Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to create my my Social Security account today to check my projected benefit amounts and the family maximum. Then I'll try to speak with an SSA representative to get exact figures before making my decision. The mix of health issues, raising two kids, and long-term financial planning makes this complicated, but your advice has been invaluable in understanding how this works!

Just wanted to add something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - as a widower with dependent children, you might also want to look into survivor benefits for your kids based on your late wife's work record. If she was eligible for Social Security, your children could potentially receive survivor benefits that might be higher than the dependent benefits they'd get from your record. You can't receive both types of benefits simultaneously, but you can choose whichever is higher. This could significantly impact your decision about when to file for your own retirement benefits. The SSA can help you compare both options when you speak with them.

I'm dealing with this exact situation right now - my oldest just turned 18 last week and I have two younger kids (ages 16 and 13) who receive auxiliary benefits. Reading through all these detailed experiences has been such a relief! I was really worried about the financial impact, but hearing that most families only see a small net decrease in total benefits makes this transition much less scary. My kids currently get about $545 each, so based on everyone's shared experiences, they should jump to around $815-820 each once the family maximum gets redistributed. That would put us pretty close to breaking even financially, which is way better than I was expecting. I've already started documenting our current payment amounts and set up online monitoring through my Social Security account like several people recommended. It's reassuring to know the increase happens automatically, even if it takes 6-10 weeks to process. One thing I'm curious about - has anyone dealt with this during the holiday season? My oldest aged out in December, so I'm wondering if holiday processing delays might extend the usual 6-10 week timeline, or if SSA keeps their regular schedule regardless of holidays. Thank you to everyone who shared their real numbers and timelines - this thread has been invaluable for setting realistic expectations and reducing my anxiety about this whole process!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now and this thread has been incredibly reassuring! My oldest turns 18 next month and I have two younger kids (ages 15 and 11) currently receiving about $525 each in auxiliary benefits. Based on all the experiences shared here, it sounds like they should see their benefits increase to around $785-800 each once the family maximum gets redistributed between just two kids instead of three. What really stands out to me from everyone's stories is how the financial impact is much less severe than expected - most people only saw a $20-50 net decrease in their total family benefits, which is so much more manageable than I was fearing. I was imagining losing a huge chunk of our monthly income, but the redistribution math really does help cushion that blow. I've already started taking screenshots of our current payment amounts and set up my Social Security account online for better monitoring. The 6-10 week processing timeline everyone mentioned is good to know - I'll try to be patient and not panic if I don't see changes immediately. And I've saved our local SSA office number in case there are any processing delays beyond the normal timeframe. Thank you to everyone who shared their real dollar amounts and timelines - having these concrete examples from people who've actually been through this process has made what seemed like a scary transition feel completely manageable!

As someone who just joined this community specifically to understand Social Security rules better, I have to say this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm 63 and considering early retirement due to burnout, but I was completely overwhelmed by trying to understand the earnings test rules on my own. What strikes me most is how this discussion has revealed a critical gap in how SSA communicates these rules. The monthly earnings test for mid-year retirees seems like such an important provision - especially for people facing unexpected layoffs, health issues, or burnout who need to retire before their full retirement age but have already earned over the annual limit earlier in the year. I've been bookmarking responses throughout this thread because the practical insights from people who have actually navigated this process are worth their weight in gold. Learning that your pre-retirement earnings don't count against you once you officially retire mid-year, and that you can earn up to $1,950/month for the remainder of that year without penalty, completely changes my retirement planning calculus. Thank you Sarah for asking the question that so many of us needed answered, and thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge. This kind of community support makes such a difference when trying to navigate complex government programs!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely blown away by how helpful and informative this discussion has been! I'm 61 and my employer just announced layoffs that will likely affect my department in the coming months, so I've been frantically trying to understand my Social Security options. Like so many others here, I was completely confused about the earnings test and assumed that if I had already earned over the annual limit ($23,400), I'd be out of luck for benefits for the entire year. Learning about the monthly earnings test for mid-year retirees has been a revelation - the fact that SSA only looks at your post-retirement earnings using the $1,950 monthly limit for the remainder of your first retirement year is information I never would have found on my own. What really resonates with me is how many people here have shared similar experiences of getting inconsistent or incorrect information from SSA representatives themselves. It's both frustrating and sadly not surprising that such a critical rule is so poorly communicated. This community is clearly filling an essential gap by providing real-world guidance that you simply can't get from official sources. I've been taking notes throughout this entire thread because it's essentially become the most comprehensive and practical guide to mid-year retirement earnings rules that I've ever encountered. Thank you Sarah for asking the question we all needed answered, and thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences. This kind of peer support is invaluable when facing these major life decisions!

I'm 52 and new to this community - this discussion has been incredibly helpful as I start planning for my Social Security application in the coming years! What really amazes me is how this "early first payment" pattern seems to be virtually universal based on everyone's experiences here, yet it's completely absent from any official SSA communications. It's like they have this whole separate fast-track system for processing initial payments but just choose not to tell anyone about it! Reading through all these real stories has been far more informative than anything I've found on government websites or in their pamphlets. Now I know to expect my first payment might arrive at some random time that has nothing to do with my birth date, but to plan my entire budget around the regular Wednesday schedule from the beginning. It's both helpful and frustrating that we have to learn these crucial details from each other rather than from the agency itself. Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences - this kind of real-world knowledge is exactly what makes online communities so valuable!

I'm 63 and new to this community - wow, what an incredibly helpful thread! I had no idea about this early first payment phenomenon before reading everyone's experiences here. What really stands out to me is how absolutely universal this seems to be, yet it's nowhere to be found in any of the official SSA materials I've been studying as I prepare to apply for my benefits next year. It's almost like they have this secret express lane for first payments that they just forgot to mention to anyone! Reading through all these real stories has been infinitely more valuable than hours spent on the SSA website or reading their confusing pamphlets. Now I know to expect my first payment might show up at some completely random time, but to base all my financial planning on the regular third Wednesday schedule (for my birth date) from the very beginning. It's both reassuring and frustrating that we have to learn these crucial details from each other rather than from the agency that's supposed to be helping us navigate this process. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical wisdom that makes joining communities like this so worthwhile!

To summarize what everyone's shared (and clarify some confusion): 1. Since your own benefit at FRA ($1,800) exceeds half of your partner's PIA ($1,375), you won't receive additional money from spousal benefits. 2. This means your claiming strategy should focus solely on optimizing YOUR retirement benefit timing. 3. Each year you delay claiming between now and 70 adds approximately 8% to your lifetime benefit amount. 4. The one-year marriage requirement doesn't impact your optimal strategy in this case. The decision ultimately comes down to: do you need the money now (claim early) or can you afford to wait for a larger monthly amount later (delay claiming)?

Great discussion everyone! As someone who just went through this process myself, I wanted to add one more consideration that might be helpful. Since you're 63 and considering delaying benefits, make sure you factor in healthcare costs if you're not yet Medicare eligible. I delayed my benefits from 62 to 65, but the extra money I gained was almost entirely eaten up by COBRA premiums and higher healthcare costs during those years. Sometimes the "mathematically optimal" choice isn't the practically optimal choice when you consider all expenses. Also, if you do decide to claim early, remember that the earnings test might apply if you're still working - you could temporarily lose some benefits if you earn over the annual limit ($22,320 for 2024). Just something else to factor into your decision-making process!