Back to your original question - there is NO specific hours limit for any type of employment when collecting retirement benefits. The only thing that matters is the earnings limit before FRA. After FRA, you have no restrictions whatsoever - you can work 100 hours a week and earn millions if you want, with no impact on your Social Security retirement benefits. For those 3 months (Jan-Mar 2025), just keep your earnings under $1,850/month and you'll be fine. Or consider changing your filing date to April as someone suggested.

Great decision Paolo! Just wanted to add that you typically have up to 12 months from your benefit start date to withdraw your application if you change your mind. You'd need to pay back any benefits received, but it's an option if you decide later that waiting until FRA would have been better. Also, if you do stick with the January start date, remember that the earnings test is applied on an annual basis too. So even if you go over $1,850 in one of those months, SSA will also do a yearly calculation that might work in your favor. But honestly, starting in April sounds like the cleaner approach given your work situation!

I'm really sorry you're going through this Carmen. The combination of WEP and GPO can be devastating for educators and other public servants. Just to add to what others have said - when you do get that appointment at SSA, make sure to bring all your documentation: your teacher's pension award letter, your complete work history, and any W-2s or 1099s from your covered employment years. One small thing that might help - if you have any years where you worked both teaching and a covered job simultaneously, those earnings might count differently in the WEP calculation. Also, some teachers worked summer jobs or substitute taught in districts that DID pay into Social Security, which could add to your covered quarters. The system really is unfair to people who dedicated their careers to public service. I hope the appointment gives you at least some clarity, even if the outcome isn't what you're hoping for. Hang in there!

Carmen, I feel your frustration - the WEP/GPO rules are incredibly complex and can be devastating for educators. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given: when you visit the SSA office, ask them to show you exactly how they calculated your WEP reduction on your own benefit. Sometimes there are errors in how they apply the formula, especially if you have a mix of covered and non-covered years. Also, since you mentioned working some covered jobs before teaching, make sure they're using the correct "substantial earnings" years in the WEP calculation. The threshold changes annually, and jobs from decades ago might qualify as "substantial" even if they seemed small at the time. I know it's a long shot given your pension amount, but sometimes there are nuances in the GPO calculation that aren't immediately obvious. The 2/3 reduction isn't always straightforward, especially if there were any periods where you paid into Social Security while teaching. Keep advocating for yourself - you paid into the system during those 15 covered years and deserve to have every detail reviewed carefully. Good luck with your appointment!

congratulations! glad it went smooth for you. my mom did this same thing last year (survivor to own benefits at 70) and she had no problems either. i think people mostly post when things go wrong not when they go right lol

I'm so glad to hear about your positive experience! As someone who will likely face a similar transition in a few years (currently 67 and on survivor benefits), this gives me hope. I've been dreading the process after reading so many horror stories here. Quick question - did you need to provide any additional documentation during the call, or did they have everything they needed from your previous survivor benefits application? I'm wondering if I should start gathering paperwork now or if the transition is more straightforward than I'm expecting. Also, did they explain how the cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) would work during the transition? I'm curious if there's any timing issue with getting the full COLA increase when switching benefit types.

Thank you all SO much for these insights. I'm learning toward waiting until my FRA now to avoid the headache of documentation and possible disputes with SSA. But if I do decide to claim early, I'll definitely: 1. Get professional advice about structuring my practice 2. Set up meticulous documentation of all work hours 3. Create clear boundaries showing reduced work schedule 4. Use that Claimyr service to actually speak with someone at SSA before making my decision Never realized what a complicated mess this would be as a self-employed person. The SSA publications make it seem much simpler than it actually is in practice!

As someone who's been through the self-employment SS claiming process, I'd strongly recommend creating a detailed work log NOW, even if you don't claim for another year or two. I wish I had started documenting earlier - SSA wanted records going back months when I applied. For your therapy practice specifically, track: actual client session hours, documentation/notes time, insurance billing hours, and any administrative work. Also note when you're genuinely "off" - weekends, evenings, vacation days. This creates a clear picture of reduced work activity that SSA looks for. One thing that helped me was establishing set office hours (like 9-3, M-Th only) and sticking to them religiously. It shows intentional retirement from full-time work, not just temporary reduced income. Your gradual client reduction plan over 4-5 years could work well if properly documented as a retirement transition rather than just business fluctuation. The burnout factor is real - sometimes the peace of mind from claiming early (even with reduced benefits) outweighs the financial optimization of waiting. Just make sure you understand exactly what you're getting into with the earnings test compliance.

OMG this makes me so nervous! I'm turning 60 next month and planning to apply for survivor benefits. Now I'm scared they'll give me wrong info too! Did you research before going in or just trust what they told you? I've been reading so many articles but they all say different things about how survivor benefits work!

This is exactly the kind of bureaucratic nightmare that makes people lose faith in the system. I'm a retired federal employee (not SSA) and have seen this pattern countless times - contradictory information, lost paperwork, and reps who don't understand their own procedures. Your situation highlights a critical flaw: you were given incorrect information that cost you potentially thousands of dollars, then when you tried to correct it, the system failed you again. The fact that your withdrawal has been in limbo for 6 months is unacceptable. Here's what I'd recommend as your next steps: 1. File a complaint with your Congressional representative's office - they have staff specifically for SSA issues and can often get faster results than going through normal channels 2. Document everything in writing and send a certified letter to your local SSA office manager outlining the timeline and requesting immediate action 3. Request all communications be provided in writing going forward The "misinformation provision" mentioned earlier is real and could protect you from penalties, but you need to document that initial incorrect advice you received. Don't let them rush you into decisions at appointments - if something doesn't sound right, ask for time to verify the information. You shouldn't have to become an expert in Social Security law just to get the benefits you're entitled to. This system is broken and your experience proves it.