Social Security at 62 after teaching career - when to apply and what to expect

Congratulations on your retirement! You should start by creating a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if you haven't already. This will give you personalized estimates based on your actual work history. Since you mentioned teaching for 35 years, you might be subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO) if your teaching position wasn't covered by Social Security. This would reduce your benefit amount. As for when to apply, you can apply up to 4 months before you want benefits to begin. If you want benefits to start the month you turn 62, I'd suggest applying in January or February. Remember though, filing at 62 means you'll get about 30% less than your full retirement age benefit (which is likely 67 for you).

i retired from teching 2 years ago and let me tell you DO NOT wait to check!! the online calculator was WAY OFF for me because of my pension. had to go in person to get the real numbers. they told me the WEP reduced it by like $740/month from what the online estimate said!!!! total shock

As someone who went through this exact process last year, here's what I recommend: 1. First, create your my Social Security account at ssa.gov 2. Run the calculator but know it may not properly factor WEP if you have a teacher's pension 3. Call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to verify how WEP affects your specific situation 4. Apply 3-4 months before you want benefits to begin 5. Keep in mind that filing at 62 gives you a 30% permanent reduction compared to your Full Retirement Age Since you've worked 35 years, check if you worked 30+ years with "substantial earnings" under Social Security, as this could reduce or eliminate the WEP reduction. The SSA website has a chart showing what counts as substantial earnings for each year.

Having worked with the SSA system for years, I'd recommend using Claimyr to reach a Social Security representative quickly. I was dealing with a WEP calculation issue similar to yours and spent days trying to get through on the regular line. With Claimyr (claimyr.com), I got connected to an agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. For teacher pension situations, speaking directly with an agent is crucial since the online calculators often don't properly account for WEP/GPO reductions.

everybody telling you about WEP but nobody mentioning that if you wait till 67 or even 70 you get WAY more money!!! my sister filed at 62 and only gets $1450 but her friend waited till 70 and gets over $3200 a month!! thats DOUBLE the money for waiting just 8 years!!!

I worked as a teacher for 28 years and had a terrible experience figuring out my SS benefits. The WEP took away nearly HALF of what I thought I would get based on the calculator! And no one at SSA could explain it clearly until my third visit to the office. I recommend: 1. Download form SSA-7004 (Request for Social Security Statement) 2. Visit your local office WITH your pension information 3. Ask SPECIFICALLY how WEP will affect your benefit Don't trust the online estimates if you have a government pension. They're almost always wrong. And definitely apply 3-4 months before you want benefits.

my aunt just went thru this! she says do NOT apply online if you have a teacher pension!!! the online system messed everything up and took her 6 months to fix it all and get the right payment! go in person!!!

One more important detail - if you've been teaching in a state where teachers don't pay into Social Security (like California, Ohio, or several others), you need to understand both WEP and GPO. WEP affects your own benefits, while GPO can reduce any spousal or survivor benefits you might be eligible for. You mentioned 35 years of teaching experience, but if you had any substantial Social Security covered employment for 30+ years, the WEP reduction could be eliminated or reduced. This is a complex calculation that the online tools often get wrong. I recommend: 1. Create your my Social Security account 2. Review your earnings record for accuracy 3. Call or visit SSA with your pension details 4. Consider filing at Full Retirement Age instead of 62 if your budget allows Apply about 3-4 months before you want benefits to begin.

To answer your specific question about the threshold: If you have 30+ years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security, the WEP reduction is eliminated completely. With 21-29 years, the reduction is lessened. For 2025, "substantial earnings" means you earned at least $32,550 in Social Security-covered employment (the amount is lower for previous years). SSA has a chart showing the substantial earnings amount for each year going back decades. Even those summer jobs might count if you earned enough in those years. This is exactly why speaking with SSA directly about your specific situation is crucial.

i just filed last month!! the website is ssa.gov and u need to make an account first. do it now even if ur not applying yet so u can see ur record and make sure its right. took me 3 tries to make account tho cuz they ask weird questions about ur credit history to verify u lol