I'm just getting started with understanding Social Security calculations and this thread has been a goldmine of information! As someone who's always been intimidated by the complexity, seeing everyone break down the formulas and share their approaches is incredibly helpful. I'm particularly interested in the collaborative spreadsheet template idea that several people have mentioned. It sounds like between @Alice Coleman's original scenario, @Owen Jenkins' indexing expertise, @Evelyn Rivera's financial planning background, and @Reginald Blackwell's Excel implementation, there's enough collective knowledge here to create something really useful. One thing I haven't seen discussed much is how to validate your spreadsheet calculations against known results. Are there any good test cases or sample scenarios with published results that you can use to check if your formulas are working correctly? I'd hate to spend months building a model only to discover I made an error in the basic calculations. Also, for those who have tackled this project - what was the biggest "gotcha" or surprise you encountered when building your SS calculator? I want to learn from everyone's mistakes before I dive in myself! This community is amazing for sharing this kind of detailed knowledge. Thank you all for taking the time to explain these complex concepts!

This has been such an enlightening thread! I'm relatively new to planning my Social Security strategy and had no idea about the complexity behind the calculations. Reading through everyone's expertise has been incredibly educational. I'm particularly fascinated by @Alice Coleman's scenario of stopping work before FRA and then returning after FRA while delaying benefits to 70. The math seems to show this could be a really powerful strategy - getting both the benefit of replacing lower-earning years AND the 8% annual delayed retirement credits. As someone who's been intimidated by the technical aspects, I really appreciate how @Owen Jenkins, @Evelyn Rivera, and others have broken down the indexing formulas and calculation steps. The detail about using AWI ratios for earnings before age 60 and face value after 60 was especially helpful. I'm also excited about the potential for a collaborative spreadsheet template that several people have mentioned. It sounds like there's enough collective expertise here to create something much more flexible than the official SSA calculators. I'd love to contribute to testing and validation if this moves forward. One question I haven't seen addressed: for those modeling scenarios with gaps in employment (like Alice's planned 3-year break), how do you factor in the impact on other retirement accounts like 401(k)s or IRAs? I imagine the Social Security optimization needs to be considered alongside the overall retirement income strategy. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed knowledge! This community is an incredible resource.

Just to provide a complete answer: The SSA automatically processes survivor benefits in situations where: 1. Both spouses were receiving benefits 2. The marriage is properly documented in SSA records 3. The death is reported through official channels (funeral homes, vital records) The process includes: - Payment of the one-time $255 death benefit - Adjustment to the higher of the two benefit amounts You should verify that your new monthly amount equals what your wife was receiving. If her benefit was higher than yours, you'll now receive that amount instead of your own benefit. The only reason you might need to contact SSA is if: - Your new benefit amount seems incorrect - You have eligible dependents who might qualify for survivor benefits - You need to update other information (banking, address, etc.) Otherwise, the automatic processing you experienced is working as designed and is becoming more common as SSA improves their systems.

I'm so sorry for your loss. It sounds like everything processed correctly for you, which is wonderful during such a difficult time. The automatic processing happens when SSA has all the necessary information on file - your marriage records, both of your benefit amounts, etc. One thing I'd recommend is creating or logging into your mySocialSecurity account online if you haven't already. This will let you verify your current benefit amount and see the official records of the changes. It's good to have documentation showing the transition happened properly, just for your own peace of mind. You're right to trust the system when it works this smoothly. The people insisting you need to visit an office likely had different circumstances or are thinking of how things used to work years ago when more manual processing was required.

I went through this exact same confusion when I turned 70 last year! The misinformation about earnings limits is everywhere, and it's so frustrating. Your daughter is absolutely right - there is NO earnings limit once you reach full retirement age. Since you're 70 and already collecting benefits, you can work as much as you want without any reduction to your Social Security payments. I now work seasonal tax prep and make around $2,000 a month during busy season, plus my husband and I do some consulting work. Our benefits have never been reduced. The only thing to keep in mind is that your additional income might affect your taxes (potentially making more of your SS benefits taxable) and could impact Medicare premiums if your income gets high enough, but it won't touch your actual Social Security benefit amount. Enjoy the freedom to work without worry! It's one of the few perks of getting older.

I'm so glad you asked this question! I'm relatively new to navigating Social Security myself and this thread has been incredibly helpful. It's amazing how much misinformation circulates about these rules. Just to add one more confirmation - my neighbor who's 73 has been working part-time at Home Depot for the past three years while collecting his full Social Security benefits. He's never had any issues or reductions. The key thing everyone has mentioned is correct: once you hit your Full Retirement Age, the earnings limit completely disappears. It sounds like you can definitely take on those extra summer hours at your nephew's landscaping business without any worries about your benefits! The tax considerations others mentioned are worth keeping in mind for next year's tax planning, but your monthly SS check will remain untouched regardless of how much you earn.

does anyone know if the survivor benefit includes the COLA increases that would have happened? like if he passes away this year but I wait 5 years to claim survivors at my FRA would I get his amount plus all the COLAs?

Thank you all for the helpful information! I feel much more confident about my options now. I'm planning to call SSA to confirm everything directly, but having this knowledge beforehand will help me ask the right questions. It seems like taking my reduced benefit at 62 and then switching to the full survivor benefit at 67 (if needed) would be the best financial strategy in my situation. I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and expertise.

I understand how frustrating this must be for you! Just to add to what everyone has shared - while the 10-year marriage rule is indeed firm, don't forget that you might also want to explore whether you qualify for any other types of Social Security benefits. For instance, if you become disabled before reaching retirement age, the work requirements for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) are different and based on recent work activity rather than lifetime earnings. Also, once you do start collecting your own retirement benefits, if your financial situation is still tight, you might be eligible for other assistance programs like SNAP, Medicaid, or housing assistance that can help stretch your Social Security dollars further. The important thing is not to give up - there are often more options available than people realize, even when the obvious path (like ex-spouse benefits) isn't available to you.

I just wanted to chime in as someone who works with Social Security applications regularly. Everyone here has given you accurate information about the 10-year marriage requirement - it's unfortunately one of the most rigid rules in the system. However, I'd encourage you to really dig into your own work history before assuming your benefits will be too low. Many people are surprised to learn that even sporadic work over many years can add up to a decent benefit, especially with the progressive benefit formula that favors lower earners. Also, don't overlook the option of working a few more years if possible - those additional earnings years could replace some of your lower or zero earning years and potentially increase your benefit significantly. The difference between claiming at 62 versus your full retirement age of 67 can also be substantial. I know it's disappointing about the ex-spouse benefits, but you may have more options with your own record than you think!