As someone who works with Social Security claims regularly, I want to emphasize that this is exactly the kind of decision where getting official SSA guidance is crucial. The rules around early filing and spousal benefits are complex, and the reduction factors can vary based on your specific birth year and exact filing dates. One key point that hasn't been fully addressed: if you're considering the spousal benefit route, remember that your husband must actually file for his benefits before you can claim spousal benefits. So the timing becomes a coordination between both of your filing decisions, not just yours alone. I'd strongly recommend using the SSA's online retirement estimator tool at ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html - it will show you personalized projections based on your actual earnings record. You can model different claiming scenarios to see the dollar impact over time. Also, don't forget that if you're still working, the earnings test might reduce your benefits if you claim before your FRA and earn above certain thresholds ($22,320 for 2024). This is another factor that could influence your optimal timing. Given the complexity and the long-term financial impact, consider getting a second opinion from a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security optimization, not just general financial advice.

I went through this exact same decision process two years ago and wanted to share what helped me most. After getting conflicting advice from multiple sources, I finally scheduled an appointment at my local SSA office (yes, there was a wait, but it was worth it). The key insight I got was this: they showed me my actual benefit statement with the exact dollar amounts for different claiming ages. Seeing "$1,234 at age 62" versus "$1,763 at age 67" made it crystal clear what I'd be giving up permanently by claiming early. For the spousal benefit question specifically, they explained that if you claim YOUR benefit early, any future spousal benefit gets the SAME reduction percentage applied. So if claiming at 62 reduces your benefit by 30%, your spousal benefit would also be reduced by about 30-35% from the full amount. One thing that really helped: I asked them to print out a worksheet showing my breakeven age for different scenarios. It turned out that if I lived past 79, waiting until FRA would give me more total lifetime benefits. Since I'm healthy and have good genes, waiting made sense for me. My advice: book an SSA appointment, bring a list of specific questions, and ask them to show you the actual dollar calculations for your situation. The generic advice online can only go so far - your specific earnings history makes all the difference in what strategy works best for you.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works in benefits administration - you're absolutely right not to worry about the personal injury settlement! The key thing to remember is that Social Security's earnings test only applies to what they call "countable income," which is essentially money you earn through work or self-employment. Personal injury settlements, insurance payouts, inheritances, gifts, lottery winnings, and similar one-time payments are specifically excluded from the earnings test. The logic is that these aren't compensation for current work activity, so they don't factor into whether you're "retired" or not. Your $9,500 settlement won't affect your monthly benefit amount at all. Just keep tracking that consulting income carefully - that's the only thing SSA cares about for your earnings limit. And congratulations on getting your settlement! Grocery store falls can be really serious, so I'm glad you were able to get some compensation for your troubles.

This has been such an educational thread! As someone who's been working in personal injury law for over 15 years, I can confirm everything that's been said here about settlements not counting as earned income for Social Security purposes. What I always tell my clients is that the IRS and Social Security Administration have very different definitions of "income." For tax purposes, personal injury settlements are generally not taxable income (with some exceptions for punitive damages or interest). For Social Security's earnings test, they're not considered "countable earnings" at all since they're compensatory, not wages. The only time I've seen issues arise is when clients receive structured settlements that include specific language about "lost future earnings" or "wage replacement." Even then, it's usually only problematic if you're receiving ongoing monthly payments designated as wage replacement rather than a lump sum for pain and suffering. @Savannah Weiner - sounds like your settlement is straightforward compensatory damages, so you should be all set. Just keep those settlement documents handy in case you ever need to reference them down the road. And definitely stay on top of tracking that consulting income - that's where people sometimes get tripped up with the annual limits. Great job everyone sharing such helpful real-world experiences!

I work as a benefits counselor and see this protective filing date issue come up frequently with widow benefits. Your situation is textbook - you contacted SSA in September expressing intent to file, which absolutely should establish your protective filing date regardless of when you completed the paperwork in October. Here's something that might help: when you call SSA, ask them to look up your "Modernized Claims System" (MCS) record. This should show the date of your initial contact. If they can't find a September record, ask them to check their "Internet Claims" system as well, since sometimes initial contacts get logged in different systems. Also, be prepared for them to potentially ask about the specific nature of your September call - they might claim it was just "inquiry" rather than "intent to file." Make it clear that you called specifically to start your widow benefits application process, not just to ask general questions. If you hit roadblocks, you can also contact your local Social Security office directly - sometimes they're more helpful than the national 800 number. And if all else fails, your congressional representative's office can often help resolve SSA disputes like this. Don't let them shortchange you on those missing months. The rules are on your side here.

I'm really sorry you're going through this frustrating situation while dealing with the loss of your husband. Based on what you've described and the excellent advice others have shared here, it definitely sounds like there's an issue with your protective filing date that's costing you those September and October payments. As someone new to this community, I wanted to add that it might also be worth requesting a "reconsideration" in writing if your phone calls don't resolve this. Sometimes having a written request triggers a more thorough review of your case. You can submit a Form SSA-561 (Request for Reconsideration) if they won't correct the protective filing date issue over the phone. Also, when you do call, you might want to specifically mention that you're requesting an "escalation to a Claims Specialist" rather than just asking for a supervisor. Claims Specialists are specifically trained in these types of protective filing date issues and might be better equipped to review and correct your case. The $2,900 in missing backpay is absolutely worth pursuing, especially with medical bills pending. Don't let them discourage you - the protective filing date rules exist specifically to protect people in situations like yours where there are delays in completing paperwork after the initial contact. Keep fighting for what you're entitled to!

Just wanted to add one more consideration that might help with your decision-making process. Since you mentioned working at a hardware store part-time, you might want to verify whether that job is covered by Social Security (most private sector jobs are, but it's worth confirming). Every year you continue working and paying into Social Security could potentially help with both your benefit calculation and possibly reduce any WEP impact, since WEP reductions can be lessened if you have more years of "substantial earnings" under Social Security. Also, given all the great advice in this thread about getting accurate calculations from SSA, you might want to specifically ask them about something called the "WEP guarantee" - this ensures that your WEP reduction can never be more than half of your government pension amount. With a $2,800 monthly pension, your maximum WEP reduction would be capped at $1,400, though as others mentioned, it will likely be much less than that with your 15 years of Social Security-covered earnings. The combination of potentially building more substantial earnings years AND the delayed retirement credits could really work in your favor if you can afford to wait. Definitely get those specific numbers from SSA before making your final decision!

One additional resource that might be helpful as you work through all these calculations is the Social Security Administration's publication "How Work Affects Your Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10069). It has detailed examples of how the earnings test works and includes scenarios for people with pensions. Also, since you're dealing with both WEP and earnings limit questions, you might want to ask SSA about getting a "benefit verification letter" once you start receiving benefits. This letter will show exactly how your benefit amount was calculated, including any WEP reductions, which can be helpful for tax planning and general record-keeping. Given all the great strategic advice in this thread about potentially delaying benefits, one thing to keep in mind is that you can always change your mind. You could start benefits at 62 and then if your financial situation changes, you have the option within the first 12 months to withdraw your application and pay back what you've received, essentially giving you a "do-over" to wait for a higher benefit amount. It's not something most people use, but it's good to know the option exists as you're weighing your timing decision.

I went through this exact situation with my parents last year! My mom was getting around $900 while dad got $2,400, and it turned out she was missing about $300/month in spousal benefits. The key thing that helped us was bringing a printed copy of dad's benefit statement to the SSA office - it showed his PIA clearly, which made it easier for the agent to calculate what mom should be getting. We ended up getting 8 months of back pay (about $2,400 total) because that's when the error started. The whole process took about 6 weeks from when we first called to when the corrected payments started. One tip: if you go to a local office instead of calling, bring both parents if possible. They seemed to process everything faster when both spouses were present to verify the marriage and benefit details. Don't give up on this - the math definitely looks wrong based on what you've shared, and that missing money really adds up over time!

I'm going through something very similar with my grandmother right now! She's been getting around $800 while my grandfather gets $2,100, and we just discovered she's been underpaid for over two years. What really helped us was creating a simple spreadsheet before calling SSA that showed: 1) Grandfather's current benefit amount, 2) What 50% of that should be ($1,050 in his case), and 3) What grandmother is actually receiving. Having those numbers clearly laid out made it much easier to explain the discrepancy to the SSA representative. We also learned that if your parents have been married for more than 10 years and your dad has been receiving benefits for at least 2 years, your mom is definitely eligible for spousal benefits. The representative we finally got (on our 4th call!) told us that sometimes the system doesn't automatically trigger the spousal benefit calculation, especially if there were any data entry errors during the original application process. One more thing - if your mom has a my Social Security account, you can actually see a breakdown of her benefits there. It will show if she's getting any spousal supplement or just her worker benefit. That might give you a clearer picture before you call. Good luck, and don't let them brush you off - this is real money your mom has earned!