Thank you all for the really helpful information. I'm going to share all these insights with my brother-in-law so he can make an informed decision. It sounds like waiting those 14 months would be ideal if he can swing it financially, but I better understand the tradeoffs now. I appreciate everyone taking the time to explain!

I've been through a similar situation with my own family. One thing that might help is to calculate the actual dollar difference over time. If he takes $1,450/month now versus $1,750 at FRA, that's $300/month difference. But he'd also receive 14 months of payments ($20,300) that he wouldn't get if he waits. The breakeven point is usually around age 82-83. Given his wife's MS diagnosis, they might want to prioritize having more income available now for potential medical expenses and care needs. Sometimes the "optimal" financial decision on paper isn't the best decision for real-life circumstances.

One thing no one has mentioned: if your ONLY income is the $27,300 from SSDI, the calculation works like this: 1. Half of your SSDI ($13,650) is counted toward the threshold test 2. Since $13,650 is less than $25,000, technically NONE of your benefits would be taxable 3. However, the full calculation is more complex - your "combined income" includes half your benefits plus other income Either way, with the standard deduction, you'll likely owe nothing, but you should file to be in compliance. Use the free filing options available through IRS.gov.

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to chime in since I just went through this exact situation last month! I had $28,400 in SSDI last year and was terrified about taxes. Here's what I learned from my tax preparer: If SSDI is your ONLY income, your "provisional income" (which is what they use for the threshold test) is calculated as: half your SSDI + any other income + nontaxable interest. So for you, that would be $13,650 (half of $27,300) + $0 other income = $13,650 total. Since $13,650 is well below the $25,000 threshold, NONE of your SSDI should be taxable! But you should still file a return if you're required to (check the IRS filing requirements based on your age and filing status). I ended up not owing anything and actually got peace of mind from filing. The free tax software walked me right through it. Don't stress too much - you're likely in better shape than you think!

One thing nobody has mentioned: if your husband exceeds the annual earnings limit, SSA withholds benefits at the rate of $1 for every $2 earned above the limit. For 2025, the annual limit is approximately $22,320 (they adjust for inflation each year). Since he's earning $28,000 through May, that exceeds the annual limit by about $5,680, which would mean approximately $2,840 in benefits might be withheld. However, if he qualifies for the monthly earnings test in his first year of retirement, this won't apply as long as he earns under the monthly limit (about $1,860) in the months he's receiving benefits. Also worth noting: once he reaches FRA, they'll recalculate his benefits and give him credit for months they withheld benefits, potentially increasing his monthly amount going forward.

WHATEVER U DO, keep copies of EVERYTHING! my friend lost all his paperwork showing when he stopped working and SSA made him pay back like $9000!!! they claimed he was working all year when he wasnt!

I'm dealing with something very similar! Got an unexpected $203 payment from SSA about two weeks ago with no explanation. Like you, I couldn't get through on the phone and was worried it might be an error they'd want back later. The letter finally arrived yesterday and it turned out to be a retroactive COLA adjustment - apparently my initial 2025 benefit calculation was processed before the full 3.1% increase was applied to my payment tier. The letter was really detailed and showed exactly how they calculated the back pay for January through March. From what I'm reading in these responses, it sounds like your situation is probably the same thing. The timing and amount seem right for a COLA backpay. I'd definitely wait for that explanation letter before worrying too much - it should arrive within the next week or so based on my experience. Hope this helps ease your mind a bit! These adjustment payments seem to be pretty common right now.

I completely understand your anxiety about unexpected payments - I went through the same thing a few months ago! Based on all the responses here, it sounds like you're dealing with a routine COLA adjustment or Medicare premium correction, which is actually good news. One tip that really helped me when I was locked out of my SSA account: if you have any old SSA letters or documents lying around, gather them before calling. Having your previous benefit amounts, Medicare premium details, or even old correspondence numbers can help verify your identity over the phone much faster. Also, don't feel bad about not knowing what the payment was for - the SSA's communication about these adjustments is honestly pretty poor. They should really include a brief explanation with the deposit notification, but they rarely do. The detailed letter will come, and from what everyone's saying, it sounds like you'll be pleasantly surprised that it's money you were actually owed! Keep us posted when you get that explanation letter - I'm curious to see if it matches what others have experienced with the COLA backpay.

Thank you for breaking down those percentage details - that helps me understand what he might receive. So there's basically a floor of 82.5% of what my FRA benefit would have been. That's good to know. I really appreciate all this information!

I just wanted to add one more important detail that might be helpful - since your husband is a dual US/German citizen living in Germany, he should also be aware of the annual reporting requirements. Even though he's eligible for survivor benefits, the SSA may require him to complete Form SSA-7162 (Report of Contact) annually to continue receiving payments abroad. This is pretty standard for beneficiaries living outside the US, but it's something to keep in mind for the future. The Federal Benefits Unit in Germany can help guide him through this process when the time comes. Also, just echoing what others said about Claimyr - I've heard good things about that service for getting through to SSA representatives without the endless hold times!