Thank you all for the helpful advice! I think we're going to start with the online application but make sure to explicitly mention the spousal benefits in the remarks section. Then we'll follow up with a phone call to confirm everything is being processed correctly. If we run into trouble getting through on the phone, I might try that Claimyr service that someone mentioned. It's reassuring to hear from people who've been through similar situations. I'll update this thread once we get everything sorted out in case it helps someone else down the road. I really appreciate all your insights!

Good luck with your application! Just wanted to add one more tip - when you do the online application, take screenshots of each page as you go through it. I learned this the hard way when my mom applied and we had questions later about what she had entered. Having those screenshots saved us a lot of confusion when we needed to reference her original answers during a follow-up call. Also, if you do end up needing to call, try calling right when they open at 8am - the wait times are usually much shorter first thing in the morning. Hope everything goes smoothly for you and your wife!

btw make sure when you DO file that you do it online if possible! the SS offices are still backed up from covid and appointments take FOREVER to get. online was super easy for me took like 30 min tops

One more consideration since you mentioned you worked for state government: If any of your state employment wasn't covered by Social Security (common for some state/local government jobs), you might be subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO). These could affect your Social Security benefit calculations. Worth checking if this applies to your situation before filing.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I just checked my Social Security statement online and it does show earnings for all my years of work including my FERS time, which confirms what many of you have said about paying into the system during that time. I'm relieved to know that WEP probably won't affect me much since I was in FERS. I'm going to try to schedule an appointment with SSA to get the exact calculations. If I can't get through on the phone, I'll try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. One more question - does anyone know if any of this affects when I should start taking my Social Security benefits? I'll be 63 next year when I retire, but wondering if I should wait until my full retirement age or even 70?

As someone who went through a similar transition (federal service to private sector), I can confirm what others have said about FERS not being affected by WEP the same way CSRS is. However, I'd also recommend looking into whether you qualify for the "special retirement supplement" (SRS) if you retire before age 62. Since you have 23 years of FERS service, you might be eligible for this temporary payment that bridges the gap until you can claim Social Security at 62. The SRS is designed to approximate what your Social Security benefit would be based on your federal service alone, and it can provide valuable income during those early retirement years. Just something else to factor into your retirement planning timeline!

Based on what you've described, your best strategy is likely to focus on your own benefit. Since it will be higher than your potential spousal benefit (50% of your husband's FRA amount), you'll want to consider whether to take your own benefit early at 62 (with a permanent reduction) or wait until your Full Retirement Age (67) or even age 70 (for maximum benefits). Each year you delay claiming from 62 to 70 increases your benefit by approximately 8%, which is a guaranteed return that's hard to beat elsewhere. But of course, that depends on your health, financial needs, and other retirement income sources. And as others mentioned, definitely account for any potential WEP/GPO impacts in your calculations.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you might want to look into whether your husband has enough quarters of coverage under Social Security to even qualify for benefits. Since he's been primarily in a teaching system that doesn't pay into SS, he may not have the required 40 quarters (10 years) of covered employment to be eligible for Social Security benefits at all. If he doesn't qualify for his own SS benefit, then there wouldn't be any spousal benefit for you to claim from his record anyway. You'd only be eligible for survivor benefits if he passes away and had enough work credits. This could actually simplify your planning since you'd just focus entirely on optimizing your own benefit timing. You can check his coverage by looking at his Social Security Statement online - it will show exactly how many quarters he has earned under the SS system.

To simplify what's been said and clarify a key point: if you wait until August 2025 (your FRA month) to START collecting Social Security benefits, then: 1. Your January-July 2025 earnings won't affect your benefits at all, regardless of amount 2. From August onward, you can earn unlimited income with no benefit reduction The earnings test only applies when you're actually receiving benefits before FRA. Since you're planning to start benefits exactly at your FRA month, the earnings test essentially doesn't apply to your situation at all. This is one of the advantages of waiting until exactly your FRA month to start benefits.

Just wanted to add one more consideration for your consulting work - make sure you're properly set up for self-employment taxes! Since you'll be earning $3k+ monthly from consulting, you'll likely need to make quarterly estimated tax payments to avoid penalties. The IRS generally expects payments if you'll owe $1,000 or more in taxes. Also, don't forget that as a consultant you'll be paying both the employer and employee portions of Social Security and Medicare taxes (15.3% total), though you can deduct half of this on your tax return. This is separate from the Social Security earnings test discussion but important for your overall financial planning. Good luck with the transition to consulting - sounds like you've got the Social Security timing figured out perfectly!