Jasmine, I'm deeply sorry for your losses. What an incredibly difficult situation to navigate while grieving. Based on the excellent discussion here, it's clear that the 9-month marriage requirement will likely limit you to survivor benefits from your first husband's record only. However, I wanted to emphasize something that might provide some comfort: you actually have several good options available to you. Since you're 58 now, I'd strongly recommend using these next two years to really crunch the numbers. Contact SSA (the Claimyr service others mentioned sounds helpful for actually getting through) and request benefit estimates for: - Survivor benefits at 60 (reduced to ~71.5%) - Survivor benefits at your full retirement age (~67) - Your own retirement benefits at full retirement age - Your own retirement benefits at age 70 (with delayed credits) The strategy of taking survivor benefits at 60 while letting your own benefits grow until 70 could potentially maximize your lifetime benefits if your own record becomes more valuable. Plus, continuing part-time work could boost your own benefit calculation. Don't feel pressured to make this decision immediately - you have time to get all the information you need. Consider it an investment in your financial security to spend some time now really understanding all your options. You're handling an incredibly complex situation with such thoughtfulness. Take care of yourself through this process.

Jasmine, I'm so deeply sorry for your losses. Losing two husbands is unimaginably difficult, and having to navigate these complex Social Security rules while grieving must feel overwhelming. Reading through this thread, it's clear the community has given you excellent guidance about the 9-month marriage requirement. While it's heartbreaking that you likely won't qualify for survivor benefits from your second husband's record despite his higher earnings, please don't lose sight of the fact that you do have valuable options available. One thing I want to emphasize that might provide some peace of mind: Social Security decisions aren't always permanent. If you take survivor benefits at 60 based on your first husband's record, you may still be able to switch to your own retirement benefits later if they become more advantageous. This flexibility means you don't have to make the "perfect" decision right now - you can make the best decision with the information you have and adjust later if needed. Also, I'd encourage you to think about this planning process as an act of self-care during your grief. You're taking concrete steps to secure your financial future, which is exactly what both of your husbands would want for you. When you're ready to contact SSA, definitely consider that Claimyr service others mentioned - reducing the stress of getting through to an agent will let you focus your energy on understanding your options rather than fighting phone systems. Take this one step at a time. You're stronger than you know, and you have time to make these decisions thoughtfully.

Based on those benefit amounts, your strategy makes perfect sense. Take your own benefit at 62 (around $1,240/month with the reduction), then switch to the survivor benefit at 67 (the full $3,200). This maximizes your lifetime benefits given your specific situation and the significant difference between your benefit amounts. Just be sure to explicitly tell SSA that you are restricting your application to retirement benefits only when you apply at 62.

Just wanted to add one important detail that might help others in similar situations - when you do make the switch from your retirement benefit to survivor benefits at 67, there's no gap in payments. SSA will automatically adjust your monthly payment starting the month you reach FRA, so you don't need to reapply or worry about missing payments during the transition. Also, since you mentioned tight finances, remember that survivor benefits aren't subject to the earnings test once you reach FRA, so if you're still working part-time at 67, that income won't affect your survivor benefit amount. This is different from regular retirement benefits which are subject to earnings limits until FRA. Good luck with your strategy - it sounds like you've got a solid plan given your circumstances!

Excellent! Make sure you got a confirmation number for that request. It will make following up much easier if needed.

Great news on getting that resolved! For anyone else reading this thread who might face similar Medicare premium refund issues, I'd recommend keeping detailed records of all your Medicare payments from the start. Screenshot your online payments, save bank statements, and keep any paper receipts. It makes the whole process much smoother when you need to prove duplicate payments. Also, if you're planning to file for retroactive benefits, consider contacting Medicare directly first to ask about coordinating payments to avoid this situation altogether.

Here's another important factor to consider in your planning: If you claim your own benefits early (say at 62) and they're smaller than your potential spousal benefit, when your husband files at 70, you'll get a combination of benefits that equals the higher spousal amount. But since you claimed early, your spousal benefit will be permanently reduced based on YOUR age when you started receiving any benefits. So claiming early on your own record can permanently reduce your spousal benefits too.

One thing that might help with your planning is to get your actual benefit estimates from SSA. You can create an account at ssa.gov and see your projected benefits at different claiming ages, plus get an estimate of what your spousal benefit would be based on your husband's earnings record. This will give you concrete numbers to work with rather than trying to plan with hypotheticals. Also, since you mentioned you have a smaller earnings record, make sure to compare your own benefit at full retirement age versus the spousal benefit - sometimes people are surprised to find their own benefit is actually higher than they expected. The online calculators can help you model different scenarios for both of you.

To answer your question about installments: SSI back pay over $7,740 for adults is generally paid in up to three installments, six months apart. However, there are exceptions if the recipient has certain pressing needs or medical expenses. Regarding your question about rent agreements: SSA doesn't provide a specific form for rental agreements between family members. Any formal agreement that includes: - Names of both parties - Property address - Monthly payment amount - What the payment covers (rent/utilities/etc) - Signatures of both parties - Date Should be sufficient. Just make sure the amount is reasonable for your area and her portion of housing (typically 50% for shared housing with one other person). You mentioned $700 plus utilities as her half of $1400 rent - that's perfectly reasonable and should not raise any flags with SSA.

Just wanted to add from my experience helping my disabled adult daughter navigate SSI - make sure your sister keeps copies of EVERYTHING! When she has her redetermination review, SSA will ask for documentation of how she spent the back pay. I recommend creating a simple spreadsheet tracking each payment: date, amount, what it was for (rent/utilities), and corresponding bank records. This saved us so much stress during her review process. Also, since she's working part-time, remind her to report any changes in her work hours/income to SSA within 10 days. The income reporting requirement doesn't change just because she received back pay. Good luck to both of you - it sounds like you're being very thoughtful about doing this correctly!