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I started my benefits last year at 62 and I made sure to stay juuuust under the earnings limit. My sister went over by accident and they sent her this scary letter and stopped her benefits for like 3 months! Just keep really good track of what your earning. My boss was cool about it and would let me know when I was getting close to the limit so I could take time off if needed.
TechNinja
•That's good advice about tracking earnings carefully! One thing to add though - I've found the SSA's my Social Security online account is really helpful for this. You can check your reported earnings throughout the year to make sure you're staying under the limit. It's not real-time, but it helps catch potential problems before they become big issues at tax time.
NebulaNinja
Just wanted to add one more important detail that I learned the hard way - make sure you report ALL income sources to SSA when you apply, not just your main job. I forgot to mention some occasional weekend work I did helping neighbors with yard cleanups, and it came back to bite me during their annual review. Even cash payments count toward the earnings limit! Also, if you're getting any 1099 income (like if the garden center classifies you as a contractor instead of an employee), that counts too. The SSA gets copies of all your tax documents anyway, so it's better to be upfront about everything from the start.
ThunderBolt7
•This is such an important point that I wish someone had told me earlier! I only work at the garden center, but they do sometimes pay me cash for small side jobs like helping customers load plants into their cars or doing some weekend cleanup work. I never thought about that counting toward the earnings limit. Do you know if there's a minimum amount for cash payments that I need to report, or is it literally every dollar? I definitely don't want to get in trouble later for not disclosing something.
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PaulineW
One thing I didn't see mentioned - make sure you understand how working affects your survivor benefits if you're planning to continue working. Since you're under full retirement age, there's an earnings limit ($22,320 for 2025), and they deduct $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit. This doesn't apply after you reach your full retirement age. Also, the survivor benefit amount is based on several factors: your age when you claim, whether your husband had already started his benefits, and if he hadn't, whether you claim before or after his full retirement age. It can get confusing, so don't hesitate to ask the interviewer to explain exactly how your benefit amount was calculated.
That's a really important point about the earnings limit. I do work part-time and earn about $19,000 annually, so I should be under the limit, but I'll definitely ask about this during the interview. Thank you!
Anna Stewart
I'm so sorry for your loss, and I completely understand the anxiety around this process. I went through my survivor benefits interview about 18 months ago, and while it was nerve-wracking beforehand, the actual interview was much more straightforward than I expected. A few additional tips that helped me: - Have a glass of water nearby during the call. When you're nervous, your mouth can get dry and it helps to stay hydrated. - If you don't understand something they're explaining, it's perfectly okay to say "Could you repeat that more slowly?" or "I want to make sure I understand - are you saying...?" They're used to people needing clarification. - The representatives are generally patient and understanding. Remember, they deal with grieving spouses regularly and know this is a difficult time. Regarding your earnings, since you're under the $22,320 limit, you should be fine. Just be honest about your work situation - they appreciate transparency. You've gotten excellent advice here about the "restrict to widow's benefits only" language. The fact that you're prepared with the right terminology puts you way ahead of where I was! You're going to do better than you think. Please do update us after your interview - it might help the next person going through this.
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One other important thing to consider: if you do qualify for benefits as a divorced spouse caring for a disabled adult child, and you decide to reduce your work hours to stay under the earnings limit, make sure to calculate how that will affect your own future retirement benefit. Those reduced earnings years will be part of your benefit calculation. Sometimes it's better financially to keep working and wait until your own retirement age to claim benefits.
That's a really good point I hadn't considered. I'm 58 now, so any reduction in earnings could affect my own benefit calculation. I definitely need to get some concrete numbers to make an informed decision. Thank you!
I went through something very similar with my disabled son a few years ago! Here's what I learned that might help: The key thing is getting your MySocialSecurity account working again - that's your best bet for getting benefit estimates without the phone nightmare. Try the account recovery process first, but if you're still locked out after 24 hours, you might need to create a completely new account with a different email address. For your specific situation, since your son became disabled before 22 and you were married 10+ years, you likely have multiple benefit options to compare. The earnings test is brutal though - at $56K you'd lose a lot of any early spousal benefits, so running the numbers is crucial. One thing that helped me was requesting a "benefit verification letter" for my son through HIS MySocialSecurity account (if he has one or can create one). It shows his benefit type and amount, which can help clarify how his benefits might interact with yours. Also, if you do end up going to the local office, ask specifically for a "retirement estimate" that shows ALL your options - your own benefits, ex-spousal benefits, and any caregiver benefits you might qualify for. They can run scenarios for different claiming ages too. Hang in there - the system is frustrating but once you get the right information, you can make a solid plan!
Mia Green
•This is such helpful advice, thank you! I didn't think about having my son request his own benefit verification letter - that's brilliant. He does have some cognitive limitations but I help him with paperwork so we should be able to handle that. I'm definitely going to try creating a new MySocialSecurity account with a different email if the recovery doesn't work. The benefit estimate tools online would save me so much hassle compared to these phone calls. Your point about asking for ALL the options when I finally get to speak with someone (or visit the office) is really important. I want to make sure I'm not missing anything since this decision will affect both my immediate caregiving situation and my long-term financial security. It's reassuring to hear from someone who's been through this successfully. The system really is overwhelming when you're trying to balance work, caregiving, and planning for the future all at once!
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Caleb Stone
My sister went thru this and she said the problem was that her husband collected SS on HER record not his own thats why they both got hit when she made to much $. if ur hubby gets his own check based on his own work then ur fine!!!!
Daniel Price
•This is exactly right. The critical factor is which earnings record the benefits are paid from, not the tax filing status. If benefits are paid from the same earnings record (like a worker and their spouse who receives spousal benefits), then excess earnings by the worker affects both payments.
Thank you all for the helpful responses! I feel much better understanding that our tax filing status doesn't affect how Social Security handles the earnings limit. I'll file jointly with my husband since it won't put his benefits at risk. I'm still worried about how much they'll take from my benefits next year, but at least I know it won't affect my husband. Does anyone know if they just withhold future payments or do they sometimes send a bill asking for the money back in a lump sum?
Typically, SSA will give you options. They usually prefer to withhold future monthly payments until the overpayment is recovered. However, you can request to pay it back as a lump sum if that works better for you. If the withholding would cause financial hardship, you can also negotiate a lower monthly recovery rate. Just be aware that withholding stops once you reach your Full Retirement Age - after that, the earnings test no longer applies.
Liam Mendez
SEE!!! I TOLD YOU!!! So happy for you!! 🎉🎉🎉
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AstroAce
Congratulations on getting this sorted out! This is a perfect example of why it's so important to advocate for yourself when dealing with government agencies. The first representative clearly didn't understand the rules around divorced spouse benefits and federal pensions. For anyone else reading this thread who might face similar issues: always ask for a supervisor or technical expert if the information you're getting doesn't align with what you've researched or sounds inconsistent. SSA representatives are human and can make mistakes, especially with complex scenarios involving federal employment and divorced spouse benefits. Your persistence really paid off here, and I'm sure this thread will help other people in similar situations who might get incorrect information initially.
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Hannah White
•This is such an important point! I'm new to navigating Social Security and this whole thread has been eye-opening. It's really concerning that the first representative gave such wrong information about something so significant. I'm wondering - is there a way to report when reps give incorrect information like this? It seems like other people could be getting turned away when they're actually entitled to benefits. Also, are there any reliable resources or websites where we can double-check information before or after SSA appointments to make sure we're getting accurate guidance?
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