I'm so sorry for your loss, Grace. Losing a parent is heartbreaking, and having to navigate Social Security bureaucracy during your grief makes everything so much harder. Your mom is absolutely entitled to switch to your dad's full $2,750 survivor benefit! At 84, she's well past full retirement age and qualifies for 100% of his benefit since it's higher than her current $1,250. The early filing at 62 on her own record won't affect her survivor benefits at all - they're calculated completely separately. I just went through this process with my own mother-in-law last year. Here's what I learned: - Call SSA at exactly 8:00 AM when they open (seriously, have the number dialed and ready) - Try Tuesday through Thursday - avoid Mondays and Fridays if possible - Have all documents ready: death certificate, marriage certificate, both SSNs, and her banking info - Don't forget to ask about the $255 lump sum death benefit - If the first agent seems unsure about survivor benefits, politely ask to speak with someone who specializes in them The phone system is frustrating, but don't give up. That $1,500 monthly difference will be life-changing for your mom, especially at 84 when every dollar matters for her security and comfort. She worked hard her whole life and deserves this benefit. If phone calls become impossible, consider visiting your local SSA office in person. Sometimes face-to-face gets results when phone calls don't. Thinking of you both during this difficult time. You're being such a good advocate for her.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Grace. Losing a parent is incredibly difficult, and having to deal with bureaucracy during such a hard time makes it even more overwhelming. Your mom is absolutely entitled to your dad's full $2,750 survivor benefit since it's higher than her current $1,250! At 84, she's well past full retirement age and qualifies for 100% of his benefit amount. The fact that she filed her own benefits early at 62 won't reduce her survivor benefits at all - they're calculated completely separately. I went through this exact situation with my father-in-law last year. Here's what worked for us: - Call SSA at exactly 8:00 AM when they open - have the number ready to dial right at 8:00 - Try mid-week (Tuesday-Thursday) as Mondays and Fridays tend to be busier - If you get through to someone who seems unfamiliar with survivor benefits, politely ask to be transferred to a specialist - Consider using the callback option if available rather than staying on hold Make sure to have ready: death certificate, marriage certificate, both Social Security numbers, and her banking information. Also ask about the $255 lump sum death benefit. The $1,500 monthly increase will make such a huge difference in her quality of life. She's earned this benefit and absolutely deserves it. Don't give up if the first few attempts don't work - persistence pays off with SSA. If phone calls become impossible, visiting your local SSA office in person can sometimes get results when calls don't. Wishing you both the best getting this resolved quickly!

I'm so glad I found this thread! I'm in a very similar situation - turning 67 in June 2025 with an FRA of 66 and 10 months in April 2025. Reading through everyone's experiences has been incredibly educational and reassuring. The advice about taking screenshots of the application summary page is something I never would have thought of, but it makes perfect sense for documentation purposes. I'm also planning to follow the suggestion about calling SSA a few days after submitting my online application to verbally confirm they have the correct benefit start month recorded. One thing I'm curious about - for those who have successfully gone through this process, did you notice any difference in how the online application handled the timing questions versus what you might expect from an in-person application? I'm planning to apply online for convenience, but I want to make sure I'm not missing any advantages of applying in person where I could have real-time clarification of my choices. The level of detail everyone has shared here about documentation, verification calls, and earnings record checks has given me a comprehensive roadmap for getting this right. That monthly payment difference really does add up significantly over time, so all this preparation is definitely worthwhile. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences!

This entire discussion has been absolutely invaluable! As someone who's been stressing about this exact timing issue, seeing so many people share their successful experiences with applying early but starting benefits at exactly their FRA gives me tremendous confidence. I'm particularly grateful for all the practical tips that go beyond just the basic timing advice - things like taking screenshots of the application summary, checking earnings records for discrepancies, setting up organized documentation folders, and verifying bank account information. These are the kinds of real-world details that can make the difference between a smooth process and costly mistakes. The systematic approach outlined here (apply in October, specify January 2025 start date, call to verify a few days later, carefully review confirmation letter, compare first payment to benefit estimate) gives me a complete roadmap to follow. Knowing that multiple people have successfully navigated this exact scenario using these methods is incredibly reassuring. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and advice. This thread should be required reading for anyone approaching their FRA who wants to start benefits at exactly the right time!

I'm glad you got some clarity from SSA! This thread has been really helpful for understanding the earnings test - I had no idea it was based on annual income rather than monthly. I'm 61 and considering early retirement next year, but I'd also like to do some consulting work. Based on what everyone shared here, it sounds like I need to be really careful about tracking my total annual earnings and maybe even consider having benefits withheld upfront if I know I'll exceed the limit. The fact that withheld benefits actually increase your payment later at FRA is something I definitely didn't know. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that's hard to find on the SSA website!

As someone who's been navigating the Social Security system for a few years now, I really appreciate how this discussion broke down the earnings test complexities. The annual vs monthly calculation is probably the most misunderstood aspect of early retirement benefits. One thing I'd add for anyone in a similar situation - if you're self-employed or have irregular income like consulting work, it's even more important to stay in touch with SSA throughout the year. Your earnings can fluctuate significantly, and it's better to overestimate and adjust than to underestimate and face a larger overpayment. Also, for those worried about phone wait times, I've found that calling right when they open (8 AM local time) or during lunch hours (12-2 PM) tends to have shorter hold times. Mid-morning and late afternoon seem to be their busiest periods. The automatic benefit recalculation at FRA that Natasha mentioned is really a silver lining that more people should know about - it essentially means you're not permanently penalized for working while receiving early benefits.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Going through this process while grieving is incredibly difficult, but you're being very smart to prepare thoroughly. One document that hasn't been mentioned yet but could be helpful is any divorce decree if either you or your husband were previously married - SSA sometimes needs this to verify that previous marriages were legally ended. Also, if you have any life insurance policies or pension documents from his employer, those won't affect your Social Security benefits but the representative might be able to give you general guidance about how they interact with survivor benefits for your overall financial planning. The fact that you're asking these questions and gathering everything in advance shows you're going to handle this appointment well. Don't be too hard on yourself if you feel emotional during the meeting - the representatives are used to working with people in your situation and should be understanding and patient.

I went through this exact process when I turned 60 after losing my spouse, and I want to echo what everyone has said about being over-prepared with documents. One thing that really helped me was organizing everything in a clear folder with labeled sections - it made the appointment go much smoother when I could quickly find what they asked for. Also, don't forget to bring a pen! I know it sounds silly, but you'll likely need to fill out some forms there, and having your own pen saves time. The representatives really are helpful once you get through the initial paperwork verification. Since you're working part-time and making around $18K, you should be well under the earnings limit, which is great. Just remember that this appointment is really about getting information and understanding your options - you don't have to make any final decisions that day. Take your time to process everything they tell you. You're handling this difficult situation with such grace and preparation!

Just wanted to add my personal experience here - I delayed claiming for 14 months past my FRA and can confirm that the monthly proration worked exactly as described. My benefit increased by about 9.3% (14 months × 0.667% per month). What really helped me make the decision was creating a simple spreadsheet comparing the cumulative benefits over different time periods. Even though you get less money in the first few years by waiting, the crossover point where delaying becomes advantageous is usually around age 78-80 for most people. Given that life expectancy keeps increasing and healthcare costs are rising, that extra monthly income for potentially 15-20+ years can really add up. The key is looking at your total expected lifetime benefits, not just the monthly amount.

As someone who's been through this exact situation, I can confirm that the delayed retirement credits are definitely prorated monthly at 2/3 of 1% per month. I delayed claiming for 8 months past my FRA and received about a 5.3% increase in my monthly benefit. What I found really helpful was calling SSA and asking them to run a benefit estimate for different claiming dates - they can show you exactly what your monthly benefit would be at various ages. One thing I wish someone had told me is that you can actually file a "restricted application" strategy in some cases, but the rules changed for people born after 1954. Also, don't forget that Medicare Part B premiums are automatically deducted from your Social Security check, so factor that into your net benefit calculations. The extra monthly income from delaying has been worth it for me, especially since it also increased my spouse's potential survivor benefit. Good luck with your decision!