My husband and I went through this exact thing last fall. We both wanted the matrix but I HATE going to government offices. Finally made an appointment and actually the visit wasn't terrible. The specialist was super nice and explained everything on the printout. She even ran some different scenarios based on my husband's government pension and how WEP would affect things. Honestly I think we got more info in person than we would have figured out online anyway.

Just to add more detail about what's actually on the matrix that you can't see online: It breaks down your benefit amount by both year AND month of claiming, showing the exact percentage reductions/increases. It also shows your exact PIA calculation based on your top 35 years of earnings (already indexed for inflation). And it factors in any already-applied COLAs. For someone who's trying to determine the optimal claiming age with precision, especially if you're planning to retire at an unusual age (like 64 years and 9 months), seeing the exact impact of waiting just a few more months can be extremely valuable. Sometimes waiting even 2-3 months can make a significant difference in your lifetime benefits.

Has anyone tried the MySocialSecurity online account to check their earnings record? Does it show the correct information about WHEN you earned the money or just the total for the year?? My online account seems to just show yearly totals!!

One additional point that might help others reading this thread: When applying for benefits with earnings test considerations, you can provide SSA with an estimate of your expected earnings for the year. In your case, you would explain that while your W-2 may show a higher amount, your actual 2025 earnings for work performed in 2025 will be under the limit. If you do this at application, they'll process your benefits based on your estimate. Later, when actual earnings are reported, they'll reconcile any differences. Since you have documentation to prove when the work was performed, you should be able to avoid any overpayment issues. This approach is particularly helpful when, like in your situation, there's a clear discrepancy between when work was performed and when it was paid.

lol we all wanna find loopholes but ssa been around a long time. they thought of everything already trust me

One important point that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're still working, your future benefit amount might still be increasing! Social Security calculates your benefit based on your highest 35 years of earnings. If your current earnings are higher than some of those earlier years (adjusted for inflation), you could actually see your benefit amount increase even after you've started receiving benefits. So while you might lose some benefits to the earnings test now, you could end up with a higher monthly amount later. It's a complex calculation, but something to keep in mind as part of your decision-making process.

Has your husband looked into his Canadian pension yet? My uncle gets both his Canadian and US benefits, it's not one or the other. They're actually pretty generous up there!

Just to add one important detail - your husband should apply for his Canadian benefits first before the US application. This is because the SSA will ask for verification of his Canadian benefits as part of calculating any potential WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) adjustment. Also, there's a specific form for totalization claims: the SSA-2490-BK. Not all SSA representatives may be familiar with it, so ask specifically for someone experienced with totalization claims when you call or visit an office. One more tip: when you do apply, the SSA might initially deny the claim if they only look at US credits. Make sure they understand it's a totalization claim so they consider the combined credits from both countries.

i had this same question last month! i thought for sure ira withdrawals would count against the earnings test but they definitely don't. one less thing to worry about lol

Although IRA withdrawals don't affect the earnings test, just remember they DO count as income for determining if your Social Security benefits are taxable. If your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of your Social Security benefits) exceeds $32,000 for joint filers, up to 50% of your benefits may be taxable. Above $44,000, up to 85% may be taxable. So plan accordingly!

To answer your follow-up questions from other comments: 1. For a Benefits Calculation letter, use SSA Form SSA-7004 (Request for Social Security Statement) but specifically write "REQUESTING DETAILED BENEFIT CALCULATION INCLUDING WEP AND DELAYED RETIREMENT CREDITS" at the top. 2. PEBES queries can be requested in person, but many SRs don't know how to access them. A Technical Expert (TE) or Claims Specialist (CS) will know exactly what you're asking for. Be prepared to submit this request in writing if they claim they don't understand. 3. Those small deposits might indeed be interest payments as someone suggested, which would actually be a good sign - it means SSA acknowledges they owe you money. 4. The key technical terms to use in ALL communications (written and verbal) are: - "PEBES computation history" - "AACT query" - "MBR display" - "Detailed WEP computation worksheet" - "DRC application worksheet" Using these specific terms signals to SSA that you know exactly what you're asking for and helps get your request to the right technical personnel.

One more important thing - when dealing with the Congressional office, make sure you're explicit about what you need. Many times they just send a generic inquiry to SSA. Instead, request that your Congressional case worker specifically ask for: 1. A review by the Office of Central Operations (not just your local field office) 2. A complete PEBES computation history showing how your DRCs were applied 3. An explanation of why the DRCs weren't incorporated as expected Congressional inquiries get special handling, but they're only as effective as the specifics included in the request. And it sounds like your previous Congressional inquiries may have just been routed back to the same local office that couldn't help you originally.

This thread has been so useful. I had no idea there were so many options with survivor benefits. Has anyone used a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning? Worth it?

Thank you everyone for the helpful information! I feel much better knowing that my husband's early claiming won't permanently reduce what I might receive as a survivor benefit if I wait until my FRA. I'm also intrigued by the strategy of possibly taking survivor benefits at FRA and then switching to my own benefit at 70 if it would be higher with the delayed retirement credits. I've been trying to call SSA to confirm all this for my specific situation but haven't been able to get through. I'll try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. It's such a relief to understand this better - these decisions affect the rest of our lives and it's so hard to find clear information sometimes.

I think everyone is missing something - if you're 62 now and your husband died 3 years ago, you would have been 59 when he died. You wouldn't have been eligible for survivor benefits until you turned 60 anyway (unless you're disabled). So the earliest you could have received benefits would have been at age 60, and now you can only get 6 months back from whenever you apply. Sorry about your husband 💔

One more important thing to be aware of: If you're still working, your survivor benefits may be reduced by the Social Security earnings test if you earn above certain limits ($21,240 in 2025). This applies until you reach your Full Retirement Age, at which point the earnings test goes away completely. Since you mentioned working part-time, you might not hit this limit, but it's something to be aware of when deciding whether to apply now or wait. Any benefits lost to the earnings test aren't truly lost - they're added back into your benefit calculation when you reach FRA - but it does affect your short-term cash flow.

One more thing to note - if this gets resolved but you find yourself with a similar banking issue in the future, the SSA actually gives you a 21-day grace period to update your information before they formally suspend benefits. However, the benefit verification letter often shows $0 during this time even though your benefits aren't formally suspended yet. It's a system limitation, not an accurate reflection of your benefit status. When you speak with an agent, ask them to document on your record that you were not notified promptly about the deposit rejection. This might help if there are any issues with reinstating your benefits quickly.

UPDATE: I called SSA this morning and got everything sorted! You were all right - my benefits weren't terminated, just suspended due to the closed bank account. The representative was very helpful and updated my direct deposit information. She said my backpay (for the missed payment) should arrive in 3 business days, and my regular monthly payments will resume on schedule next month. For anyone else who has this issue in the future: 1) Don't panic, 2) Bring ID and new bank account info when you call/visit, 3) Be prepared to verify your identity with extra questions. Thank you all for your help and reassurance when I was freaking out!

I just had a thought - have you considered if it might be better to withdraw your application entirely and then refile in 2025 when the new GPO rules take effect? That might reset your entitlement date and reduce those early filing penalties. Though I'm not sure if there are downsides to this approach... anyone know?

my father in law got burnt by GPO so bad... worked 40 years for the county and gets zero ss even though he paid in for 10 years at a second job. this whole system is garbage