This is why I never remarried after my husband died! I knew I'd lose his higher SS benefit. My sister's financial advisor told her never to remarry before 60 for this exact reason. Seems so unfair they penalize people for finding love again!

I'm sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! As a newcomer here, I've been reading through everyone's responses and learning so much. It really does seem unfair that the remarriage age cutoff is so strict - 52 vs 60 shouldn't make such a huge difference when you were married to your first husband for over two decades. One thing I'm curious about - have you considered whether it might be worth consulting with a Social Security claiming strategy specialist or fee-only financial planner who specializes in SS benefits? Sometimes they can spot options or strategies that aren't immediately obvious. Given the potential difference between your $1,500 benefit and what could have been $2,900, it might be worth the consultation fee to make sure you're not missing anything. Also, regarding the delayed retirement credits you asked about - that 8% annual increase is guaranteed and inflation-protected for life, which is pretty rare these days. If you're in good health and can afford to wait, it might be worth running the numbers on delaying at least a year or two. Good luck with your SSA appointment next month!

I'm dealing with a similar situation myself - just turned 62 and lost my husband 3 years ago. From my research and talking to others, here's what I've learned: The key thing is that she CAN collect survivor benefits while working, but she needs to understand the trade-offs. The earnings limit of $22,600 for 2025 is real, but it's not as scary as some people make it sound. They don't "take everything" - it's a specific formula where they withhold $1 for every $2 over the limit. What really helped me was making a simple spreadsheet comparing different scenarios: survivor benefits now vs. waiting, working full-time vs. part-time, etc. Even with the reduction and potential withholding, getting something now might be better than getting nothing while she waits. The biggest mistake I almost made was overthinking it. She doesn't have to make a perfect decision - she just needs to make an informed one. And like others have said, she can often adjust later if needed. Tell her to start by getting the actual numbers from SSA (whether online or through one of those callback services), then run some simple math on her specific situation. The anxiety often gets better once you have real data instead of just worrying about unknowns.

Your coworker is in good company - this is one of the most common Social Security dilemmas! I work with seniors on benefit planning, and here's what I typically recommend for someone in her situation: She should absolutely get her personalized benefit estimates before making any decisions. The general rule is that survivor benefits can start at 60 (or 62 if she wants to compare to her own retirement benefit), but the actual dollar amounts matter more than the general rules. One thing that might ease her anxiety: Social Security decisions aren't usually irreversible. If she starts survivor benefits and later discovers her own retirement benefit would be significantly higher, she can often switch. The "do-over" rules have some limitations, but there's more flexibility than most people realize. For the earnings limit concern - yes, it's real, but it's also manageable if you plan for it. Some of my clients intentionally keep their work income just under the $22,600 threshold, while others decide the partial benefit (even after withholding) is still worth more than waiting. My suggestion: have her call SSA (or use that callback service mentioned earlier) to get her actual survivor benefit estimate, then compare it to her projected retirement benefit. Once she has those real numbers, the decision becomes much clearer. The worst choice is often no choice at all - delaying while she could be receiving some income.

This is such a common source of confusion! I went through the exact same worry when I started collecting at 64. The key thing that helped me was understanding that Social Security has what they call a "Special Rule" for your first year of retirement. Essentially, they recognize that most people have already earned income for part of the year before they start collecting benefits, so they only look at your earnings from the month you start collecting forward. In your case, starting in September, only September-December earnings matter for 2025. Your $49,000 from January-August is completely irrelevant to the earnings test. Just make sure when you apply that you clearly indicate September as your retirement month, and you should be all set!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said - you're absolutely on the right track with your understanding! I was in a very similar situation last year when I retired at 65 in October. I had earned about $52,000 from January through September and was panicking about the earnings limit. The SSA representative I spoke with was very clear that the "first year of retirement" rule (the Special Rule) means only your post-retirement earnings count. So in your case, starting benefits in September means only September-December earnings matter for 2025. One tip: when you apply, be very specific about your retirement date and that you're stopping or significantly reducing work in September. They'll ask about your expected earnings for the remainder of the year, so have a good estimate ready for your September-December income. Also, keep good records of your earnings by month just in case they need clarification later. The whole process was much smoother than I expected once I understood how the first-year rule works. You should be in great shape!

Thank you everyone for all the helpful responses! I'm feeling much more confident now about my retirement timeline. To summarize what I've learned: 1) I'll apply in March for benefits to start June 1st (being very specific about this date) 2) My first payment will arrive in July 3) Since I'll stop working in mid-May, I don't need to worry about June earnings 4) I need to consider tax implications of my final paycheck 5) When I apply, I'll double-check all the paperwork to make sure the start date is correct If I run into any issues reaching SSA by phone, I'll check out that Claimyr service someone mentioned. Thanks again for all your advice!

You've got a solid plan! Just wanted to add one more tip - when you apply online in March, print out or save copies of everything you submit and any confirmation numbers they give you. Also screenshot the page that shows your chosen start date of June 1st. I've seen too many cases where people had to prove what they originally requested when there were discrepancies later. Having that documentation saved me a huge headache when SSA initially processed my application with the wrong start month. Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it! Good luck with your retirement!

Just wanted to add something important that I learned from my own experience - when you apply for spousal benefits, make sure to ask about retroactive payments! If you're past your FRA when you apply, you can get up to 6 months of back payments. I waited until I was 67 to apply (my FRA was 66 and 8 months) and got those extra months retroactively. Also, once you start receiving spousal benefits, you'll get annual cost-of-living adjustments just like regular SS recipients. The whole process was much smoother than I expected - don't let the paperwork intimidate you!

I'm in a similar situation and found this thread so helpful! One thing I wanted to add - if you're considering taking spousal benefits before your FRA, it might be worth calculating the breakeven point. I used a simple spreadsheet to figure out how many years it would take for the higher FRA amount to make up for the months of reduced payments I'd miss by waiting. For me, the breakeven was around age 78. Since longevity runs in my family, I decided to wait for the full 50%. But if you need the income now or have health concerns, taking it early might make more sense. The peace of mind of having that monthly income can be worth more than the extra dollars down the road. Everyone's situation is different!