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One more thing to consider: if you're planning to make any large purchases or have home repairs coming up, having that extra income now could help you avoid tapping into savings. That's a non-mathematical factor, but still important for many retirees. Based on everything you've shared, it sounds like claiming now aligns with your situation. Just make sure to coordinate with your husband on a plan for when one of you passes - the household will go from two SS benefits to one at that point, so having a financial cushion is important.
That's an excellent point about upcoming expenses. We actually do need a new roof next year, so having the additional monthly income would help with that. And yes, we've been working on updating our overall financial plan for when we eventually go from two benefits to one. Thank you for the thoughtful advice!
I'm in a very similar situation - turning 66 next month with a husband who's already collecting at his maximum benefit. After reading through all these responses, I'm leaning toward claiming now too. The break-even analysis that Dylan provided really helped clarify things for me. One additional consideration I'd mention is inflation protection. While Social Security has COLA adjustments, having that money in hand now means you can potentially invest it or use it for necessary expenses before costs rise further. With everything getting more expensive, that $175/month difference 8 months from now might not have the same purchasing power it would today. Also, since you mentioned you're fully retired, you won't have to worry about the earnings test, which is really the main "gotcha" for claiming before FRA. Sounds like you've done your homework and the math supports claiming now in your situation!
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my mom went thru something similar and she hired a financial advisor who specializes in SS to help her... maybe thats an option? it cost like $300 but saved her thousands in the long run because the SSA people kept telling her different things every time she called!! i mean you'll get decent advice here but a professional might be worth it for such a big decision
That's not a bad idea at all! Do you know what type of professional your mom used? Was it a financial advisor or someone who specifically specializes in Social Security?
it was a financial planner who specialized in retirement and SS benefits. she found him through her bank actually. he knew all these rules that the regular SSA people seemed confused about.
Another resource worth checking is the Social Security Administration's Program Operations Manual System (POMS) - it's their internal manual that's publicly available online. Section GN 00305.125 specifically covers survivor benefit applications and the ability to switch between benefits. I'd also suggest contacting your local Area Agency on Aging - they often have counselors trained in Social Security benefits who can provide free guidance. They're usually more knowledgeable about these complex scenarios than the general SSA staff. Given your past experience with SSA giving incorrect information, I'd recommend getting any promises or benefit calculations in writing before making your final decision. Ask them to provide a written estimate showing both your survivor benefit amount and your projected retirement benefit at 70, so you can make an informed comparison.
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One more thing to consider - if you're enrolling in Medicare at the same time, that starts the first day of your birthday month (July). So if you apply for both SS and Medicare together in March, your Medicare will begin July 1 regardless of when your SS benefits start. Just something to keep in mind for your overall retirement transition planning.
That's a great point about Medicare! Yes, I'll be enrolling in that too. So Medicare would start July 1, and then SS benefits would be for the month of July but paid in August. This helps me visualize the whole timeline better. Thank you!
Just wanted to add one more option you might consider - COBRA health insurance coverage. Since you're retiring at 65 and will be eligible for Medicare starting July 1st, you could potentially use COBRA to bridge your health insurance from July 1st until Medicare kicks in, which gives you more flexibility with your SS timing. Also, don't forget that you can change your mind about your SS start date up until the month before benefits begin, so if you apply in March for July benefits but your situation changes, you still have some wiggle room in your planning.
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Just to clarify a common misconception I'm seeing in some responses - the fact that your ex-husband was receiving SSDI rather than retirement benefits has no negative impact on your survivor benefit amount. The benefit calculation is based on his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is what he would have received at his full retirement age, regardless of when or what type of benefits he actually claimed. The reduction in your survivor benefits will be solely based on your age when you claim them. At exactly age 60, you'll receive approximately 71.5% of his PIA. Each month you wait beyond 60 increases this percentage slightly until you reach your full retirement age (probably 67 for you), at which point you'd receive 100% of his PIA. Additionally, since you'll be turning 60 in 2025, your FRA for survivor benefits is 67. This is important when calculating the exact reduction percentage.
Thank you for explaining this so clearly! So waiting from 60 to 67 would increase my survivor benefit by about 28.5%. That seems significant. Is there a chart somewhere that shows the exact percentage for each age? I'm trying to find the sweet spot between claiming early and maximizing the amount.
Yes, the SSA has a chart showing the reduction percentages. For someone with an FRA of 67 for survivor benefits: Age 60: 71.5% Age 61: 76.25% Age 62: 81% Age 63: 85.75% Age 64: 90.5% Age 65: 95.25% Age 66: 99% Age 67: 100% Each month in between adds a small percentage. The "sweet spot" depends on your health, financial needs, and how your own retirement benefit compares. If your own benefit at 70 will be significantly higher, claiming survivors at 60 might make sense despite the reduction, as it gives you income while your own benefit grows.
I'm in a very similar situation and found this thread incredibly helpful! My ex-husband passed away in 2023 while on SSDI, and I'll be turning 60 next month. After reading everyone's experiences, I'm now questioning whether I should file immediately or wait a bit longer. My biggest concern is the earnings test - I'm making about $40,000 annually and really can't afford to quit working. From what I'm understanding, most of my survivor benefits would be withheld due to the earnings limit. But I keep going back and forth on whether it's worth filing anyway just to get the process started. Has anyone here actually done the math on whether the eventual recalculation at FRA makes up for the hassle of dealing with withheld benefits? And does anyone know if there are any other benefits to having the survivor claim active (like qualifying for Medicare earlier) even if payments are being withheld? I've been trying to get through to SSA for weeks with no luck. The automated system just keeps hanging up on me after 20+ minutes of holding. This whole process is so stressful when you're already grieving.
I'm so sorry for your loss and completely understand the stress of dealing with all this while grieving. From what I've learned reading this thread, at your income level of $40,000, you'd be about $17,680 over the 2025 earnings limit, which means roughly $8,840 in annual benefits could be withheld. Whether it's worth filing depends on what your monthly survivor benefit would be. If it's high enough that you'd still receive some payments after the withholding, it might make sense. The recalculation at FRA does help, but it's not a dollar-for-dollar makeup - it's more like getting credit for those withheld months. Unfortunately, having an active survivor claim doesn't qualify you for Medicare earlier - that's still age 65 regardless. For the phone issue, I saw someone mention Claimyr earlier in the thread - might be worth looking into that service to get through to an actual person. This whole situation is hard enough without the added frustration of not being able to reach anyone for help. Hang in there - you'll get through this process eventually.
Ethan Wilson
For 2025, the IRMAA thresholds for Medicare Part B and D start at $103,000 for single filers. Based on your income estimates (SS + FERS + 401k), you'll be below that threshold so you should pay the standard premium. But it's good to be aware of this for future planning, especially if you decide to take larger 401k distributions later.
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Elin Robinson
I'm just starting to research this topic as I'm approaching retirement age myself. This thread has been incredibly helpful! One question I have - if you're already receiving Social Security benefits and realize you need to start withholding taxes, can you submit the W-4V form at any time during the year, or do you have to wait until the next calendar year? I want to make sure I don't get caught off guard like some of the stories shared here.
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Taylor To
•You can submit the W-4V form at any time during the year - you don't have to wait! I submitted mine in the middle of the tax year when I realized I needed withholding, and it took effect within a few weeks. The SSA will start withholding from your next payment cycle after they process the form. It's definitely better to start withholding mid-year than to get hit with a big tax bill in April. Just make sure to account for the partial year when calculating how much to withhold.
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