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Sorry but this is EXACTLY why I tell everyone to be VERY careful about taking early retirement!!! Your dad lost THOUSANDS by claiming at 62! His benefit would be at least $4500-5000 if he had waited until 70!!! And now your mom might get less survivor benefits because of his decision!!! Social Security is SO COMPLICATED and the govt makes it IMPOSSIBLE to understand on purpose!!!
ppl take early ss for lots of reasons tho... maybe he had health issues or needed the $ right away?? not everyone can wait till 70
Thank you all for the helpful responses! Based on your advice, I've talked with my mom and we're going to: 1. Calculate what 100% of dad's PIA would be (vs his reduced benefit) 2. Compare that to her current SSDI amount 3. Make sure she understands she'll need to apply for survivor benefits if/when the time comes It's a relief to know she'd have options if something happens to my dad. The divorce has been stressful enough without worrying about financial insecurity. I appreciate everyone sharing their knowledge and personal experiences!
That sounds like a solid plan. One additional suggestion: your mother should create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if she hasn't already. This will allow her to see her own earnings record and benefit estimates. While it won't show potential survivor benefits, it's still helpful to have all her current information organized and accessible. It will make the application process smoother if/when she needs to apply for survivor benefits in the future.
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One more important factor to consider: if you claim your benefit early at 64, and your husband passes away in the future, your survivor benefit would be affected. As a widow, you would be eligible for up to 100% of what your husband was receiving (including any delayed retirement credits), but if you had claimed your own benefit early, your survivor benefit would be reduced. This is one reason why, in couples with significant benefit differences, financial advisors often recommend that the lower-earning spouse consider claiming early while the higher-earning spouse delays as long as possible. This maximizes the survivor benefit protection.
I hadn't even thought about survivor benefits! That's a really important consideration. Since my husband is 5 years older than me, I should definitely be thinking about how my decisions now affect potential survivor benefits later. This gives me a lot to think about.
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When my husband passed away in 2015 I was really confused about all this too!! SSA is impossible to understand sometimes!!! One thing no one mentioned yet - has your sister checked her husband's earnings record to see what his benefit would have been? She should make a my social security account online to see her own projected benefit too if she hasn't already done that. No point stressing about all this if her own benefit will be higher anyway!!
That's a really good point! I don't think she's checked either record yet. I'll help her set up the MySocialSecurity account so she can compare them. Would be silly to go through all this if her own benefit is higher anyway!
I HATE how the SSA punishes people who work! It's ridiculous that they'll withhold benefits if your sister keeps working. The whole system feels designed to force older people to retire early or lose out. My father-in-law lost thousands in benefits because he didn't understand the earnings limit when he started taking benefits at 62 while still working part-time. The SSA sent him a notice a year later demanding repayment! Anyone still working should be VERY careful about claiming early.
While the earnings test might seem punitive, it's important to understand it's not actually a penalty in the long run. Benefits withheld due to the earnings test result in a recalculation and increase to your monthly benefit amount once you reach FRA. Essentially, you're getting credit for those months when benefits were withheld. However, your point about the surprise factor is absolutely valid. Many people don't understand this rule and are shocked when they receive an overpayment notice or discover their benefits are being withheld. The SSA could definitely improve their communication about this.
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anybody know if taking care of a sick parent counts for anything with social security? like do u get credits or something for being a caregiver?
Unfortunately, Social Security doesn't provide work credits for caring for family members. However, there are some states that have paid family leave programs that might provide some income during caregiving periods. It varies by state though. This wouldn't affect your Social Security record directly, but at least provides some income while caregiving.
To definitively resolve this, you need to request a detailed earnings record and benefit calculation from SSA. They can provide a year-by-year breakdown showing exactly which 35 years are being used in your calculation and how changes in future earnings might affect your benefit amount. This is the only way to get complete clarity on your specific situation. One tip: When you speak with SSA, specifically ask for your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) based on your current earnings record, and ask them to explain how continued work until FRA might have changed that amount. Be persistent in getting a detailed explanation rather than a general answer.
NeonNomad
My brothers disabled and his payment is exactly half of my moms retirement check. But when she first filed it took almost 12 weeks for his payment to change. SSA is crazy slow with everything!! Just hang tight, they'll get to it eventually.
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Amara Eze
•Just to clarify a technical point - the benefit isn't half of your mother's actual retirement check, but half of her Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). This is an important distinction because if your mother claimed benefits after her Full Retirement Age, her actual check is larger than her PIA due to delayed retirement credits. These delayed credits don't increase dependent benefits. Similarly, if someone claims early, their check is reduced, but the dependent's 50% is based on the full PIA, not the reduced amount.
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Jamal Anderson
Thank you everyone for your helpful responses! I'm relieved to hear this delay seems normal, though frustrated it takes so long. I'll wait another month before taking action. To clarify - my son's disability definitely began before age 22 (he was 20), so it sounds like he should qualify for the DAC benefits at 50% of my PIA (not my actual increased benefit for delaying to 68). I'm also glad to hear they'll backpay the increased amount once it's processed. I'll update here when it finally goes through in case it helps someone else in the future!
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Mei Zhang
•That sounds like a good plan. One more thing - when the adjustment finally happens, double-check that they've calculated the correct amount. Sometimes there are errors. Your son's new benefit should be 50% of your PIA (minus any Medicare premiums). If the amount seems off, don't hesitate to question it. Good luck!
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