i changed my mind like 10 times before filing lol. in the end i just went with my gut feeling. sometimes u can overthink these things ya know?

I'm really sorry to hear about your cancer battles, and I'm glad you're in remission now. Your health history definitely adds complexity to this decision. One thing that might help is to think about this in terms of "insurance" rather than just maximizing dollars. If you file now at 64, you're essentially buying peace of mind and guaranteed income for however long you live. The break-even calculations assume average lifespans, but your situation is unique. Have you considered doing a "what-if" analysis? Calculate how much you'd receive monthly if you file now versus waiting, then multiply by different time horizons (5 years, 10 years, 15 years) to see the total payout under each scenario. This might give you a clearer picture of the financial trade-offs. Also, don't forget about the non-financial benefits of filing earlier - less stress about future health issues, ability to enjoy the money while you're feeling well, and flexibility to make other life decisions without worrying about optimizing SS timing. Whatever you decide, make sure it's a decision you can live with comfortably. The "perfect" mathematical choice doesn't matter if it keeps you up at night worrying.

Based on your additional details (good health, family longevity, home ownership, and reasonable retirement savings), here's my recommendation: File for your benefits now at 69. The immediate income will preserve your emergency fund during this uncertain period. The difference between 69 and 70 is only an 8% increase in benefits, which is significant but not dramatic enough to justify financial stress now. Focus on protecting your larger retirement accounts from premature withdrawals, as those have greater long-term implications than the difference in your SS benefit.

Great decision! One thing to add - since you mentioned you're an engineer, check if you have any consulting opportunities that might come up after you start collecting. At 69, you're past full retirement age so there's no earnings test penalty. You could potentially earn unlimited income from consulting work without affecting your Social Security benefits. This could give you the best of both worlds - guaranteed SS income now plus potential project-based income if opportunities arise. Many companies prefer experienced consultants for short-term technical projects, and your engineering background could be valuable even if full-time positions are scarce.

Thank you for this detailed advice. I'll definitely ask about that calculator and make sure I understand how they're determining my benefit amount. I really appreciate everyone's help - I was completely in the dark about possibly being eligible for any survivor benefits, and now I feel like I have a clear action plan!

I'm so glad you found this thread helpful! As someone who's navigated the SSA system recently, I wanted to add one more tip - when you call SSA, try calling right when they open at 8am local time. That's when I've had the best luck getting through quickly. Also, make sure you have all your documents ready: your husband's death certificate, his Social Security number, your marriage certificate, and information about your teacher pension (amount, start date, etc.). The representative will need all of this to run the GPO calculation for you. Good luck, and I hope you're able to get some survivor benefits! Even a few hundred dollars a month can make a real difference on a fixed income.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful information! After reading all your comments, I understand now that: 1. My husband's benefit won't be reduced no matter how many eligible people claim on his record 2. My spousal benefit (up to 50% of his PIA) isn't reduced because his ex-wife is also claiming 3. The only reduction I'll face is due to claiming early at 62 instead of waiting until my FRA 4. The family maximum likely won't apply in our situation This is such a huge relief! I'll still try to speak with SSA directly to confirm everything for our specific situation, but at least now I know what questions to ask. This forum has been incredible - thank you all!

Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - when you do talk to SSA, ask them to run the numbers for claiming at different ages (62, your FRA, and 70). Since you mentioned you're planning to claim next year at 62, it's worth seeing the dollar difference between claiming early versus waiting. The spousal benefit doesn't grow past your FRA like your own retirement benefit does, but if your own work record is substantial, waiting until 70 could significantly increase your personal benefit. Sometimes the math works out better to wait on your own record even if you could claim spousal benefits earlier. Good luck with your new marriage and navigating all this!

I really appreciate everyone's responses! To summarize what I understand now: Taking my own retirement 5 months early will only reduce MY benefit by about 2.8%, and won't affect any future survivor benefits from my ex-husband's record. When he eventually passes away, I'll get the higher of either my reduced benefit OR his full benefit (assuming he didn't claim early himself). This makes my decision much simpler. I'll probably go ahead with claiming 5 months early since the reduction is fairly small.

Just wanted to add one more consideration that I don't think was fully addressed - make sure you understand the timing rules for survivor benefits. You can claim survivor benefits as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled), but they'll be reduced if you claim before your FRA. However, you have flexibility in timing - you could potentially claim your own reduced retirement benefit now, then switch to survivor benefits later when your ex passes (if that benefit is higher). The key is that you're not locked into any permanent reduction of the survivor benefit by taking your own retirement early. Good luck with your decision!