UPDATE: I called SSA this morning (thanks for the Claimyr tip - it worked perfectly!) and got confirmation that I do qualify for spousal benefits even without having 40 quarters myself. The agent said my benefit would be about $1,375 per month if I apply now at 67, which is just over 40% of what my wife would get at her full retirement age. Apparently the reduction is because she took benefits early at 62. Still, this is a huge help for our budget! The agent also confirmed that any future changes to WEP would potentially increase my wife's benefit, which could then increase my spousal benefit too. Thanks everyone for your help!

That's fantastic news, Shelby! Thanks for sharing the update - it's really helpful to hear real experiences like this. $1,375 per month is definitely significant for your household budget. Just wanted to add a few points for anyone else reading this thread: 1. Even though your spousal benefit is reduced because your wife took early retirement, you're still getting a solid amount 2. If/when WEP changes do happen, your wife's benefit could increase substantially, and yes, that would boost your spousal benefit too 3. For others in similar situations - don't assume you can't get benefits just because you're short on quarters. Spousal benefits are a real lifeline for many couples Also glad to hear Claimyr worked for you! It's frustrating how hard it can be to reach SSA these days. Congrats on getting this sorted out and having more financial security going forward.

I went through a very similar situation when I retired in 2022. Like you, I was worried about how my final salary payments and vacation payout would affect my Social Security benefits. The key thing that gave me peace of mind was getting everything in writing from SSA. When I applied online (which I highly recommend), I made sure to clearly document in the remarks section that I would be past my FRA when benefits began. I also kept copies of all my final pay stubs and vacation payout documentation, even though it turned out I didn't need them since the earnings test doesn't apply once you're at FRA. One small tip - if you're planning to have taxes withheld from your Social Security benefits to help with the tax situation others mentioned, you can set that up when you apply using Form W-4V. It might be worth considering given your vacation and sick leave payouts will likely bump up your income for 2025. Congratulations on reaching this milestone! The transition to retirement is exciting even if the paperwork feels overwhelming.

Just to reinforce what others have said - you're in great shape! Since you'll be 67 (your FRA) when you start collecting in August, the earnings test is completely off the table. No limits, no reductions, no worries about those vacation and sick leave payouts. I went through this exact scenario in 2019 and was stressed about the same things. What really helped me was creating a simple timeline: retirement date (June 2025), FRA date (sounds like May 2025 based on your comment), and benefit start date (August 2025). Since your benefit start is after your FRA, you're golden. The online application is definitely the way to go. Much less frustrating than the phone system, and you can take your time filling everything out properly. Just be clear about your dates and you shouldn't have any issues. Enjoy your well-deserved retirement!

Based on what you've shared, your best strategy would likely be to compare these two approaches: 1) Take your survivor benefit at FRA (when it's not reduced) and switch to your own retirement at 70 (after it's grown by 32%) 2) Take your reduced retirement benefit now and switch to the full survivor benefit at your FRA The right choice depends on your specific benefit amounts and your life expectancy. Generally, if you're in good health and expect to live past your early 80s, maximizing the higher benefit by delaying it can pay off significantly over time. I'd recommend contacting SSA directly to get detailed benefit estimates, and consider consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies.

I went through this exact situation about 3 years ago! You're getting good advice here - you definitely can't collect both benefits at full value simultaneously, but you do have strategic options. What really helped me was creating a spreadsheet comparing the lifetime totals for different scenarios. I calculated taking survivor benefits at FRA vs taking them early, and taking my own retirement at 62, FRA, and 70. The breakeven analysis showed me exactly when each strategy would pay off based on my life expectancy. Also, don't forget to factor in cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) - they apply to whichever benefit you're receiving. One tip: when you call SSA, ask them to mail you a written benefit estimate rather than just getting verbal numbers. Having it in writing helped me feel more confident about my decision and gave me something to reference later.

I went through this exact same situation with my daughter two years ago when I started drawing early retirement at 62. The transition from SSI to DAC benefits was incredibly confusing and stressful, especially when her monthly payment dropped by almost $200. Here's what I learned that might help you: **The Medicaid protection is crucial** - Make sure to specifically ask SSA about "Section 1634(c)" when you call. This should automatically protect her Medicaid coverage, but you need to verify it's in place. I also called our state Medicaid office directly to confirm the protection was active. **Concurrent benefits saved us** - Since her DAC payment was less than the federal SSI rate, she qualified for a partial SSI payment to make up most of the difference. SSA should have calculated this automatically, but they missed it initially. When I called back and specifically asked about "concurrent benefits," they were able to add the supplemental SSI payment. **The work rules are actually better** - With DAC benefits, the earnings limit is much higher ($1,550/month in 2025) compared to SSI's complex work incentive rules. Her $200/month from the sheltered workshop is completely safe. **Long-term this is better** - No more $2,000 asset limit stress, and when Medicare starts in 2 years, having both Medicare and Medicaid provides much more comprehensive coverage. The key is being persistent and knowing the right terminology when you call. Don't let them brush you off - these protections exist specifically for situations like this. It took me three calls and two supervisors, but we got everything sorted out. Your daughter should end up in a more stable situation once the transition is complete!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this confusing transition! This exact situation happened to my brother when he turned 27 and our dad started collecting Social Security. It's incredibly frustrating when you're not prepared for it. What you're describing sounds like your daughter was automatically converted from SSI to DAC (Disabled Adult Child) benefits when you started receiving retirement benefits. The payment amount is based on your work history rather than the federal SSI rate, which explains why it could be lower. Here are the key things I learned that you should ask SSA about immediately: **Medicaid Protection** - Ask specifically about "Section 1634(c)" or "mandatory Medicaid continuation." This should automatically protect her Medicaid coverage during the transition, but you need to verify it's active. **Concurrent Benefits** - Since her new DAC payment is lower than what she was getting on SSI, she might qualify for a partial SSI supplement to make up some of the difference. This should have been calculated automatically but sometimes gets missed. **Work Rules are Better** - Good news about her sheltered workshop! DAC benefits have much higher work limits than SSI. The current limit is $1,550/month, so her $200 is completely safe. Don't give up if the first SSA representative doesn't know about these protections - ask for a supervisor. It took me several calls but we eventually got my brother set up with both the Medicaid protection and partial SSI supplement. The silver lining is that DAC benefits don't have the strict $2,000 asset limit, and in 2 years she'll have both Medicare and Medicaid which is actually better coverage overall. Hang in there!

Just wanted to add one more important detail that might affect your planning - if you're still working when you become eligible for survivor benefits, the earnings test still applies. If you're under your full retirement age and earning above certain limits ($22,320 for 2024), your survivor benefits could be temporarily reduced. This is different from delayed retirement credits - you don't get those extra credits for waiting past your survivor FRA like you do with your own retirement benefits. Also, survivor benefits are generally not taxable if they're your only income, but if you have other income sources, up to 85% could be taxable depending on your total income level. Worth factoring into your financial planning since you mentioned you're still several years from retirement.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you understand the difference between survivor Full Retirement Age and regular Full Retirement Age. For survivor benefits, your FRA might be different than for your own retirement benefits. For example, if you were born in 1966, your regular FRA is 67, but your survivor FRA might be 66 and 8 months. Also, there's a "widow(er) limit" that caps your survivor benefit. Even if you wait until your survivor FRA, you won't necessarily get 100% of what your husband was entitled to at his FRA - you get the higher of: what he was actually receiving when he died, OR 82.5% of his full benefit amount. This mainly comes into play if he had delayed his benefits past his own FRA to get delayed retirement credits. I'd strongly recommend scheduling an appointment with your local SSA office while you're both still healthy to get personalized projections for different scenarios. They can run the numbers based on your actual earnings records and give you a clearer picture of your options.