I'm so sorry for your loss, Dominique. This thread has been incredibly comprehensive and I wanted to add one final perspective that might be helpful as you prepare for your SSA visit. As someone who has helped family members navigate these decisions, I'd suggest creating a simple one-page summary of your key questions before you go to the office. Based on this discussion, your main points would be: 1) Confirm COLA increases will apply to survivor benefits during any delay period, 2) Get official benefit estimates for claiming survivor benefits now vs. waiting until 70, 3) Confirm the 6-month retroactivity limit, and 4) Request the break-even analysis showing lifetime benefit comparisons. Having these written down will help ensure you don't forget anything important in what can be an emotionally overwhelming appointment. It also shows the SSA representative that you've done your homework and helps them provide more focused assistance. The consensus from everyone here - including the actual SSA employee who confirmed the advice - is crystal clear: claim your survivor benefits now while letting your retirement benefit grow until 70. You'll maximize your lifetime benefits while not missing out on years of payments you're entitled to receive. You've approached this decision with such careful thought and research. Your preparation and the support from this community should give you complete confidence as you move forward. Wishing you all the best with your appointment!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Dominique. This has been such an incredibly thorough and helpful discussion to read through as someone who will likely face similar decisions in the future. What strikes me most is how this thread demonstrates the importance of asking questions and seeking multiple perspectives on complex Social Security issues. You came in with one specific question about COLA increases and discovered an entire claiming strategy that could save you tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime. The key takeaways that emerge from all the expert advice here are crystal clear: 1) COLA increases DO apply to survivor benefits even during delay periods, 2) the 6-month retroactivity limit makes waiting costly, 3) survivor and retirement benefits are separate entitlements that can be claimed at different times, and 4) your specific situation strongly favors claiming survivor benefits now while maximizing your retirement benefit at 70. Having an actual SSA field office employee confirm all this advice should give you complete peace of mind. Combined with all the practical tips about documentation, office visits, and what questions to ask, you're incredibly well-prepared for your appointment. Your thoughtful approach to this decision during such a difficult time is really admirable. This thread will undoubtedly help many other people facing similar situations. Thank you for asking the question that led to such a comprehensive discussion of survivor benefit strategies!

I went through something very similar about 18 months ago! I had been collecting my reduced retirement benefit since age 62, and when my husband finally filed for his benefits at his FRA, I had no idea I could get additional spousal benefits. Like you, I couldn't get through on the phone - it was incredibly frustrating. What finally worked for me was going to my local SSA office first thing in the morning without an appointment. I got there about 30 minutes before they opened and was one of the first people seen. The whole process took about 45 minutes once I sat down with a representative. They were able to calculate my excess spousal benefit on the spot and process the application immediately. In my case, I started receiving the additional amount the following month, plus they gave me 4 months of retroactive payments (I wish I had known sooner!). The extra monthly amount has been a real help with rising costs. One thing the representative emphasized was that I needed to specifically ask for the spousal benefit application - they don't automatically check if you're eligible for higher benefits. Definitely don't wait any longer since you're already missing out on money you're entitled to!

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 70 and have been collecting my own reduced benefits since age 63 (I received about $1,180 monthly). My husband just turned 66 last month and started receiving his full retirement benefit of around $2,400. Based on what everyone is explaining here, it sounds like I should be eligible for spousal benefits that would bring me up to about $1,200 monthly ($600 more than my current amount). Reading through all these responses, I'm definitely going to try the early morning visit to the local office approach that @Gael Robinson suggested. The phone system has been impossible for me too. I'm also going to make sure to use the specific terminology about "excess spousal benefits" that several people mentioned. One question for those who have been through this process - do I need to bring any specific documents with me to the SSA office, or will they have everything they need in their system already? I want to make sure I don't waste the trip if I'm missing something important. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community has been more helpful than anything I could find on the official SSA website!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Chloe. I went through this exact situation when my mom passed away last year, and I can tell you that the SSA rep who told you about "representative payee" was completely wrong and clearly not properly trained. What you need is Form SSA-1696 (Appointment of Representative), NOT representative payee. Representative payee is for people who can't manage their own finances - your mom sounds perfectly capable. The SSA-1696 just lets you speak to SSA on her behalf and help with paperwork. About that payment in her account - that's your dad's final Social Security payment since they pay a month behind. Do NOT let her spend it! SSA will automatically take it back through the bank within 30-60 days. Here's what worked for me: Stop waiting for that appointment letter (mine never came after 3 weeks) and call back demanding a specific appointment date. When you call, use these EXACT words: "I need to schedule an appointment for WIDOW'S INSURANCE BENEFITS and complete Form SSA-1696 for APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE status." Make sure to ask about retroactive survivor benefits back to February - they won't mention this automatically but she's entitled to it. Bring everything to the appointment: death certificate, marriage certificate, both SS cards, both IDs, and recent tax returns. The whole process is awful when you're grieving, but once you get past the initial confusion and get the right appointment, it moves much faster. You've got this!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Chloe. I went through this exact same situation when my father passed away six months ago, and I can tell you that you're absolutely right to be confused - that SSA representative gave you completely incorrect information. You do NOT need to become a representative payee! That designation is only for people who cannot manage their own finances due to mental incapacity or severe cognitive issues. Since your mom is perfectly capable of handling her money, what you actually need is Form SSA-1696 (Appointment of Representative), which simply allows you to communicate with SSA on her behalf without taking control of her finances. Regarding that payment that showed up - that's definitely your father's final Social Security payment since SSA pays one month behind. Whatever you do, don't let your mom touch that money! SSA will automatically reclaim it through their bank recovery process within 30-60 days. Here's what I learned the hard way: Stop waiting for that appointment letter and call SSA back immediately. When I waited three weeks for mine, it never came. Use these exact words: "I need to schedule an appointment for SURVIVOR BENEFITS application and I want to complete Form SSA-1696 to become my mother's APPOINTED REPRESENTATIVE." If the first rep doesn't understand, ask for a supervisor right away. Also, make sure to specifically ask about retroactive survivor benefits dating back to February (the month after your dad passed). They won't automatically offer this, but she's absolutely entitled to it. The system is frustrating when you're grieving, but once you get the right person who knows what they're doing, the process moves much smoother. You've got this!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! I've been receiving survivor benefits since age 62 and had multiple months withheld due to earnings. I reached my FRA last year but haven't seen any adjustment yet. Reading through all these responses is really eye-opening - I had no idea about the ARF adjustment or that I might need to be proactive about requesting it. It sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Call early in the morning (8 AM EST), 2) Use the specific term "Adjustment to Reduction Factor" or "ARF adjustment", 3) Ask for a reference number and timeline, and 4) Keep all documentation from when benefits were withheld. Has anyone had success getting this resolved through their local SSA office instead of calling? I'm wondering if an in-person visit might be more effective, especially since phone wait times seem to be such a problem for everyone.

I just went through this process last year and wanted to share what worked for me. After reading about the ARF adjustment online, I called SSA using the 8 AM EST tip mentioned here and got through on my second try. The key was being very specific - I told them "I need an Adjustment to Reduction Factor for my survivor benefits because I had months withheld due to earnings between age 60 and my FRA." The representative immediately knew what I was talking about and could see in their system which months my benefits had been withheld. They initiated the review right away and gave me a case number. The whole call took about 15 minutes once connected. I received the adjustment about 6 weeks later with back pay dating to my FRA month. My increase was about $52 per month (I had 11 months completely withheld), and the back pay was around $350. It definitely adds up over time, so it's worth pursuing even if the monthly increase seems modest. The annual Social Security statement did reflect the new benefit amount in the following year's mailing.

Just to add another perspective - you might want to consider the tax implications too. Social Security benefits become taxable once your combined income (AGI + nontaxable interest + half your SS benefits) exceeds certain thresholds. If you're still working and earning income, you could end up paying taxes on up to 85% of your SS benefits. This is separate from the earnings test but another factor to consider in your overall strategy. Sometimes it makes more sense to delay benefits until you stop working entirely, especially if you're in a higher tax bracket now than you expect to be in full retirement.

I've been following this discussion and wanted to add something that might help with your decision-making process. Since you're an accountant, you probably already know this, but it's worth considering the opportunity cost of claiming early versus investing that money if you don't immediately need the SS income. If you can afford to wait and continue working without claiming benefits, you could potentially invest what you would have received in SS benefits. Given that your benefit increases by about 8% per year if you delay (plus potential cost of living adjustments), you'd need pretty strong investment returns to beat that guaranteed increase. Also, since you mentioned you're at an accounting firm, have you looked into whether your employer offers any phased retirement options? Some firms allow senior staff to gradually reduce hours over several years, which might give you more control over staying under the earnings limit if you do decide to claim early. The complexity of all these moving parts (earnings test, taxation of benefits, delayed retirement credits, investment opportunities) really shows why there's no one-size-fits-all answer. It might be worth running some detailed projections with different scenarios to see what works best for your specific situation.