Just wanted to share my recent experience with this exact situation! I'm a rep payee for my disabled adult son and had to change his direct deposit last month. The key thing that helped me was understanding that in SSA's system, each beneficiary has their own separate direct deposit settings, even when you're managing multiple accounts as a representative payee. When you log into your My Social Security account, you'll see a list of all the beneficiaries you manage - just make sure you're selecting your daughter's entry before making any changes. I was paranoid about messing up my own benefits too, but the system really does keep everything separate. The whole process took about 10 minutes online once I figured out the right section to use!

I just went through this same process a few months ago with my son's SSI benefits! The confusion about "owner" vs "co-owner" had me second-guessing everything too. What really helped me was calling the SSA number early in the morning (around 8 AM) - the wait times are usually shorter then. The representative walked me through it step by step and confirmed that as the rep payee, I am indeed the "owner" for the purposes of their system. She also mentioned that if you ever feel unsure while doing it online, you can always start the process and then call to have them complete it over the phone using the information you already entered. That way you get the best of both worlds - less time on hold because they can see you've already started the process, but still get the peace of mind of having a human double-check everything before it's finalized.

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - took early retirement at 62 last year but now considering going back to work. I had no idea about the 12-month withdrawal option with Form SSA-521. For those who've been through this process, do you know if there are any negative consequences to withdrawing and then reapplying later at FRA? Like does it affect your earnings record or future benefit calculations in any way? Also, when you reapply later, is it treated as a completely new application or do they reference your previous withdrawal?

@Arjun Kurti Sofia covered the main points perfectly! I went through this exact process and can confirm - the withdrawal truly resets everything as if you never filed. One additional thing to consider: if you're planning to return to work, make sure your new earnings won't trigger the earnings test issues that might have affected your benefits anyway. Since you're withdrawing, this becomes a non-issue, but it's worth calculating whether the withdrawal strategy makes sense vs. just suspending benefits (if you were past the 12-month window). The withdrawal route you're considering is definitely the better choice for maximizing future benefits, especially if you can continue working and potentially increase your highest 35 years of earnings. Just remember you'll need to repay everything (including any spouse or dependent benefits if applicable) before the withdrawal is considered complete.

Thank you all for the helpful responses! This has really clarified things for me. I'm definitely going to stick with my plan to delay until 70 since it seems like the best way to protect my husband if I die first. The 8% per year increase is substantial, and knowing that even if I die before 70, he'd still get the prorated increase for however many months I've delayed past 67 gives me peace of mind. I'll make sure my husband understands he needs to apply for survivor benefits when the time comes and that his age matters for the calculation too. I appreciate everyone sharing their knowledge and experiences!

This is such a great discussion! As someone new to understanding Social Security benefits, I'm learning so much from everyone's experiences and explanations. One thing I'm curious about - Sofia mentioned her husband's benefit will be around $1,800 at FRA while hers could be $3,100 at 70. This seems like a pretty common situation where one spouse (often the wife) has significantly lower lifetime earnings. For couples in similar situations, is there any benefit to the lower-earning spouse claiming their own benefits early (like at 62) while the higher-earning spouse delays until 70? Or does that strategy have drawbacks I'm not considering? I'm trying to understand all the moving pieces before I start making my own retirement decisions.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Yuki. Losing a parent is incredibly difficult, and you shouldn't feel bad about not immediately thinking about government notifications during such a painful time. I work in estate planning and see this situation fairly often. You're absolutely correct that the February payment needs to be returned since your father passed away in January. The good news is that you're handling this exactly right by not spending the money and being proactive about resolving it. Based on the excellent advice already shared here, I'd recommend this approach: Call SSA first thing Monday morning at 8 AM (as others suggested), and if you can't get through after a few attempts, visit your local SSA office in person with a certified copy of the death certificate. When you do reach them, ask for a confirmation number and request that they note in your father's file the date you reported his death. Also, give your bank a courtesy call to let them know about the upcoming Treasury reclamation so there are no surprises when that money is withdrawn from the account. You're being incredibly responsible during one of life's most challenging times. This administrative matter will get resolved properly, and then you can focus on what truly matters - grieving and honoring your father's memory. Take care of yourself.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Yuki. Losing a parent is heartbreaking, and please don't feel guilty about not immediately handling government paperwork during such a traumatic time - that's completely normal and understandable. You've received excellent advice here, and I just wanted to add one small tip that helped me when my mother passed away last year. When you do get through to SSA (whether by phone or in person), ask them to email or mail you a summary of what was discussed and what steps they're taking. Having that written confirmation gave me such peace of mind that everything was properly documented. Also, if you're the executor of your father's estate or handling his affairs, you might want to ask SSA about getting a "no benefits due" letter once everything is resolved. Some financial institutions and other agencies ask for this documentation when closing accounts or transferring assets. You're handling this with such care and responsibility during an incredibly difficult time. Your father would be proud of how thoughtfully you're managing everything. Take care of yourself, and remember that this administrative piece is temporary - it will get resolved so you can focus on healing and remembering the wonderful memories you shared with your dad.

I'm in a very similar situation and have been researching this extensively. From what I've learned, the key factor is comparing your SSDI amount to 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). Since your husband took early retirement, his actual monthly benefit ($2,200) is reduced from what his PIA would be at full retirement age. If I had to estimate based on the early retirement reduction, his PIA is probably around $2,500-2,600. Half of that would be $1,250-1,300, which is less than your $1,450 SSDI. This means you likely won't receive any additional spousal benefits. However, I'd still recommend calling SSA to get the official calculation. Sometimes there are small details that can make a difference. Also, keep in mind that when you reach your Full Retirement Age (67), you should check again - the rules can be slightly different at that point. One more thing - if you do decide to contact SSA, try calling right when they open (8 AM) or later in the afternoon. Mid-morning and early afternoon seem to have the longest wait times in my experience.

I'm dealing with something similar right now! I'm 57 on SSDI ($1,320/month) and my husband just turned 65 and is thinking about filing for his benefits soon. From everything I've read here and researched myself, it seems like most of us in this situation don't end up getting any extra spousal benefits because our SSDI amounts are already higher than 50% of our spouse's benefits. What I found really helpful was using the Social Security website's benefit estimator to get a rough idea of what my husband's PIA might be before he files. That way I could do the math myself (50% of his estimated PIA vs. my current SSDI) to see if it was even worth pursuing. Also, I've heard from other people that even if you don't qualify for spousal benefits now, it's worth keeping track of this stuff because the calculations can change when you hit full retirement age or if your circumstances change. Plus, as someone mentioned, survivor benefits work completely differently if something happens to your spouse down the road. Hope this helps and good luck with getting through to SSA when you call!