@OP Yes, there will be a gap. After your youngest turns 16, your caregiver benefits stop, and you won't be eligible again until either your own early retirement age (62) or your full retirement age. This is often called the "caregiver gap" and unfortunately, there's not much you can do about it unless you qualify for some other type of benefit. Many people return to work during this period if possible.

One more important thing: Benefits for children and caregivers may reduce the total family benefits due to the Family Maximum Benefit limit, but they do NOT reduce your husband's own retirement benefit. His check stays the same regardless of how many dependents receive benefits on his record. And yes, you'll have a gap between when your youngest turns 16 and when you can claim retirement benefits (earliest at 62).

my cousin worked for ssa for 30 yrs and she always said the wep is the most complicated thing they deal with!! even the agents get confused about it sometimes lol. just keep working and saving ur money dont count on ss to save u

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I'm going to try to increase my hours at the bookstore to see if I can get closer to the substantial earnings threshold, though $28,050 might be a stretch for part-time work. Even if I can't eliminate the WEP completely, it sounds like there's still value in continuing to work and pay into Social Security. I'll be keeping track of my earnings more carefully now that I understand how this works. And I might try that Claimyr service to finally speak with someone at SSA and get information specific to my situation. Really appreciate all the advice!

Just to follow up on the survivor benefit discussion - that's absolutely correct. Maximizing your individual benefits also maximizes potential survivor benefits, which is an important consideration for married couples. To sum up your situation: 1. The "restricted application" strategy (claiming spousal while letting your own grow) is not available to you since you were born after January 1, 1954. 2. When you file for benefits, you'll be deemed to be filing for all benefits you're eligible for and will receive the highest amount. 3. At your current age of 68, your own retirement benefit has already accumulated significant delayed retirement credits and is almost certainly higher than any spousal benefit you could receive. 4. Both of you waiting until 70 to claim will maximize your individual benefits and also provide the highest potential survivor benefit for whichever of you lives longer. Based on the information you've provided, waiting until 70 appears to be your optimal strategy.

my sister tried to do what ur talking about and SSA said no. but then she went to a different office and they told her something completely different! the right hand doesnt know what the left is doing over there lol

Just to clarify something important about survivor benefits that many people misunderstand: If you're already at full retirement age when you apply for widow's benefits, you'll get 100% of your deceased spouse's benefit amount. But if you take your own retirement early (before your FRA), and then later switch to survivor benefits, your survivor benefit won't be reduced. However, if you take survivor benefits early (before your survivor FRA), they will be reduced. The reduction amounts are different than for regular retirement benefits. This is why it's so important to compare scenarios like the agent did for you. Sometimes taking your own reduced benefit first, then switching to survivor benefits at your FRA is the best strategy.

My mother had a similar experience when my dad passed. She was shocked they answered all her questions by phone. I think people don't realize that for many common situations (especially straightforward survivor benefits), they've really improved their phone service. Now getting through and not being on hold for 2 hours is another story...

After reviewing your numbers more carefully, I'm concerned about your estimate of $3,800 at age 70. That would be an unusually high benefit (it's above the maximum benefit even for someone who earned at the taxable maximum their entire career). The maximum benefit for someone retiring at age 70 in 2025 is projected to be around $4,873, but that's only for people who earned at or above the maximum taxable amount for 35+ years. I strongly recommend creating an account at my.ssa.gov if you haven't already, so you can see your actual projected benefits based on your work history. This will help you make a more informed decision.

Based on your corrected estimate of $2,850 at age 70 vs. $1,425 spousal benefit now, waiting still makes financial sense IF you can afford to. The break-even point would be around age 82-83. If you expect to live beyond that age (which statistics suggest is likely), waiting to claim your own benefit would give you more lifetime income. However, if immediate income is essential, taking reduced benefits now might be necessary despite the long-term financial penalty. Personal circumstances sometimes outweigh optimal claiming strategies. No shame in that - we all have to work with real-world constraints.