Can I work part-time after switching from survivor SSDI to my own Social Security at FRA?

Once you reach your Full Retirement Age, you're correct that there's no earnings limit or penalty for working while collecting your own Social Security retirement benefits. The SSA rep probably asked about future work plans because it's a standard question during benefit transitions, especially from disability to retirement benefits. Since you're now on retirement benefits (not SSDI), you can work as much as you want without affecting your benefits. You don't need to call them specifically about taking this job, though you will need to report the income on your taxes which may affect how much of your SS benefits are taxable.

Just be CAREFUL about how much you work!!!! My cousin was on disability then switched to retirement and started working and they came after her claiming she wasn't really disabled and made her pay back THOUSANDS from her disability years. The whole system is designed to trap you honestly... they ask these questions to catch you later!!

congrats on the job opportunity! im in a similar boat but not quite at FRA yet. turning 62 next month and trying to figure out what to do. my husband passed 3 years ago.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year. Was on my late husband's disability, then switched to my own retirement at FRA. The question about working is standard - they ask everyone. Since you're at your full retirement age now, you can work as much as you want without any reduction in benefits. BUT - one thing to be aware of is that your work income combined with your Social Security might push more of your SS benefits into taxable territory. Depending on your total income, up to 85% of your Social Security could be taxable. Might be worth talking to a tax person before you start the job. Also, getting through to Social Security on the phone is practically impossible these days. I tried for weeks before finding this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at SSA in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Saved me hours of frustration when I needed to clarify some questions about my benefit transition.

not sure why everyones making this so complicated lol... if ur at full retirement age u can work as much as u want. period. thats the whole point of "full retirement" - ur fully vested. dont overthink it

I think the confusion here is because you're switching from one type of benefit (survivor disability) to another (your own retirement). When I did something similar, they explained that once you switch to retirement benefits at FRA, you're essentially "starting fresh" under new rules. Just make sure to keep good records of when you start working and how much you earn. Even though there's no limit after FRA, it's always good to have documentation if questions ever come up. I learned that the hard way when there was a mixup with my benefits after I started a part-time consulting gig! Also, if your part-time job turns into something more substantial, remember that continuing to work might actually increase your benefit amount over time if your new earnings are higher than some of your previous years that were used in your benefit calculation.

To clarify a few technical points: 1. When you were receiving disability benefits on your husband's record, you were actually receiving what's called "Disabled Widow(er)'s Benefits" (DWB), a specific type of survivor benefit, not traditional SSDI on your own record. 2. Now that you've reached your FRA and switched to your own retirement benefit, you've undergone what's called a "technical termination" of your disability status. Your benefit is now calculated and treated exactly like any retirement benefit. 3. The earnings test (which limits how much you can earn) only applies to people receiving benefits before their FRA. Since you're at your FRA, you can earn unlimited amounts without affecting your monthly benefit amount. 4. The question about future work is standard during benefit conversion interviews. It helps the representative determine if they need to explain earnings limitations (not applicable in your case) or provide information about how work might affect taxes on your benefits (which is still relevant). 5. You don't need to report your intention to work to SSA, but your earnings will be reported through normal tax channels, which is all that's required.

Just wanted to add that working part-time from home was such a positive thing for me after years on disability. Beyond the extra income, it gave me purpose and routine that actually helped my health in some ways. Hope it works out well for you too!