As someone who just went through this decision process myself, I can confirm that waiting after your FRA is definitely beneficial! I delayed my benefits by 8 months past my FRA and the increased monthly payment has been worth it. One thing that helped me decide was using the Social Security Administration's online benefit calculator to see the exact dollar difference. Also, don't forget that if you're married, the delayed retirement credits can also increase the survivor benefit your spouse would receive. The peace of mind knowing I'm getting the maximum benefit I'm entitled to makes those few months of waiting feel like a smart investment!

I went through this exact same confusion last year! Your financial advisor is absolutely right about delayed retirement credits - there are NO penalties for waiting past your FRA, only benefits. The 8% annual increase (2/3% per month) is guaranteed and applies to your base benefit for life. What really helped me was calling the SSA directly to get my exact numbers, though as others mentioned, getting through can be frustrating. I'd also recommend checking if your employer offers any retirement planning seminars - mine had a SSA representative come speak and it cleared up so many misconceptions. The key thing to remember is that penalties only apply to claiming EARLY (before FRA), never for claiming late. Your 6-month delay is actually a smart financial move!

You've received excellent advice here! I'm a financial planner who works with many clients in similar situations. Just to summarize the key protections you have in place: 1. Filing separately keeps you protected from joint tax liability for his unfiled returns 2. Keeping assets solely in your name prevents them from being seized for his tax debts 3. Your Social Security benefits are calculated only on your work record - his tax status has no impact on your benefit amount 4. Even if the IRS eventually pursues him, they can only garnish up to 15% of HIS benefits, not yours One additional tip: when you apply for benefits in January, you might want to specify that you want direct deposit into an account that's solely in your name (which it sounds like you already have set up). This adds another layer of protection. You've been incredibly smart about protecting yourself financially. Many people don't take these precautions and end up paying the price for their spouse's poor financial decisions. Stick with your plan - filing separately and keeping everything separate has served you well and will continue to protect you in retirement.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since it sounds so similar to yours! I just turned 62 and am in almost the exact same boat - husband with years of unfiled taxes from failed businesses, me as the primary earner, and I've been filing separately for protection for about 5 years now. I haven't filed for Social Security yet (waiting until 65), but I've done a lot of research and spoken with a few professionals. Everything everyone has said here is consistent with what I've learned - your benefits are completely based on YOUR work record, and filing separately actually protects you from his tax issues rather than hurting your SS benefits. The one thing I'd add is that I've kept detailed records of all the years I've filed separately and all the financial protections I've put in place, just in case I ever need to prove to the IRS or SSA that our finances have been completely separate. My attorney suggested this as an extra layer of documentation. You're definitely not being too cautious - after watching my husband make poor financial decisions for decades, protecting my retirement security has become my top priority. It's unfortunate we have to do this, but we didn't create these problems and we shouldn't have to suffer financially because of them. Good luck with your filing in January!

I'm deeply sorry for your loss, Harper. Losing a parent unexpectedly is devastating, and you're showing incredible strength by taking care of all these details for your father. I wanted to share something that might help streamline this process - when you call SSA (definitely do this to verify the death was reported), ask them to walk you through everything in one call rather than making multiple calls later. Specifically ask about: - Confirming the death report - The $255 lump-sum death benefit application - Survivor benefits application (even though your dad's benefit is higher) - Any Medicare premium adjustments needed - Whether there were any pending benefit adjustments for your mother Also, when you call, have your father available to give verbal consent for you to handle his SSA matters. This can save you from having to make separate calls or visits later. One practical tip that helped me when I went through this - keep a simple log of every call you make (date, time, who you spoke with, confirmation numbers). SSA representatives sometimes give different information, and having a record helps if you need to follow up. You're doing everything right by being proactive about this. Take care of yourself too during this difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Harper. My heart goes out to you and your father during this incredibly difficult time. I wanted to add one more resource that might be helpful - if you're having trouble getting through to SSA by phone, many local SSA offices allow you to schedule appointments online at ssa.gov. Sometimes an in-person visit can be more efficient than trying to get through on the phone, especially for complex situations like this where you're handling multiple issues at once. Also, I noticed several people mentioned the funeral home reporting issue. In my experience, this happens because funeral homes typically only report deaths to the state vital records office, and there can be a delay before that information reaches SSA. So definitely make that direct call to verify. One last thing - if your father uses direct deposit for his Social Security, make sure his bank account information is current with SSA. Sometimes when there are changes to benefits or when survivor applications are processed, there can be temporary holds or issues with payments that are easier to resolve if everything is up to date. You're handling so much right now, and it sounds like you're being incredibly thoughtful about making sure nothing falls through the cracks. Don't hesitate to reach out for help from other family members or friends when you need it.

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share some additional considerations that might help with your decision, Saleem. I recently went through a similar analysis for a family member, and one thing that really stood out was the importance of looking at the "survivor benefit" implications. If something were to happen to you, your children would be eligible for survivor benefits based on your earnings record. However, these survivor benefits are calculated based on your actual benefit amount at the time of death - not your PIA. So if you take the 30% reduction by filing at 62, that reduction would carry forward to their potential survivor benefits as well. On the flip side, given that your older child only has about 2 years of eligibility remaining, the guaranteed income from dependent benefits (even if reduced by the earnings test) might outweigh the long-term survivor benefit considerations. Also, I haven't seen anyone mention that you might want to explore whether your employer offers any flexibility with your part-time schedule. If you could structure your work to earn less than the monthly earnings limit after you file (around $1,900/month for 2026), you could potentially qualify for that first-year retirement rule that Jasmine mentioned earlier. This could be a game-changer for your situation. Have you calculated what your actual monthly earnings would be from that $31K annual part-time income?

As a newcomer to this community, I want to add some perspective on the broader strategic considerations for your situation, Saleem. I've been researching Social Security extensively as I approach my own retirement decisions, and cases like yours with dependent children really highlight how individualized these strategies need to be. One aspect I haven't seen fully explored in this thread is the "opportunity cost" analysis. Yes, you'll face the earnings test penalty and early filing reduction, but you need to compare that against what you could do with the benefits you DO receive. For instance, if your family receives even $2,000/month in combined benefits (after reductions), that's $24,000 annually that could be invested, used to pay down debt, or cover living expenses while preserving other retirement assets. Also, I'd suggest looking into whether your state has any additional programs or tax benefits for families receiving Social Security. Some states don't tax Social Security benefits at all, which could help offset some of the federal tax implications others have mentioned. Given the complexity and the significant dollar amounts involved (potentially $100K+ in total family benefits over the children's eligibility period), have you considered consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security optimization? The cost of professional advice could easily pay for itself in this situation. The fact that your older child only has about 2 years left of eligibility makes this decision quite time-sensitive. What's your current thinking after reading through all these perspectives?

Just to follow up - this is definitely a Medicare premium refund. One thing to know is that SSA works on a month-behind schedule for Medicare premiums. So when you get your February payment, it will have January's Medicare premium deducted. The system is basically refunding you for premiums you directly paid that will now be covered through the automatic deduction system. It should all straighten out within 1-2 payment cycles.

I had a similar experience when I started my benefits last year! Got a mystery deposit of $265 about two weeks before my first official payment. Like others have said, it was definitely a Medicare premium refund. The timing can be confusing because SSA processes these refunds as soon as they set up your benefit deductions, but your actual monthly payments follow a different schedule. The good news is once everything is set up, it runs smoothly. Just make sure to keep records of all these transactions for your taxes - those Medicare premium payments and refunds can affect your medical deductions.