I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. What an incredibly difficult and scary situation you're both facing. I can only imagine how overwhelming it must feel to process his health challenges while also trying to understand your future financial security. The wonderful news is that everyone here has given you absolutely accurate information - with 8 years of marriage, you're definitely eligible for survivor benefits since the requirement is only 9 months, not the 10 years you were worried about. That 10-year rule specifically applies to divorced spouse benefits, which is completely different from widow benefits. It's no wonder you were getting conflicting information online - there are so many different Social Security programs with different rules all mixed together in search results. What really stands out to me reading through this entire discussion is not just the wealth of practical knowledge everyone has shared, but the genuine care and support you've received from this community. You came here with a very real fear about your financial future, and you've gotten both the reassurance you desperately needed and so much additional helpful guidance about claiming strategies and timing. Please don't put pressure on yourself to master every detail about optimization strategies right now. The most important question has been answered - you will have that Social Security safety net when you need it. Everything else can be learned when you're closer to age 60 and actually need to make those decisions. Focus on what matters most right now: supporting each other through his treatment and taking care of your own emotional well-being during this incredibly stressful time. This community will clearly be here for any future questions as you navigate this journey. Sending you both strength and hoping for the very best outcome with his treatment. You're not facing this alone. ❤️

I'm so sorry to hear about your husband's diagnosis, Zainab. What an incredibly difficult and frightening time this must be for both of you. I can only imagine the overwhelming stress of dealing with his health challenges while also worrying about your financial future. I'm relieved to see that everyone here has confirmed the great news - with 8 years of marriage, you're absolutely eligible for survivor benefits! The 9-month requirement is what applies to widow benefits, not the 10-year rule that had you worried (that's specifically for divorced spouse benefits). It's completely understandable why you were confused with all the conflicting information online - Social Security has so many different programs with different rules. What strikes me most about this discussion is how this community has provided not just accurate technical information, but genuine compassion and support. You came here with a very real fear, and you've received both the reassurance you needed and valuable guidance about future planning options. Please don't feel pressured to understand every claiming strategy detail right now. The most important thing - your eligibility for that financial safety net - has been confirmed. You have time to learn about optimization strategies since you won't be eligible to claim until age 60. For now, focus on what matters most: supporting each other through his treatment and taking care of yourselves during this incredibly stressful time. You've shown such wisdom by planning ahead, and this supportive community will be here when you have more questions down the road. Wishing you both strength and hope during this challenging journey. You're definitely not alone. ❤️

Just wanted to give a quick update. I called SSA today and spoke with a rep who confirmed what most of you have said. As long as I apply in January WITH January as my benefit month, I can use the annual earnings test for all of 2025. I made sure to specifically tell them I wanted January 2025 as my benefit month, not February. The rep did initially try to set it for February saying "that's our normal procedure" but I politely insisted on January, and they were able to do it. So relieved I don't have to track monthly earnings! Thanks for all your help everyone.

Congratulations on getting it sorted out! You made the right call pushing for January as your benefit month. I'm a retired SSA employee and can confirm this is one of those rules that even some current staff get confused about, which is why that rep initially tried to set you up for February. One small tip for the year ahead: even though you're using the annual limit, I'd still recommend keeping a simple running total of your earnings throughout the year. Not for monthly reporting, but just so you know where you stand. With variable income, it's easy to lose track and accidentally go over that $25,410 threshold. Also, remember that if you do exceed the annual limit, SSA will ask for overpayment recovery the following year, so it's much better to stay aware and avoid that situation entirely. Enjoy your semi-retirement!

As a newcomer to this community, I just want to say how incredibly helpful and comprehensive this discussion has been! I'm not personally in this situation yet, but I'm learning so much from everyone's real-world experiences. What really strikes me is how consistent the message has been from multiple veterans who have actually gone through this process - you absolutely CAN receive both VA TDIU and Social Security retirement benefits without any reduction to either. That kind of firsthand confirmation is invaluable when dealing with government benefit systems that can seem so complex and confusing. The practical advice shared here goes way beyond just answering the basic question too. Tips about timing applications 3-4 months early, the Medicare Part B considerations, checking earnings history for accuracy, requesting paper applications as backup, scheduling in-person appointments at local SSA offices - these are exactly the kinds of details that can make the difference between a smooth process and a frustrating one. @Giovanni, it sounds like you have some great options to consider, especially with your granddaughter's college timeline giving you some flexibility in timing. The suggestion about looking into potential VA education benefits for her is brilliant too - that could really change the whole financial equation. Thank you to everyone who has shared their knowledge and experiences. This is exactly the kind of supportive community that makes navigating these important decisions so much easier!

As someone who's been receiving both VA disability at 90% and Social Security retirement for about 6 months now, I can absolutely confirm what everyone else has said - there's zero interference between the two benefits. They really are completely separate systems. One thing I'd add from my recent experience is about the actual Social Security application process. I used the online application initially but ran into some technical glitches that delayed everything by about 3 weeks. When I finally got through to speak with someone (took multiple attempts), they were able to sort it out quickly and even backdated my benefits to when I originally tried to apply online. My advice would be to start the online application, but if you run into any issues at all, don't waste time trying to troubleshoot - just call or visit a local office immediately. The representatives I spoke with were very familiar with veterans' situations and understood the dual benefit setup without any confusion. Also, regarding your timeline decision - I applied at my FRA rather than early, and I'm really glad I waited. The difference in monthly payment amount was significant enough that it's going to add up to substantial money over time. Given that your granddaughter's college is still a couple years away based on the thread, you might have more flexibility to wait for that full benefit amount. Good luck with whatever you decide - having both income streams has been a huge relief for our family's financial planning!

This entire thread has been such an incredible learning experience! As someone completely new to Social Security, I had no idea about AERO calculations or how much follow-up might be required from beneficiaries. Max, thank you for sharing your complete journey and sticking with it until you got answers - your persistence has helped so many of us understand how this process really works. What strikes me most is the communication gap from SSA. The fact that they completed your recalculation but never sent any notification - not even a simple "we reviewed your 2023 earnings and determined no increase was warranted" - seems like such a basic service failure. It would take minimal effort to send an automated letter explaining the outcome. The practical knowledge shared here has been invaluable - learning about the typical AERO timeline, the $1 minimum threshold, the importance of checking my.ssa.gov to verify earnings are posted correctly, and that 18-month follow-up benchmark. These real-world insights are exactly what you can't find in official SSA materials. I'm definitely bookmarking this discussion for future reference. The expertise from community members who've navigated these waters before is such a valuable resource. It's encouraging to know this community exists to help fill the information gaps, even if it's frustrating that so much self-advocacy is required in the first place!

This has been such an educational thread for someone like me who's just starting to understand how Social Security actually works! Max, I really appreciate you sharing your experience from start to finish - it's so helpful to see the complete process, even though you didn't get the increase you were hoping for. What really stands out to me is how much the burden falls on beneficiaries to track these things themselves. The fact that SSA completed your AERO calculation but never sent any kind of notification seems like a major oversight in their communication process. Even a simple form letter saying "We've reviewed your 2023 earnings and determined the potential increase was below our minimum threshold" would save people so much worry and confusion. I'm definitely taking notes on all the practical advice shared here - the typical timeline for AERO processing, that $1 minimum threshold (which I never would have known about!), and the importance of following up after 18 months if you haven't heard anything. This community has been incredibly generous in sharing real-world knowledge that you just can't find in the official SSA materials. Thanks to everyone for making this such a valuable learning resource!

I'm going through a similar planning situation right now, though my husband is only 8 years older than me. We've been trying to get clear answers on this COLA question for months! Reading through everyone's responses here has been incredibly helpful. It sounds like the consensus is that survivor benefits DO continue to receive COLA adjustments after the worker dies, which is such a relief to know. One thing I'm still wondering about - does anyone know if there's an official SSA publication that clearly states this? I've read through several of their pamphlets and website pages, but they seem to focus more on the basic benefit amounts rather than how COLAs are applied over time for survivors. I'd love to have something in writing to reference when we meet with our financial planner next month. The difference this makes in our projections is substantial, just like in your case!

As someone new to this community, I just wanted to say thank you all for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm in a somewhat similar situation - my spouse is 10 years older and we're trying to figure out our Social Security planning. Reading through all these responses, especially the real-world experiences shared by @Rajan Walker and others, has been so valuable. The "ghost account" explanation from @Avery Davis really helped clarify how the COLA adjustments work technically. I had no idea that survivor benefits continued to receive cost-of-living adjustments after the worker's death - I always assumed they were frozen at the death benefit amount. Learning that Social Security maintains these adjustments makes such a huge difference in long-term planning calculations. The suggestion about getting an official survivor benefit estimate from SSA also sounds like a great next step. Based on what everyone has shared, it sounds like the key takeaway is that survivors receive the deceased worker's benefit amount PLUS all intervening COLAs, which can add up to substantial additional monthly income over many years. Thanks again for sharing your knowledge and experiences - this type of real community support is invaluable when navigating these complex Social Security rules!