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When I was figuring all this out last year I made a spreadsheet with different income scenarios to see how much more tax I'd pay on my benefits at different income levels. It was eye-opening! Even though there's no benefit reduction after FRA, the tax bite can be significant if you have a good job. Worth doing the math before you decide how much to work.
That's a really smart idea about creating a spreadsheet. I'm going to do that this weekend to see exactly how different income levels might affect my overall situation. Better to know in advance than be surprised at tax time!
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im confused - i thought you HAD to file for spousal benefits??? my neighbor gets a spousal benefit from her husband's record but she had to specifically ask for it when she went to the ss office
Your neighbor may have been grandfathered into the old rules. For people born before January 2, 1954, they could choose to take only spousal benefits while letting their own retirement benefit grow. But due to changes from the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, anyone born January 2, 1954 or later is subject to deemed filing, meaning they automatically apply for all benefits they're eligible for when they file. The SSA will pay whichever benefit amount is higher, but not both.
Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I feel much better now understanding that my decision to file at my FRA won't negatively impact my husband's future benefits. I'll definitely check my earnings record as suggested and make sure everything is accurate before I submit my application. I appreciate all of your insights and personal experiences!
You're welcome! One last tip: when you do apply, print out your application confirmation page and keep records of everything. It's also good practice to check your bank account around the expected deposit date to make sure your payment arrives as scheduled. Your first payment should arrive the month after your birthday month (so August, in your case).
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Maybe this is a stupid question but why not just apply for SSI if SSDI isnt gonna work out? At least youd get something AND medicaid which helps with all the cancer treatment costs. Thats what my cousin did when he couldnt get SSDI cuz he hadnt worked in years.
That's not a stupid question at all! You're absolutely right that SSI might be an option if SSDI doesn't work out. However, there are some important differences: 1. SSI payments are generally lower than SSDI (maximum of $943/month for individuals in 2025) 2. SSI has strict asset limits of $2,000 for individuals 3. SSDI has no asset limits and payment amounts are based on your prior earnings 4. After 24 months on SSDI, you qualify for Medicare Ideally, OP should pursue both paths - try to establish an onset date for SSDI that falls before their Date Last Insured expired, while also continuing with the SSI application as a backup plan. That's likely why SSA is processing both.
Just wanted to add - make sure you tell SSA about ALL of your medical conditions, not just the cancer. If your disability claim goes back to 2012, they need to know everything that contributed to your inability to work back then. Many successful disability claims involve multiple conditions that combined make working impossible.
That's an excellent point. I have several chronic conditions besides the cancer that started back in 2012-2013. I'll make sure to document all of them and find my old medical records. Thank you!
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did u check if u qualify for spousal benefits? might get more that way depending on what ur spouse earned
I'm divorced (after 20 years of marriage) and never remarried. My ex made about the same as me income-wise. I know I can claim on his record since we were married over 10 years, but I think my own benefit would be higher? Not sure how to compare them.
To answer your question about seeing which 35 years SSA uses: Unfortunately, the my Social Security portal doesn't show exactly which years they're using in the calculation. They take your highest 35 years after indexing them for inflation (older earnings get adjusted upward). Regarding your divorce situation: You can claim on your ex-spouse's record if you were married 10+ years and haven't remarried. You'd get 50% of their FRA benefit amount if that's higher than your own benefit. With similar earnings histories, your own benefit is likely higher, but it's worth checking with SSA. And yes, the delayed retirement credit is 8% per year after FRA until age 70, so waiting from 66+6mo to 70 would give you about a 28% larger monthly benefit for life.
Thank you so much for the detailed explanation! This has been incredibly helpful. I think I'll schedule an appointment with the SSA to go over all these options before making my final decision.
Aaliyah Reed
one more thing - make SURE they understand ur wanting to take ONLY the widow benefit and let ur own retirement benefit grow until 70. sometimes they dont understand that and put u on retirement benefits instead of widows if that's higher. happened to my sister and it was a nightmare to fix!!
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Daniel Rogers
•Oh no, I didn't even think about that! That's exactly what I want to do - take husband's now and switch to mine at 70. I'll make sure to be super clear about that. Thanks for the warning.
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Ella Russell
To clarify a key point here: Widow(er) benefits reach their maximum at your FRA - not before. If the SSA told you you'd get the full amount before your FRA, that information is incorrect. What makes this particularly important in your situation is that you're planning the common strategy of taking reduced survivor benefits while letting your own retirement benefit grow until age 70. This is often the optimal approach for widows/widowers with strong earnings records. I recommend calling the SSA back and specifically asking these questions: 1. What exact percentage of my deceased husband's benefit will I receive starting in May 2026? 2. When exactly will my survivor benefit reach 100% (this should be your FRA month)? 3. Can they document this information in writing for your records?
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Daniel Rogers
•Thank you for this detailed explanation and the specific questions to ask. I'll write these down exactly as you've phrased them and call back tomorrow. Having the right questions makes such a difference when dealing with complicated benefits!
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