This has been such an informative thread! As someone approaching a similar decision, I wanted to share a resource that might help with the planning process. The SSA has a "Retirement Estimator" tool on their website that lets you input different claiming ages and earnings scenarios to see how they affect your benefits. You can model claiming at 64 vs waiting until FRA, and even factor in continued earnings. It's been really helpful for me to visualize the trade-offs between getting benefits earlier (but reduced) versus waiting for the full amount. The tool also shows you the break-even point - basically how long you'd need to live to make waiting worthwhile financially. Of course, everyone's situation is different and there are factors beyond just the math (like needing the income now, health considerations, etc.), but it's nice to have the numbers to work with when making such an important decision.

This thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding the complexities of claiming early while continuing to work! I'm in a similar situation - turning 62 next year and considering my options. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the impact of claiming early on spousal benefits. If you're married, your spouse's potential spousal benefit is based on YOUR full retirement age benefit amount, not the reduced amount you'd get by claiming at 64. So claiming early doesn't just affect your own benefits - it could impact your spouse's options too. Also, if you're the higher earner, your claiming decision affects the survivor benefit your spouse would receive. Just another layer to consider when weighing the decision between claiming early versus waiting for FRA. The break-even analysis is important, but for married couples, you really need to look at the household's total lifetime benefits, not just your individual benefit stream.

My uncles neighbor kept working til he was 70 and his ss check went up by almost $1000 a month from his first estimate at 62!!!! they say wait if u can afford too

Just wanted to share my own experience with this! I had a similar situation - earned my highest salary at age 64 (about $85K compared to my usual $45-50K range). When I applied for benefits at my FRA, SSA included those earnings automatically in my calculation. My benefit statement online updated about 6 months after I filed my taxes, and I could see my estimated benefit had increased by about $60/month. It's not a huge jump due to the bend points others mentioned, but every bit helps! The key thing is that SSA does track all your earnings, even after 60, so those higher wages definitely aren't wasted effort.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who works at a local SSA field office (though I can't give official advice here). What I see daily is that survivor benefit calculations are one of the most misunderstood aspects of Social Security. Your wife's financial advisor is unfortunately misinformed - this happens more often than you'd think with non-SSA professionals. To be crystal clear: she would receive your CURRENT monthly benefit amount ($4,500) as her survivor benefit, assuming she waits until her FRA to claim. The delayed retirement credits you earned by waiting until 70 DO transfer to survivor benefits - that's the whole point of delaying! If she claims at 64, yes there would be a reduction (roughly 14-15% based on her being 3 years early), but she'd still get more than your original FRA amount. The key is having SSA run the actual numbers for your specific situation rather than relying on general estimates. One tip: when she does go to SSA, bring a copy of your most recent Social Security statement and hers. It helps the representative give more accurate projections.

I've been following this discussion with great interest since I'm in a similar situation with my own retirement planning. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is how Medicare premiums might affect the survivor benefit amount. When my neighbor became a widow last year, she was surprised to learn that her Medicare Part B premium would be deducted from her survivor benefit, and since her late husband had been in a higher income bracket, she ended up paying IRMAA (Income Related Monthly Adjustment Amount) surcharges too. Has anyone else dealt with this? I'm wondering if the Medicare premium deductions could significantly impact the actual net amount your wife would receive, especially given your higher benefit amount of $4,500. It might be worth asking SSA about the Medicare implications when she schedules that appointment everyone's recommending.

As a newcomer here, I wanted to add something that might help based on what I've learned from dealing with SSA bureaucracy. The conflicting information you're getting (representative payee letters vs. verbal denial) suggests this might be what's called a "split determination" where different parts of your case were processed by different units. Sometimes the automated system approves auxiliary benefits and sends out representative payee letters, but then a manual review by a different examiner results in a denial. This creates exactly the kind of confusion you're experiencing. I'd recommend specifically asking SSA for a "case timeline" when you call - this will show you the chronological order of all decisions made on your case. You might find that benefits were initially approved (hence the rep payee letters), then later denied during a secondary review. Also, regarding the 50% support test - many people don't realize that SSA looks at support on a month-by-month basis, not annually. So if there were specific months where your financial contribution was higher (maybe you paid for school clothes, medical expenses, etc.), you could potentially qualify based on those individual months rather than needing to meet the threshold every single month. The pooled finances approach others mentioned is definitely your best bet. Since you've been married 8 years with completely integrated finances, you should be able to demonstrate that distinguishing between "his" and "her" contributions doesn't reflect the economic reality of your household.

As a newcomer to this community, I've been following this discussion with great interest since I'm also navigating SSA complexities. Your situation really highlights how confusing their processes can be! One thing I wanted to add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you do end up needing to appeal this decision, consider requesting an "on-the-record" review before it goes to a hearing. This is where an administrative law judge reviews your case based solely on the documentation you submit, without requiring an in-person hearing. Given that your case seems to involve conflicting determinations rather than disputed facts, this might be a faster route than waiting for a full hearing. Also, when you're documenting your financial contributions, don't forget to include any irregular but significant expenses you've covered - things like emergency medical co-pays, school field trips, extracurricular activities, or even things like haircuts and shoes. These smaller expenses can really add up over time and help demonstrate your ongoing financial commitment to the children. The fact that you restructured your entire work life around these kids' needs for 8 years shows incredible dedication. The financial documentation will be crucial, but don't underestimate the power of a well-written personal statement explaining how your family's financial structure actually works in practice. Sometimes putting a human face on the numbers helps case workers understand the real situation. Wishing you the best of luck getting this resolved!

This has been such an incredibly helpful thread to read through! As someone who's been on SSDI for about 6 months and just starting to think about returning to work, seeing everyone's real experiences and practical advice has been invaluable. @NebulaNomad - I wanted to specifically address your original question since I went through something similar recently. You're absolutely right to focus on monthly limits rather than annual totals. The key thing is that SSDI uses the monthly SGA threshold ($1,550 for 2025), not annual averaging like some other programs. One thing that really helped me was contacting my local SOAR (SSI/SSDI Outreach, Access, and Recovery) coordinator through my state's disability services office. They have specialists who help people navigate the work incentive programs and can often clarify your Trial Work Period status more easily than trying to get through to SSA directly. Also, since you mentioned working at your cousin's store, you might want to ask about getting your work arrangement documented as "supported employment" if your cousin provides any accommodations. This can sometimes help with the subsidy calculations that others mentioned. The advice about creating that safety buffer below the $1,550 limit is spot-on. I aim for $1,400 max per month to account for any unexpected bonuses or overtime. It's given me so much peace of mind knowing I have that cushion. Keep us updated on how your conversation with your cousin goes - and definitely don't stress too much about December if you can shift some of those hours to January like others suggested!

I've been following this thread with great interest as someone who's been on SSDI for about 4 years and has successfully navigated the work rules. The advice here is excellent, and I wanted to add a few points that might help. First, regarding your Trial Work Period status - you can also call the SSA Work Incentives Planning and Assistance (WIPA) program at 1-866-968-7842. They provide free counseling specifically for people on SSDI who want to work and can often give you clearer information about your TWP status than the general SSA line. Second, I'd strongly recommend keeping a simple monthly earnings tracker on your phone or computer where you log each paycheck as you receive it. I use a basic note that shows: Date received | Gross amount | Running monthly total. This way you always know exactly where you stand without having to calculate backwards from pay stubs. Finally, don't forget that if you do accidentally go over SGA in a month after your TWP, you won't lose benefits permanently - you just won't receive payment for that specific month. Benefits resume the following month if you're back under the limit. This isn't ideal, but it's not the complete disaster many people fear. Your proactive approach to understanding these rules before potentially running into issues shows great judgment. Most problems I've seen happen when people don't realize the implications until after they've exceeded limits for multiple months.