Great to hear you got some clarity! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear - that you'll get retroactive payments back to when your pension amount actually changes. Make sure to get multiple copies of that pension administrator letter since SSA has a habit of "losing" paperwork. Also, if possible, try to get a receipt showing you submitted the documentation. Good luck with your appointment next week!

I've been through a very similar situation with GPO and spousal benefits! When my state teacher's pension was recalculated (reduced due to an error in their calculations), I became eligible for a small portion of my ex-husband's Social Security benefits after the GPO reduction. The key thing I learned is that you should receive retroactive payments back to the exact date your pension amount officially changed, not just 6 months. In my case, it was about 14 months of back pay because that's how long it took from when my pension was corrected until SSA processed everything. Make sure you have the pension administrator put the effective date of the change clearly in their letter - this is what SSA will use to calculate your retroactive period. Also, be prepared for the process to take a few months even after you submit everything. But the good news is that once it's approved, the back pay usually comes pretty quickly after that. Your calculation sounds about right too - with a $1,350 pension, the GPO would reduce your spousal benefit by about $900, leaving you with around $75/month from the original $975. Every little bit helps!

Just want to add something that might be helpful - when you do apply for survivor benefits, consider scheduling an appointment at your local SSA office rather than doing it over the phone. I've found that in-person visits tend to result in fewer miscommunications and you can walk away with copies of everything you submit. Also, if your ex-husband's benefit amount changes between now and when you might need to claim (due to cost of living adjustments or if he continues working), your potential survivor benefit would be based on his benefit amount at the time of his death, not what it is currently. So that $2,800 estimate could actually be higher by the time you'd need to claim it. Keep all your divorce paperwork in an easily accessible place - you'll need the divorce decree that shows the marriage duration when you apply.

I wanted to add one more important point that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you do end up receiving survivor benefits based on your ex-husband's record, you should be aware that these benefits could potentially be subject to income taxes depending on your total income. Since survivor benefits are generally treated the same as retirement benefits for tax purposes, if your combined income (including any other sources) exceeds certain thresholds, a portion of your Social Security benefits may become taxable. This is something to keep in mind for tax planning purposes. Also, if you're currently receiving any state benefits or assistance programs, switching from SSDI to survivor benefits might affect your eligibility for those programs, so it's worth checking with those agencies as well. The good news is that survivor benefits are generally more stable than SSDI since they don't require ongoing disability reviews in the same way.

btw you should know they don't make the first SS payment right ON your birthday month. My dad had to wait until the month AFTER he turned 66 to get his first payment. something about how they pay for the previous month or something weird like that

Update: We received the Direct Express card in the mail yesterday! Just as many of you predicted. We're going to use it for now and then go to the local SSA office next month to see about switching to direct deposit once we set up a joint checking account. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

Thanks for all the helpful responses! I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences. Sounds like calling is my best option, but I'll try that service if I can't get through. I'll make sure to verify the suspension took effect by checking my online account afterward. And I'll definitely set up separate Medicare premium payments right away so there's no gap in coverage. Thanks again!

One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're working and earning income while collecting Social Security, suspending your benefits might actually save you from the earnings test complications too. Even though the earnings test doesn't apply after FRA, some people don't realize they're still subject to it in the year they reach FRA for months before their birthday month. Also, since you mentioned your financial situation changed and you don't need the income right now, consider whether you might want to do some Roth conversions during the suspension period while your taxable income is lower. The delayed retirement credits are guaranteed, but having more tax-free income in retirement through Roth accounts could be another nice benefit of this strategy. Good luck with the process!

One more important thing to consider - are you still contributing to a 401(k) or other tax-deferred retirement account? If so, those contributions reduce your countable income for the earnings test. So if you're making $70,000 but contributing $8,000 to a 401(k), your countable earnings would only be $62,000 - under the limit! This is a strategy many people overlook.

I went through a very similar situation in 2023! One thing that really helped me was creating a month-by-month earnings tracker to make sure I stayed under the limit. Since you're planning to start benefits in February, you'll want to be extra careful about tracking your cumulative earnings from January forward. Also, don't forget that the earnings limit only applies to W-2 wages and self-employment income - it doesn't include things like pension payments, investment income, or rental income. So if you have any other income sources, those won't count against your $62,160 limit. The 401(k) contribution strategy that Zainab mentioned is gold! I increased my contributions by about $10,000 that year specifically to stay under the earnings limit, and it worked perfectly. Just make sure your payroll department processes the contribution changes quickly enough to affect your early paychecks. One last tip: Keep detailed records of everything. SSA sometimes makes mistakes in calculating earnings, and having your own documentation makes resolving any issues much faster. Good luck with whatever you decide!