One more important thing! The reverse mortgage company will require you to stay current on property taxes, homeowners insurance, and home maintenance. If you don't, they can foreclose. Make sure you budget for these ongoing expenses with your SS benefits. That's where some seniors get into trouble with reverse mortgages.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this same decision process two years ago. I was 69 and in a very similar financial situation - living on Social Security and a small pension, needed about $40k for home repairs and some medical debt. I can confirm what others have said - my Social Security benefits were completely unaffected, and my Medicare premiums stayed the same. The key thing that helped me was working with a HUD-approved counselor (which is mandatory anyway) who walked me through all the scenarios and helped me understand the true costs. One tip: if you're comparing lenders, pay close attention to the "Total Annual Loan Cost" (TALC) rates they're required to show you - this gives you a better picture of the real cost over time than just looking at interest rates. Also, some lenders offer a "line of credit" option where you only take what you need when you need it, which can save on interest charges compared to taking a big lump sum upfront. The peace of mind of having my roof fixed and medical bills paid off has been worth it for me. Just make sure you're working with a reputable lender and have someone you trust review everything with you. Good luck with your decision!

This thread is a goldmine of information! I'm currently in week 8 of waiting for my retirement application to process, and like many others here, I have a government employment background (worked for the Department of Veterans Affairs for 12 years before moving to private sector). My online account has been stuck at step 2 this entire time with zero communication from SSA. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that WEP-related applications get routed to specialized teams that are severely backlogged, and the regular customer service reps have no visibility into these queues. The most frustrating part is that they don't proactively communicate what documentation they need - they just let applications sit there indefinitely. I'm going to contact my Congressional Representative's office first thing Monday morning based on all the success stories shared here. It's incredible that this seems to be more effective than going through official SSA channels! I'll also try to get through using Claimyr if the Congressional route takes too long. Thank you to everyone who shared their detailed experiences and specific steps. This kind of peer-to-peer knowledge sharing is invaluable when dealing with complex bureaucratic systems like SSA. Will definitely update this thread once I have news to share!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same nightmare last year! My application was stuck for almost 4 months due to my federal employment history (worked for USPS for 18 years). The WEP review process is absolutely broken - they flag these applications but don't communicate anything to the applicants. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: I used Claimyr to get through to someone who could confirm my case was indeed stuck in the WEP review queue, and then I contacted my Congressional Representative's office for a formal inquiry. The Congressional route was a game-changer - their liaison got a response from SSA within 48 hours that my case had been sitting unworked for months due to a "system error." One tip I'd add: when you do get your case moving again, ask for an expedited payment to cover any months you should have already received benefits. In my case, they were able to process back payments for the delay period once everything was resolved. It's ridiculous that we have to become experts in SSA bureaucracy just to get our rightful benefits, but this community's advice really does work. Don't give up - there are ways to get unstuck from these black holes in their system!

I went through this exact same situation about 8 months ago when my survivor benefits were suspended due to my $49,000 salary. The whole experience was incredibly frustrating, but I wanted to share what I learned to help you navigate this process. You should definitely receive an official suspension notice within 2-4 weeks, but don't expect it to be particularly clear or helpful. Mine arrived 3 weeks after my phone call and was filled with confusing SSA jargon that didn't really answer my practical questions about future benefits. Here's what I wish I had known from the start: when you call SSA back (which you absolutely should), be very specific about your plans and ask for concrete calculations. Tell them you're planning to reduce your hours to earn approximately $35,000 when you turn 64, and ask them to calculate exactly what your annual benefit would be at that income level. Based on the 2025 earnings limit of $22,320, if you earned $35,000, you'd lose about $6,340 in benefits annually (($35,000 - $22,320) ÷ 2). So if your monthly survivor benefit is around $1,950 as you mentioned in one of the comments, you'd receive approximately $17,060 in benefits for the year - definitely worth considering! Don't let them rush you off the phone this time. You have every right to understand how this affects your financial planning, especially when you're dealing with the loss of a spouse and trying to make smart decisions about your future.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm 62 and my survivor benefits were suspended two weeks ago due to earning $46,000 annually. Like so many others here, I got a rushed phone call that left me completely confused about what to expect. Reading through everyone's experiences, I'm now realizing I need to be much more proactive about getting clear information from SSA. The advice about writing down specific questions beforehand and asking for benefit calculations at different income levels is exactly what I needed to hear. What really surprised me was learning about the Monthly Earnings Test - I had no idea you could potentially receive benefits for individual months where you earn less than $1,860, even with higher annual earnings. This could be a game-changer for planning a gradual transition to part-time work. I'm also relieved to discover that withheld benefits aren't completely lost and will increase monthly payments at Full Retirement Age. That definitely changes how I'm thinking about the timing of reducing my work hours. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and making this overwhelming process feel manageable. I'm calling SSA back tomorrow with a prepared list of questions and won't accept vague answers this time. This community support has been invaluable during an already difficult time.

I'm also navigating this same situation as a divorced woman trying to figure out retirement planning! Reading through everyone's experiences has been so helpful. One thing I learned recently that might be useful - if you're worried about the phone wait times with SSA, you can also try calling first thing in the morning (like right at 8 AM when they open) or later in the month rather than right after people get their benefits. I finally got through after trying this approach and the representative was incredibly helpful in explaining my options. Also, since you mentioned being stressed about making ends meet, don't forget to look into whether you might qualify for SNAP benefits or other assistance programs once you do start receiving Social Security. Every bit helps when you're rebuilding financial security later in life. The fact that you're asking these questions now at 60 shows you're being smart about planning ahead - you've got this!

I'm so glad you posted this question because I'm in almost the exact same boat - divorced after a long marriage with limited work history and feeling completely overwhelmed by Social Security planning! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational. One thing that really stands out to me is how many people confirmed that the old "file and switch" strategy is no longer available, but also that your ex taking benefits early doesn't hurt your potential benefit at all. That's huge relief! From everything I'm reading here, it sounds like your best bet is to get those concrete numbers from SSA comparing what you'd receive at different ages. Whether you use one of those callback services people mentioned or brave the phone lines, having real dollar amounts instead of just estimates will probably make this decision so much clearer. Also, don't underestimate the value of those two years you have left to work - every bit of additional earnings can help boost your own benefit calculation. You're definitely not alone in feeling like you're playing catch-up on retirement planning. Wishing you the best as you figure this out!

After you get those extra credits, ask SSA for a benefit verification letter that shows both amounts - what you'd get on your own record and what you get as an ex-spouse. That way you can make an informed decision about which is better. Sometimes the difference is smaller than people expect.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I'm a retired SSA claims specialist and your strategy is absolutely valid. What you're describing is sometimes called "restricted application" or "file and switch" strategy, though those terms are more commonly used for other scenarios. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also consider survivor benefits down the line. If your ex-spouse passes away before you do, you could potentially switch to survivor benefits (which can be up to 100% of his benefit amount) rather than your own retirement benefit, if that would be higher. Also, when you do go back to work, make sure your employer is reporting your earnings correctly to SSA. You can check this annually by creating a my Social Security account online and reviewing your earnings record. Any errors should be corrected as soon as possible since they become harder to fix after 3 years. Good luck with your application - you're making a smart financial move given your circumstances!