As someone who just turned 65 and is still learning about all these Social Security options, this thread has been absolutely incredible! The depth of real-world experience shared here is exactly what I needed to see. What really resonates with me is how many people emphasized that this isn't just a numbers game - the psychological and lifestyle factors seem to be just as important as the financial calculations. The peace of mind that comes with having that guaranteed SS income while continuing to work sounds incredibly valuable, especially in today's uncertain economic climate. I'm particularly interested in the point several people made about how having both income streams allows for better strategic financial planning - maxing out 401k contributions, doing Roth conversions, helping family members. It seems like claiming at FRA while working might actually provide more financial flexibility than just waiting for a higher monthly benefit at 70. One thing I'm curious about - for those of you who made this decision, how far in advance did you start planning? I still have 2 years until my FRA, but reading this makes me think I should start running those SSA calculator scenarios now rather than waiting until I'm closer to 67. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences and practical advice. This community is providing better guidance than anything I've found through official channels!

This has been such an amazing thread to follow! As someone who's completely new to Social Security planning, I'm blown away by the wealth of real-world experience and practical advice shared here. What really stands out to me is how this decision involves so much more than just the financial calculations. The psychological benefits of having that guaranteed SS income while working - reduced stress, better job performance, financial security - seem to be just as valuable as the dollars and cents. It's fascinating how many people mentioned that having both income streams actually made them better employees because they weren't constantly worried about job security. The consistency of everyone's advice about no earnings penalties at FRA is really reassuring, especially since there seems to be so much conflicting information floating around. And all the specific resources mentioned (SSA retirement estimator, Publication 05-10069, even the Claimyr service) are exactly the kind of actionable guidance I was hoping to find. I'm particularly intrigued by the strategic financial planning opportunities that come with dual income streams - maximizing 401k contributions, doing Roth conversions, helping family members. It sounds like claiming at FRA while working might actually provide more overall financial flexibility than just optimizing for the highest monthly benefit at 70. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences so openly. This community is providing way better guidance than anything I could find through official channels!

As a newcomer to Social Security benefits, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed discussion! I was completely unaware of the W-4V form until reading this thread, and Dana's discovery about the online calculation error is genuinely alarming. The fact that SSA's online system might be calculating withholding on net benefits instead of gross could be costing people hundreds of dollars in incorrect tax planning over the course of a year. Based on all the experiences shared here, I'm definitely going to use the paper W-4V form rather than risk the online system's calculation errors. It's also really helpful to have clear confirmation from multiple sources (including the SSA employee) that withholding is taken from the gross benefit before Medicare deductions. This community's willingness to share real experiences and catch important issues like this makes navigating Social Security so much less intimidating for those of us just starting out. Thank you all for being so generous with your knowledge!

As someone who just became eligible for Social Security benefits, this entire discussion has been absolutely invaluable! I had no idea about the W-4V form or how the withholding calculations worked until I found this thread. Dana's discovery about the online system potentially calculating withholding incorrectly is really concerning - that $40+ monthly difference could add up to nearly $500 over a year, which is significant for anyone trying to plan their taxes properly. Based on all the experiences shared here, I'm definitely going to stick with the paper W-4V form rather than risk the online system's calculation errors. It's also really reassuring to have multiple confirmations (especially from the SSA employee) that withholding is calculated on the gross benefit amount before Medicare deductions. Thank you to everyone for being so generous in sharing your real-world experiences and looking out for fellow community members. This is exactly the kind of practical knowledge that makes navigating Social Security benefits so much less overwhelming for newcomers like me!

I'm really sorry for your loss and can completely understand the anxiety around navigating survivor benefits during such a difficult time. The community has given you excellent advice - ESOP dividends absolutely will NOT count toward your Social Security earnings limit! I work as a financial advisor and deal with these questions regularly. The $22,560 earnings limit for 2025 only applies to wages from active employment and self-employment income - never to investment income like dividends, interest, or distributions from retirement accounts. Your ESOP dividends are classified as investment returns, not compensation for current services. When you apply next month, I'd suggest bringing copies of your ESOP statements that clearly show these are dividend distributions from your late husband's employer stock plan - this will help SSA process your application smoothly and avoid any potential confusion. Also, consider calling ahead to your local SSA office to schedule an appointment rather than just walking in - the wait times are usually much shorter with appointments. You're being very thorough by researching this beforehand, which will definitely pay off during the application process. Best of luck!

I'm so sorry for your loss and completely understand your concerns about navigating this process. As someone who went through a similar situation with my late spouse's retirement accounts, I can confirm what everyone else has said - ESOP dividends absolutely DO NOT count toward the Social Security earnings limit! The key distinction is that the $22,560 limit for 2025 only applies to "earned income" - meaning wages from active work or self-employment income. Your ESOP dividends are considered investment income, just like any other dividend or interest payment. When I applied for survivor benefits, the SSA representative specifically told me that pension distributions, 401k withdrawals, dividends, and other investment income don't count toward the earnings test at all. Just make sure when you apply that you clearly state these are ESOP dividend distributions from your late husband's employer plan (not wages or current employment income) and bring your monthly statements as documentation. This will help avoid any confusion during processing. You're being very smart to research this thoroughly beforehand - it will make the application process much smoother!

I'm new to this community but have been following this thread closely as I'm dealing with a very similar Medicare premium double-payment situation. I started Medicare in December 2024 and began Social Security benefits in February 2025, so I've been double-charged for February and March - about $580 so far. This discussion has been incredibly valuable - I was also told by a Medicare representative that the refund would happen automatically within 6-8 weeks, but it's now been about 6 weeks with no sign of any refund on my credit card statement. Reading everyone's experiences makes it clear that waiting for the "automatic" system is not a reliable approach. I'm planning to call this week using the specific language from @Aisha Abdullah about requesting a "Medicare Part B premium refund for duplicate payment during benefit transition." The advice about calling early in the morning, getting a case number, and having all documentation ready seems crucial based on everyone's shared experiences. What really stands out to me is how this coordination problem between Medicare and SSA affects so many people during what should be a routine transition. It's clearly a systemic issue that needs better processes, but at least this community has provided an excellent roadmap for getting individual cases resolved. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed timelines and advice. This thread is going to help so many people avoid the frustrating waiting game that clearly doesn't work. I'll definitely update here once I make progress on my case!

I'm new to this community and unfortunately dealing with this exact same Medicare premium double-payment issue. I started Medicare in August 2024 and began Social Security benefits in October 2024, so I've been double-charged for October, November, December, January, February, and March - that's about $1,740 I'm owed back over 6 months now! Reading through this incredibly detailed thread has been both eye-opening and reassuring. Like so many others here, I was initially told by a Medicare representative that the refund would process automatically within 30-45 days, but it's been over 5 months with absolutely nothing appearing on my credit card. The consistency across everyone's experiences really drives home how broken the coordination is between Medicare and SSA systems during these transitions. The "automatic" refund timeline that representatives give out is clearly not accurate in practice, and being proactive with calling is essential. I'm definitely calling this week using the excellent advice from @Aisha Abdullah about requesting a "Medicare Part B premium refund for duplicate payment during benefit transition." The tips about calling early morning, getting a case number, and having all documentation ready are invaluable. Given the substantial amount involved in my case, I'll also keep @Andre Dupont's suggestions about SHIP programs and Congressional inquiry as backup options if needed. This thread has been an incredible resource - thank you to everyone who shared their timelines and experiences. It's clear this affects far more people than it should, and having this community roadmap makes navigating the bureaucratic process much less daunting. I'll definitely update here once I make progress on my case!

After reading through this whole discussion, I think you're in a good position to make an informed choice now. It's not a massive financial difference either way given that it's only 4 months. The earnings test complicates things slightly, but only for those 4 months. One last thing to consider: if you're truly miserable at work, what's the value of your happiness and mental health for those 4 months? Sometimes that's worth more than the financial calculation. Best of luck with your decision!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the "break-even" analysis. With a $58/month reduction on a $2,650 benefit, you'd collect about $2,592/month starting now versus $0 for 4 months then $2,650. It would take roughly 18-19 years for the higher benefit to make up for those 4 months of missed payments ($2,592 x 4 = $10,368). Given your good health and family longevity, this might actually favor waiting, especially with the part-time work earnings test issue. Have you considered gradually reducing your work hours over these 4 months to make the wait more bearable?