One more important tip: during the hearing, stick to the facts and timeline rather than expressing frustration with SSA (even though it's justified!). ALJs respond better to clinical presentations of procedural errors than emotional appeals. I found that keeping my presentation focused on dates, regulations, and documentation was most effective.

btw don't send original documents!!! only send COPIES. my friend sent originals and ssa lost them all!! make sure u keep ur originals safe

I just went through this myself. The bank froze our account the day after my husband died when the funeral home reported his death!!! I couldn't access OUR money for almost 2 weeks even though it was joint! Had to borrow from my daughter to pay for groceries. When I called SS they said the bank shouldn't have done that but they couldn't help. Depends on your bank's policies!

To clarify some confusion in this thread: Social Security does NOT directly freeze bank accounts upon death. However, several related things do happen: 1. SSA must be notified of death (usually by funeral homes or family) 2. SSA will reclaim payments made for the month of death and after 3. Many BANKS have their own policies about freezing accounts when an account holder dies 4. Joint accounts legally pass to the surviving owner, but banks may still implement temporary holds 5. The probate process may affect certain accounts depending on your state laws If you're concerned, I recommend: 1) Talk to your bank about their specific death policies for joint accounts, 2) Consider keeping some emergency funds elsewhere, and 3) Make sure you both have individual accounts as well.

I remember my financial advisor telling me that ANYTHING that simplifies dealing with SSA is worth considering. Even if the process isn't technically automatic, having your records already linked through spousal benefits creates a clearer trail. When dealing with SSA during what will already be a difficult emotional time, any potential simplification might be worth that small paperwork hassle now.

One additional consideration: Current rules require reporting a death to SSA within 30 days. Survivor benefits can only be paid from the time of application in most cases, not retroactively from the date of death. Whether you receive spousal benefits or not, what's most important is knowing the process for when the time comes: 1. Report the death promptly (within 30 days) 2. Apply for survivor benefits (can't be done online, must be by phone or in-person) 3. Have necessary documentation (death certificate, marriage certificate, birth certificate, tax records) Having the spousal relationship already established in SSA's systems might help prevent certain documentation requirements or verification steps, but the core process remains the same.

My friend says shes getting 3700 a month from social security, is that even possible??? seems way too high

Thanks everyone for the great responses! This has been incredibly helpful. Just to summarize what I've learned: 1. Yes, the SSA will recalculate my benefit even before FRA if my current earnings replace a lower year 2. Any increase will still be reduced by my early claiming penalty 3. The earnings test reduction is temporary and gets factored back in at FRA 4. The recalculation happens automatically each year For anyone else wondering about this - this thread has great info! I'm going to try calling SSA to confirm my specific situation. If I can't get through I'll check out that Claimyr service mentioned above.

i thought the limit was way lower like 15k? did it change?

My husband started collecting at 62 and kept working part time at Walmart. He says SS takes a dollar for every 2 dollars u earn over the limit. But then when he hit full retirement age they recalculated and gave him a small increase because of the extra work credits. So working can actually help long term even if there's a small reduction now.

so does this mean i should keep working after starting ss??? im turning 66 and 8 months this summer which is my FRA i think

Quick question related to this - I'm 63 and taking SS early but still working part time. Is it the same for me? Will they recalculate my benefits if I'm earning good money now?

wait i'm confused... does the 10 year marriage rule still apply if ur ex dies? i thought that was only for divorce benefits when they're still alive??

Update: I finally managed to speak with someone at SSA! You were all right about the GPO - it will reduce my survivor benefit by about $1,230 (2/3 of my pension). But even with that reduction, the survivor benefit would still be higher than my own reduced retirement benefit at 62. They recommended I take the reduced survivor benefit now and then switch to my own retirement benefit at 70, when it will have grown to its maximum amount. Apparently, this will give me the highest lifetime payout given my specific circumstances. Thank you all for your help and guidance through this confusing process!

One more important detail: If your ex-husband is now past his Full Retirement Age (FRA), any adjustment would be effective from the month of application (with up to 6 months of retroactive benefits possible). If he's still under his FRA, different rules apply and he might face additional reductions for claiming early. The GPO reduction (2/3 of his government pension) applies before any age-based reductions. So if his government pension is substantial, it might eliminate any potential ex-spouse benefit entirely, regardless of the WEP changes affecting your benefit amount. When he contacts SSA, he should specifically ask for a comprehensive benefits calculation taking into account: 1. His own earned benefit (already reduced for early claiming) 2. Potential ex-spouse benefit based on your record with updated WEP calculation 3. GPO reduction based on his non-covered pension 4. Any Medicare premium penalties he's currently paying

does anyone know if theres gonna be another WEP reform bill this year?? i keep hearing congress might change the rules again

WAIT do you have enough credits??? you said 45 but dont you need more? I thought it was 40 quarters which is 10 years

One more thing to consider: While your benefit amount is dropping slightly now, remember that every year it will be adjusted for COLA (Cost-of-Living Adjustments). So when you actually start receiving benefits at your FRA, it will likely be more than what you're seeing projected now, just due to inflation adjustments.

not to complicate things more but did you file an earnings estimate with SSA for 2025? they don't just know what you'll earn unless you tell them or unless your employer reports it. might be something else going on...maybe a flag on your account because of the medicare enrollment?

After reviewing the other comments, I want to add something important: The suspension might be temporary and administrative rather than punitive. When your Medicare enrollment processes at the same time as earnings limit calculations, SSA sometimes places a temporary hold on benefits while their system updates. This doesn't always mean you'll miss a payment. When you call, ask specifically if this is an administrative suspension related to multiple simultaneous changes in your record. If so, it might resolve automatically before your January payment date. Also, confirm whether they're using your estimated earnings from your Medicare enrollment paperwork or if they've received different information that might have triggered this suspension. Sometimes employers report projected annual earnings that differ from what beneficiaries estimate.