I went through this exact situation last year when I turned my FRA. Here's what I learned after multiple calls with SSA: 1. They do count your earnings ONLY until the month before your FRA month 2. If you're over the limit, they'll reduce your benefits throughout the year based on your ESTIMATE of earnings 3. They'll adjust after the fact once they get your actual W-2 4. If they withheld too much, you'll get it back 5. If they didn't withhold enough, you'll need to pay it back My advice: If you're going to be close to the limit, provide SSA with a detailed monthly breakdown of your expected earnings for the year. That way they can apply the earnings test more accurately.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - turning 67 in August and trying to figure out the timing. One thing I wanted to add that helped me understand this better: the SSA has a really good publication called "How Work Affects Your Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10069) that breaks down all these scenarios with examples. What really clicked for me was realizing that the earnings test is designed to be temporary - it's not a permanent penalty. Like someone mentioned above, they actually recalculate your benefit at FRA to give you credit for any months they withheld benefits due to earnings. So even if you do go over the limit in the months before your FRA, you're not permanently losing that money. For anyone still confused about the timing, I found it helpful to think of it this way: There are basically three "zones" - before FRA year (strict rules), FRA year but before FRA month (generous rules), and FRA month onward (no rules). The key is figuring out which zone you're in for any given month.

I'm so sorry for your loss and the incredible frustration you're experiencing with SSA. As someone who has helped family members navigate similar survivor benefit issues, I can tell you that your situation is unfortunately common but absolutely solvable. Based on your timeline, you have a very strong case. Your husband passed on October 28th, and the payment they reclaimed (deposited November 3rd) was for September - a month he was alive for entirely. That payment is rightfully yours. For your Tuesday appointment, I'd recommend bringing: - Bank statements showing the deposit and withdrawal - Death certificate and marriage certificate - All previous Form 1724 submissions (copies) - A written timeline of all your attempts to resolve this Most importantly, ask to speak with a "Technical Expert" who specializes in survivor benefits - regular representatives often lack the expertise for complex underpayment cases like yours. Don't accept vague promises about "processing" - demand specific timelines and case reference numbers. Also consider filing a complaint with the SSA Office of Inspector General (oig.ssa.gov) about the lost paperwork and contradictory information. After 10+ months, you need external pressure to cut through the bureaucracy. You've shown incredible persistence during an already difficult time. Keep fighting - you deserve that payment and shouldn't have to jump through these hoops to get it. Please update us after Tuesday's meeting!

I'm so sorry for your loss and the absolute nightmare SSA has put you through during such a difficult time. Reading through this thread, it's clear you have overwhelming support and solid advice from people who truly understand the system. What strikes me most is how you've transformed from feeling helpless to having a comprehensive battle plan. The combination of filing Form SSA-561-U2, submitting an OIG complaint, bringing detailed documentation to request a Technical Expert, and maintaining pressure through your congressman's office gives you multiple pressure points to finally break through their bureaucracy. Your husband was alive for all of September, so that payment is absolutely yours to keep. The fact that SSA has "lost" your forms multiple times and given contradictory information is unacceptable and needs to be officially documented through the OIG complaint. After 10+ months of runaround, you deserve more than vague promises about "processing." Go in there on Tuesday armed with all the specific knowledge this community has shared and demand concrete timelines and accountability. Don't let them brush you off again. You're fighting for what's rightfully yours, and your persistence during such a painful time shows incredible strength. We're all rooting for you - please keep us updated on how Tuesday goes. You've got this!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm 66 and just started collecting Social Security two months ago while continuing to work at $72,000 annually - significantly higher than my career average of around $52,000. I had been worried that I'd need to file special paperwork or make calls to SSA to ensure my continued earnings were properly credited. Reading everyone's experiences with the AERO process has been such a relief. The fact that it's completely automatic and happens every October takes away so much stress. I love Arjun's suggestion about keeping a copy of your Social Security statement from before you start collecting - I'm going to pull mine up online today and save it for comparison. What really gives me confidence is hearing from people like Carlos who have been through multiple recalculations with real dollar amounts. Even his smaller $12 increase in the second year shows the system is working exactly as designed - every higher earning year that can replace a lower one will result in some benefit boost, no matter how small. For anyone else just starting this journey, this discussion has convinced me that the combination of collecting benefits at FRA while continuing to work at higher earnings is truly the best of both worlds. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed, practical information!

As someone who's been working in HR for over 20 years and has helped countless employees navigate Social Security decisions, I can confirm that everything shared here about AERO is spot-on. The Automatic Earnings Reappraisal Operation really is one of the best-kept secrets of Social Security - most people have no idea it exists! What I always tell employees approaching FRA is exactly what Hugo discovered: if you're earning significantly more now than your career average, continuing to work while collecting can be incredibly beneficial. Those higher earnings will automatically replace lower years in your calculation, and the increases compound over time. One additional point I'd make - for anyone with gaps in their work history (like time off for raising children or periods of unemployment), the AERO process can be especially impactful since you're potentially replacing zero-earning years. Every year of substantial earnings helps fill in those gaps in your 35-year calculation. The October timing everyone mentioned is consistent with what I've observed helping retirees. SSA is actually quite reliable with this process once you understand how it works. Great thread everyone - this is exactly the kind of practical information that helps people make informed retirement decisions!

To summarize what's been discussed and add a bit more clarity: 1. The earliest your husband could receive spousal benefits is age 62, with a reduction (approximately 30-35% less than at his FRA). 2. If he significantly reduces his work or stops completely at 57, this could affect his own future benefit calculation since SSA uses the highest 35 years of earnings. Low-earning or zero years could reduce his personal benefit. 3. The spousal benefit would be up to 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount (your benefit at your FRA), but is reduced if claimed before his FRA. 4. He will always receive the higher of either his own benefit or the spousal benefit, not both. 5. For survivor benefits, he could claim as early as age 60 if you predeceased him, with a reduction. At his FRA, he would receive 100% of your benefit. 6. If your husband is considering reducing work significantly at 57, you might want to evaluate other retirement income sources to bridge the gap until he can claim Social Security benefits.

One thing to keep in mind is that when you switch from survivor benefits to your own retirement benefits at 70, make sure you understand how this affects the spousal benefit calculation for your husband. The spousal benefit will be based on YOUR Primary Insurance Amount (what you'd get at your FRA), not the higher amount you'll receive by waiting until 70. So even though you're maximizing your own benefit by waiting, your husband's potential spousal benefit won't increase beyond that 50% of your PIA. Also, since you mentioned you both had comparable earnings, definitely run the numbers on his own projected benefit vs. the spousal benefit before making any decisions about him reducing work at 57.

As someone new to this community but dealing with similar questions, I wanted to share what I've learned from researching this topic extensively. The key thing that helped me understand spousal benefits is that there are really two main scenarios: **Scenario 1: Your own benefit is higher** - You'll receive your own benefit amount - You won't get any additional spousal benefit **Scenario 2: 50% of your husband's benefit is higher than your own** - You'll receive your own benefit PLUS a spousal "top-up" to reach 50% of his benefit - This only happens after he files for his benefits One strategy some couples use is having the lower-earning spouse claim their own reduced benefit at 62, then when the higher-earning spouse files at 67, they automatically get bumped up to the higher spousal amount if it applies. But like others have mentioned, the earnings test and permanent reductions make this tricky. I'd definitely recommend using the calculators on ssa.gov and maybe even getting a professional consultation. The peace of mind is worth it when you're talking about decisions that affect decades of income! Hope this helps clarify things a bit. This stuff is genuinely confusing even for people who research it extensively!

As a newcomer here, I just wanted to say how helpful this entire thread has been! I'm in a very similar situation to Kevin - my husband is a few years older and we're trying to navigate the best Social Security strategy. One thing I learned from reading everyone's responses is that timing really is everything with these decisions. It sounds like the key factors are: - Your respective earnings histories and benefit amounts - Whether you need income before your husband files - Your health and life expectancy expectations - Whether you'll still be working I'm definitely going to follow the advice about creating a my.ssa.gov account and potentially consulting with a specialist. The point about this potentially being a difference of tens of thousands of dollars over a lifetime really hit home. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge - it's clear this community is a great resource for navigating these complex government benefits!