Just wanted to add one more important point that might affect your decision - if your ex-husband remarries, it won't impact your eligibility for divorced spouse benefits or survivor benefits at all. His new marriage has zero effect on your benefits as long as YOU remain unmarried. I mention this because I see a lot of people worry unnecessarily about what their ex does after divorce. The 10+ year marriage rule protects your rights regardless of his future relationships. Also, since you mentioned having kids together - if any of your children are still under 18 (or disabled), they might be eligible for benefits on their father's SSDI record too. That's a separate benefit that doesn't reduce what you could get. Good luck with your SSA appointment! Having all the numbers will really help you make the best choice for your situation.

I'm glad you're taking the time to research this thoroughly before making a decision! As someone who went through a similar situation with my ex-spouse's SSDI benefits, I wanted to add that when you meet with the SSA representative, make sure to ask about the "protected filing date" concept. If you're leaning toward waiting but are concerned about missing out on benefits, you can sometimes file a protective claim that establishes your filing date while you gather more information. This can be especially helpful if you're close to a birthday that might affect your benefit calculations. Also, don't be discouraged if the first representative you speak with seems unsure about divorced spouse benefits - unfortunately, not all SSA staff are equally knowledgeable about these more complex situations. If you don't feel confident in the answers you receive, it's perfectly acceptable to request to speak with a supervisor or schedule another appointment. One last tip: bring a copy of your divorce decree that shows the exact marriage dates. Sometimes there can be confusion about whether you truly meet the 10-year requirement, especially if there were separations before the final divorce.

My friend works for SS (not giving advice just sharing what I know) - definitely call the main number not your local office. The national line has access to more info. And keep calling until you get someone helpful cuz some reps are way better than others honestly

Just checking back - were you able to get through to someone who could help? The situation with multiple families definitely complicates things, but 4 months is still excessive for not even having an update.

For 2025, the earnings test limit is $23,400 annually (or $1,950 monthly) for beneficiaries under their full retirement age. If your wife earns more than this from her part-time work, they'll reduce her benefits by $1 for every $2 over the limit. This applies to both her own retirement benefit AND any spousal benefit increase she receives. However, these aren't permanent reductions - once she reaches her full retirement age, SSA will recalculate and give her credit for any months benefits were withheld due to earnings. Given that she's working 15 hours a week in retail, you'll want to estimate her annual earnings and factor this into your planning. The SSA website has a good earnings test calculator, or you can discuss the specifics when you file your application.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a somewhat similar situation - my husband will be filing for his benefits next year and I've been collecting my own reduced benefit since I turned 62 three years ago. Reading through everyone's experiences has really clarified how the spousal benefit works. One thing I wanted to add that might be helpful for others is to make sure you have your most recent Social Security statement handy when you call or visit SSA. They often reference your Primary Insurance Amount and earnings history during these conversations, and having that information readily available can make the process smoother. Also, I've found that visiting the local SSA office in person (if possible) sometimes gets better results than trying to reach them by phone, especially for complex situations like spousal benefits. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so valuable to hear from people who have actually been through this process!

This happens every few years and causes so much confusion! My mom gets retirement benefits not survivor benefits but same payment system. Her neighbor told her same thing last year and she was up all night worrying. Like others said nobody misses a payment, it's just about when the dates fall. Does your aunt get direct deposit? That makes it easier to track.

I work at a local senior center and we get this exact question every single year! It's so frustrating how this rumor keeps circulating and scaring people. Your aunt is definitely not alone - we had about 15 seniors come in last month asking about "missed December payments." What I always tell folks is to think of it like this: Social Security promises you 12 payments per year, and they ALWAYS deliver on that promise. Sometimes the calendar just makes it look weird on paper, but the money is always there. We actually keep printouts of the SSA payment calendar at our front desk now because this comes up so often. Tell your aunt she can also call her local Area Agency on Aging if she needs help understanding any Social Security stuff - they're usually really good at explaining things in plain English without the long hold times!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now! My husband is 64 and still working, making about $85k, while I'm 61 and volunteer at our local animal shelter. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from meeting with a financial planner - they suggested we also consider our overall retirement savings and monthly expenses when deciding on the claiming strategy. If you have adequate retirement savings to cover your needs for a few more years, waiting until FRA or even later can significantly increase your lifetime benefits. Also, have you looked into whether your volunteer work might have given you any additional Social Security credits over the years? I discovered that some volunteer coordinator positions I held years ago actually did provide small amounts of taxable income that I had forgotten about, which slightly boosted my benefit calculation. The tax implications are definitely real with your husband's income level, but as others mentioned, you're still coming out ahead financially. We ran the numbers and even with 85% of my benefits being taxable, the monthly income would still be substantial enough to justify claiming. Good luck with your decision! It sounds like you're being very thoughtful about all the factors involved.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the "do over" rule that might be relevant to your situation. If you claim at 62 and later realize it wasn't the best decision, you have 12 months from your first benefit payment to withdraw your application and pay back all the benefits you received (without interest). This gives you a one-time chance to restart at a later age with a higher benefit. This might be worth considering given your uncertainty. You could claim at 62, see how the taxes actually affect your household budget with real numbers instead of estimates, and then decide within that first year whether to continue or withdraw and wait until your FRA. Also, since you're doing volunteer work managing a food pantry network, you might want to check if your organization offers any retirement planning resources or if there are any tax advantages related to your volunteer work that could offset some of the taxation on your Social Security benefits. Some volunteer-related expenses can be deducted if you itemize. The key is getting your actual benefit estimate from SSA and running the real numbers for your specific situation rather than relying on general rules of thumb.