Just to add one more point - if you do decide to apply for benefits based on your husband's record, you'll need to provide: 1) your marriage certificate, 2) both your Social Security numbers, and 3) his date of birth. If you don't have his SSN, SSA can usually find it with his name and date of birth. You don't need to communicate with him directly to apply for spousal benefits. SSA has this information in their system and can verify your relationship status when you apply.

I'm in a somewhat similar situation - married but separated for about 10 years now. One thing I learned when I went through this research last year is that you can actually receive spousal benefits even if your husband hasn't filed for his own benefits yet, as long as he's eligible to receive them (meaning he's at least 62). This is called "independently entitled" spousal benefits. Also, since you mentioned health concerns, you might want to look into whether you could qualify for Medicare early due to disability. If you can get on Medicare before 65, it might help with those health issues and potentially influence your decision about when to claim Social Security. The separation length really doesn't matter as long as you're still legally married. I know it feels weird after being apart so long, but legally you're still spouses with all the same benefit rights as any married couple.

my financial guy told me the best thing is usually for the lower earner to claim at 62 and higher earner wait till 70. that way u get some money flowing in early but also maximize the survivor benefit for later. worked good for us!

As someone new to understanding Social Security benefits, this conversation has been incredibly enlightening! I'm 58 and my husband is 61, so we're starting to think seriously about these decisions. One thing I'm still unclear on - if my husband files for his benefits at 62 but I wait until my FRA to claim spousal benefits, will I get the full 50% of his PIA even though he filed early? From Diego's examples, it looks like the answer is yes, but I want to make sure I understand correctly. Also, does anyone know if there are any recent changes to these rules? I feel like every time I think I understand Social Security, someone mentions that the rules changed a few years ago!

One more thing to consider - when you apply in January 2025, your benefit won't actually start until February, and your first payment will arrive in March. Social Security pays a month behind, so February's payment comes in March, March's in April, etc. Make sure you have enough savings to tide you over during that initial gap, especially if your work situation is uncertain!

I'm in a similar boat - turned 69 last month and considering filing soon rather than waiting until 70. One thing I learned from my financial advisor is that you can actually change your mind about the timing up until you receive your first payment. So if you file in January but your work situation stabilizes, you could potentially withdraw your application before February and wait until 70 after all. Also, regarding your question about continuing to work - I've been tracking this closely and yes, even after you start benefits, any year where your earnings are higher than one of your current "top 35" earning years will boost your benefit. The recalculation happens automatically, though as others mentioned, it can take several months to show up. The key thing is having that financial cushion for the transition period. Sounds like you're being smart and practical about your situation rather than just following the "always wait until 70" advice that doesn't account for real-world uncertainties.

Thank you all so much for the helpful information! I feel much better understanding that I could switch to my husband's higher benefit if needed. I'll definitely reach out to SSA directly for specific calculations, and I appreciate the tip about Claimyr if I have trouble getting through. The information about reporting quickly and keeping documents organized is really valuable too. It's not a pleasant topic to think about, but I feel more prepared now.

I'm glad you found all this information helpful, Javier! Just to add one more resource - the Social Security Administration has a helpful publication called "Survivors Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10084) that you can find on their website at ssa.gov. It breaks down all the rules in plain language. Also, don't forget that if you do become eligible for survivor benefits, you can potentially delay claiming them (if you're not already receiving your own retirement benefits) to earn delayed retirement credits up until age 70, which could increase the monthly amount. Since you're both already receiving benefits, this wouldn't apply to your situation, but it's good to know for others reading this thread. Take care!

One additional consideration - if you decide to keep working until May to maximize your benefit, remember you can actually file for benefits up to 4 months before you want them to start. So you could submit your application in January 2025 but specify May 2025 as your benefit start date. This gives SSA time to process everything so there's no delay in your payments once May arrives.

Just wanted to add that you should also consider checking your Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov/myaccount to see your projected benefit amounts at different claiming ages. This will give you the exact dollar figures for your situation rather than estimates. The statement shows your benefits at age 62, full retirement age, and age 70, so you can see precisely how much that 4-month difference would cost you monthly. It might help you make a more informed decision about whether to tough it out until May or not. Good luck with whatever you decide!