Since your husband had higher earnings and you worked part-time for 10 years, there's a good chance his benefit will be significantly higher than yours. Here's what I'd suggest: create accounts on SSA.gov for both of you to get your actual benefit estimates. You can run scenarios for different claiming ages and see the exact dollar amounts. One strategy to consider - if you need income at 62, you could claim your reduced benefit then switch to spousal benefits later. But if you can afford to wait, claiming at your FRA would give you the full 50% spousal benefit (assuming his is higher). The key is knowing your actual numbers before deciding. You might also want to factor in your health and family longevity when weighing early vs. delayed claiming.

I went through a similar situation a few years ago! One thing that really helped me was getting my actual Social Security Statement to see my projected benefits at different ages. You can access this on your my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Just to add to what others have said - the decision really depends on your financial needs and life expectancy expectations. If you need the income at 62 and can't wait, taking the reduced benefit might still be the right choice even with the permanent reduction. But if you can manage without it until your FRA, you'll get significantly more money over your lifetime. Also, don't forget that Social Security benefits are inflation-adjusted with COLAs, so that 30% reduction compounds over time. A smaller benefit today means smaller cost-of-living increases in the future too. It's definitely worth running the numbers on the SSA website before making your final decision!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say thank you to everyone who has contributed to this incredibly helpful thread! I'm 53 and starting to think about these questions for my own future - I've been a homemaker for over 30 years while my husband has been our sole income provider. Reading through all these responses has been so educational and reassuring. The detailed explanations about spousal benefits, the practical tips for applying, and especially the validation that homemaking IS valuable work - it all means so much. I had no idea about things like the mySocialSecurity account setup, the benefit calculators SSA can run, or services like Claimyr for getting through their phone lines. What really stands out to me is how supportive this community is. Everyone is sharing real experiences and practical wisdom, not just repeating official policy. The encouragement about homemakers deserving these benefits has been particularly meaningful - it's easy to feel like we haven't "contributed" in a measurable way, but you're all right that supporting a family IS an economic contribution. I'm bookmarking this thread to reference as I get closer to my own decision-making time. Thank you for creating such a welcoming space where people can get both practical information and emotional support for navigating these complex systems!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by the wealth of knowledge and support I've found in this thread! I'm 61 and will be eligible for Social Security in just one year, and like many of you, I've been a homemaker for most of my adult life while my husband worked. Reading through everyone's responses has been incredibly reassuring and educational. The clear explanations about spousal benefits being up to 50% of your husband's PIA at full retirement age, the practical tips about setting up a mySocialSecurity account beforehand, and all the real-world advice about dealing with SSA representatives - this is exactly the kind of guidance that's so hard to find elsewhere. What really resonates with me is how this community validates that our work as homemakers has genuine value. After decades of not receiving a paycheck, it's easy to feel like we haven't "earned" anything, but seeing how the spousal benefit system specifically recognizes the economic partnership of marriage has really helped me reframe my thinking. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips about documentation (marriage certificate, ID, spouse's SSN), the suggestion to make appointments rather than walk-ins, and even the recommendation for Claimyr to help get through SSA phone lines. Having this roadmap makes the whole process feel much less intimidating. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences and expertise here. This thread has become an invaluable resource that I'll definitely be referring back to as I make my own decisions over the next year!

I work as a retirement counselor and deal with these questions frequently. Here's the official process: **Social Security side:** - SSA stops benefits immediately upon notification of death - Any payment received for the month of death or later must be returned - You can call SSA directly at 1-800-772-1213 or report online through their website - Funeral homes typically report deaths, but family should also notify directly **Bank account side:** - SSA does NOT freeze bank accounts - that's not their authority - Banks have their own policies that vary widely (as others have shown) - Joint accounts legally belong to the surviving owner, but banks may still impose temporary holds - Always ask your specific bank about their death notification procedures **My recommendation:** Contact your bank this week and ask these specific questions: 1. What is your exact policy for joint accounts when one owner dies? 2. How long are any holds or restrictions? 3. What documentation do you need to restore full access? 4. Do you automatically report deaths to government agencies? Get their answers in writing via email. This preparation will save you significant stress during an already difficult time.

I've been following this discussion closely as someone who recently helped my aunt navigate this exact situation. What I learned that hasn't been mentioned yet is the importance of timing when notifying SSA vs. your bank. When my aunt's husband passed, we made the mistake of calling the bank first to report his death before calling Social Security. The bank immediately placed a hold on their joint account "pending SSA confirmation," but since we hadn't called SSA yet, it created a bureaucratic loop that delayed access to funds for an extra week. The lesson learned: Call Social Security FIRST (1-800-772-1213), get a confirmation number for the death report, THEN contact your bank with that SSA confirmation number. Many banks have streamlined processes when you can provide proof that SSA has already been notified. Also, if your brother receives direct deposit, consider asking SSA if they can provide written confirmation of when his final payment will be processed. This helps you know exactly which deposit (if any) will need to be returned, rather than guessing. The preparedness advice everyone's giving here is spot-on. Having that conversation with your bank ahead of time, getting their policies in writing, and setting up backup emergency funds will make a difficult time much more manageable.

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm 68 and was born in England in 1956 while my mother was working as a nurse there. I actually applied for my Social Security retirement benefits three months ago and just got approved last week - reading through everyone's experiences here confirms that my timeline was pretty typical for foreign birth situations. Like many of you, I was really nervous about potential complications, but having my Consular Report of Birth Abroad and current passport made all the difference. I did update my Social Security card about a year before applying (thank goodness!), and I think that definitely helped streamline the process. My total processing time was about 5 weeks, which matches what most people are reporting here. For anyone still preparing to apply - don't let the anxiety stop you! The SSA staff I worked with were very familiar with foreign birth documentation and made the whole process much less stressful than I anticipated. This community's support and shared experiences are truly wonderful for helping people navigate these important life transitions!

This thread has been such a game-changer for my peace of mind! I'm 64 and was born in Mexico in 1960 while my parents were living there for my dad's engineering work. I've been absolutely paralyzed by fear about applying for Social Security benefits because every online forum I'd read before this was full of nightmare stories about endless delays and documentation rejections. But seeing all these real, successful experiences with actual timelines has completely shifted my perspective! I have my FS-240 Consular Report of Birth Abroad and current passport, but like seemingly everyone else here, I'm dealing with one of those ancient, barely-legible paper Social Security cards from the 1970s. Reading through all your advice about updating the SS card first has moved that to the top of my to-do list for next week. The consistent 4-6 week processing timeline everyone is reporting gives me such hope - that's so much more reasonable than the horror stories that had me convinced I'd be waiting months or even years. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space and sharing your real experiences rather than just fears and speculation. This community has literally given me the courage to move forward with something I've been avoiding for months!

I'm so sorry for your loss and the absolute nightmare you and your mom are going through. Five months is completely unacceptable - I work with seniors navigating benefits and this is NOT normal processing time for survivor benefits. Here's my recommended action plan based on what I've seen work: **Call your Congressional Representative TODAY** - This is your nuclear option and it works. Ask for their federal caseworker who handles SSA issues. They can often resolve these delays within a week because they have direct supervisor contacts at SSA. **File an OIG complaint simultaneously** - Go to oig.ssa.gov and file a formal service complaint. The Office of Inspector General takes processing delays seriously, especially when people are suffering financially. **Use specific language when calling SSA** - Say "I need expedited processing due to severe financial hardship" and ask for a "Claims Specialist" or "Technical Expert" who can actually review the file details. Don't accept generic responses from Tier 1 reps. **Document EVERYTHING** - Start a detailed log immediately with dates, rep names, reference numbers, and exactly what they say. This creates accountability. **Emergency assistance** - Call 211 for local resources that help widows with emergency financial assistance while waiting for delayed benefits. Your mom using credit cards for groceries while entitled benefits sit in bureaucratic limbo is outrageous. After 5 months, something is seriously wrong with her claim and you need to force action through these escalation channels. Don't let them continue the runaround - you're being an amazing advocate for your mom during the worst possible time.

I'm so sorry for your loss and the incredible stress this delay is causing your family. Five months is absolutely unacceptable for survivor benefits processing. I recently went through a similar nightmare with my own mother's survivor benefits when my stepfather passed away earlier this year. After 3 months of getting nowhere with regular SSA calls, here's what finally worked: **Congressional Representative - this was the game changer.** I called our House rep's office, spoke to their federal caseworker, and had movement within 5 business days. They have direct supervisor contacts at SSA that bypass all the regular phone tree nonsense. **Early morning calls (8:00 AM sharp)** - Much shorter wait times and you get more experienced reps who can actually access your case details instead of just reading scripts. **Ask for a "Claims Specialist" immediately** - Don't waste time with Tier 1 reps who can only see basic info. Ask to be transferred to someone who can review the actual file. **Document financial hardship** - Make sure they have written documentation that your mom is struggling financially. Use the exact phrase "expedited processing due to severe financial hardship" - these specific words trigger different protocols. The fact that your mom is already on her own retirement benefits shouldn't slow this down at all - the systems handle this automatically. Something is definitely stuck in their processing queue. Also check with your local Area Agency on Aging for emergency assistance programs while you're fighting this battle. Many have specific help for widows waiting on delayed government benefits. Don't give up - after 5 months you have every right to demand immediate action. Your mom shouldn't have to go into debt for groceries while waiting for benefits she's legally entitled to.