Social Security at FRA while working - Medicare Part A only and spousal benefit questions

You've got some good questions there. Let me help clarify a few things: 1) The earnings test in your FRA year only applies to months BEFORE you reach FRA. So yes, the limit would apply to January-April, but once you hit your FRA in May, you can earn unlimited income with no reduction. 2) When applying online, there is an option to decline Medicare Part B while accepting Part A. It's pretty straightforward on the application. 3) You can apply up to 4 months before you want benefits to begin. So if you want benefits starting in May when you reach FRA, you could apply now. 4) Your spouse will NOT automatically receive the spousal benefit. He needs to file an application specifically for spousal benefits. The SSA doesn't automatically check if someone qualifies for higher benefits on a spouse's record. 5) Social Security is paid one month behind. So if your first month of entitlement is May, you'll receive your first payment in June (typically deposited on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday of the month depending on your birth date).

I did EXACTLY this last year!!! applied at FRA but kept working full time. the earnings limit DID NOT apply once i hit my FRA date that month. Medicare part A only was easy to select during the online app - just check the right box. they'll ask if you have other insurance coverage. and YES start your application now, it takes time to process!!!! my first check took 6 weeks to arrive.

Your spouse has to file for spousal benefits. They don't automatically give those. I missed out on almost 8 months of higher benefits because nobody told me this! Also make sure you know which Wednesday you'll get paid - it's based on your birthday date. If your birthday is on the 15th, you'll be in the second payment group (birthday 11-20).

Just to add to what others have said, the annual earnings limit for 2025 before FRA is $24,625. Since you're only concerned about January-April (before your FRA in May), you would divide that by 3 to get your monthly limit of about $6,156 per month for those 4 months. Once you hit your FRA date in May, the earnings test no longer applies at all. Regarding your husband's spousal benefit - he should apply after your application is processed. The application will ask if he's applying on someone else's record, and he'll need your SSN. He'll get the higher of either his own benefit or up to 50% of your full retirement age benefit (assuming he's also at his FRA when he applies).

I just went through this whole process last month and let me tell you, calling the SSA directly was a NIGHTMARE. I spent 4 hours on hold over multiple days and kept getting disconnected. I finally found Claimyr.com which got me through to an agent in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Worth it for complicated situations like yours where you're working, just doing Part A, and have a spouse who needs the spousal benefit. The online application doesn't explain everything clearly.

One thing to be careful about - if your employer has less than 20 employees, Medicare becomes primary when you turn 65 even if you have employer coverage. This can cause claim problems if you don't enroll in both Part A AND Part B. Double check your HR benefits guide on this! If your employer has 20+ employees, then you're fine with just Part A until you stop working.

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I spoke with my HR department and confirmed we have well over 20 employees, so just Part A should work fine for now. I'm going to start my application this weekend and make sure to file for my husband's spousal benefit once mine is processed. Really appreciate all the advice about the earnings test too - puts my mind at ease about working those first few months of 2025!

good luck with it all!! one more thing i forgot - when you apply online print or save EVERYTHING before you submit!!! i lost half my confirmation info and had to call and wait forever to get it sorted out.

Welcome to the community! I just went through a very similar situation last year at 66 and 8 months. A couple additional tips from my experience: 1) Double-check your earnings calculation for those pre-FRA months. I made the mistake of looking at gross vs net and almost panicked thinking I'd exceed the limit. 2) For Medicare Part A enrollment - the online application will specifically ask "Do you want to apply for Medicare?" and you can select "Part A only" with a checkbox. It's clearer than I expected. 3) Timeline-wise, I submitted my application about 6 weeks before my FRA birthday and everything processed smoothly. The key is giving them enough time but not so early that you create confusion. 4) One thing others haven't mentioned - make sure your husband knows he can't apply for spousal benefits until YOUR benefits are actually approved and in payment status. We tried to time it perfectly and had to wait an extra few weeks. The hospital employment should make the Medicare coordination pretty straightforward since you'll have creditable coverage. Good luck with everything!