit but still get penalized because of hours? I'm going to request a formal review. This just doesn't seem right.

Reading through all this, I'm seriously considering just waiting until I hit my FRA to avoid this mess altogether. The rules are way more complicated than they initially appear, and it sounds like even the SSA reps give conflicting information. Losing a few months of benefits might be worth avoiding the headache!

anyone know if taking SS at 69 vs 70 affects the RMD calculations for IRAs? im confused about how they interact

One more thing to consider - when you apply in January 2025, your benefit won't actually start until February, and your first payment will arrive in March. Social Security pays a month behind, so February's payment comes in March, March's in April, etc. Make sure you have enough savings to tide you over during that initial gap, especially if your work situation is uncertain!

my sister worked for the state for 15 years and she got hit HARD by wep even tho she had 20+ years in the private sector too. lost almost $600/month in SS benefits. totally unfair system!!!!

Has anyone here actually gone through this process recently? I'm in a similar situation (FERS, retiring next year) and every person I talk to at Social Security gives me different information! Last week, one rep told me my FERS pension WOULD reduce my Social Security through WEP, then I called back and another one said it wouldn't. So confused and frustrated!!

Yes, retirement benefits can start almost immediately after approval (usually within 30-60 days of application), while SSDI has both the processing time (3-6 months minimum for initial decision) plus the 5-month waiting period from your established onset date. One important consideration: if you receive retirement benefits first and are later approved for SSDI, you'll get retroactive SSDI payments (minus the 5-month waiting period), but they'll deduct the retirement benefits you already received. You won't double-dip, but you'll get the higher of the two benefit amounts going forward.

Just wondering, have they given you blood thinners for life now? My uncle had PE last year and he's on permanent blood thinners. Does that affect your ability to work certain jobs? That might help your case since some jobs have higher injury risks when you're on anticoagulants.

I wished I'd waited until my FRA before claiming. The difference between 62 and FRA is significant over a lifetime. My financial advisor calculated I'd lose more than $75,000 in benefits over my expected lifetime by starting early. Something to consider for others reading this thread who haven't claimed yet!

does anyone know if the FRA is different for SSI? my cousin gets SSI not regular Social Security and she said theres no FRA for that

To directly answer your original question: Yes, there is essentially a "penalty" for not filing at 70, but it's not an actual penalty - it's lost money you can never recover. For every month beyond 70 that you don't apply, you're permanently forfeiting a month of benefits (except for the 6-month retroactive period). The SSA doesn't automatically enroll you, and many people mistakenly believe benefits continue to grow after 70 or that you shouldn't apply until you stop working. Neither is true!

Wait so does anyone know if you HAVE to apply for SS at 70 even if still working? or is it just recommended so you dont lose $?