I'm so sorry for your family's loss. This is such a common and frustrating situation - the SSA really needs to do better at explaining the permanence of these decisions. One additional thing your mother might want to consider: if she's still working or planning to work before her FRA, there could be earnings limits that temporarily reduce her survivor benefits. But once she reaches FRA, those earnings limits disappear entirely, which is another reason to definitely compare her own retirement benefit at that point. The strategy Lucy mentioned about potentially switching to her own benefit at FRA could be a game-changer if her work history supports a higher benefit amount.

I'm dealing with a similar situation with my own mother who lost my stepfather last year. One thing that might help is having your mother request a "benefit verification letter" from SSA that shows exactly what her current survivor benefit amount is and how it was calculated. This can be helpful when comparing it to her potential own retirement benefit. Also, if she does decide to explore switching to her own benefit at FRA, make sure she understands that it's a one-way decision - she can't switch back to survivor benefits later if her own benefit turns out to be lower than expected. The SSA should be able to give her exact dollar amounts for both options before she makes any changes. It's such a shame these critical details aren't explained more clearly upfront when people are grieving and trying to make these important financial decisions.

Just want to add one more thing that might be helpful - when you go to your SSA appointment, ask them to print out the benefit calculation worksheet for you. They don't always offer this automatically, but it shows exactly how they arrived at the family maximum and individual benefit amounts. Having that document was really useful for me when I needed to explain the benefits to my bank when setting up the representative payee accounts. Also, if you have any life insurance policies or other benefits through your employer that might be affected by your early retirement, make sure to coordinate the timing. I almost lost out on some employer benefits because I didn't realize there was a specific order I needed to file things in. The process really isn't as scary as it seems once you get started - just make sure you have all your documents organized and be prepared for it to take a bit longer than you initially expect. The peace of mind knowing your kids will have that financial support makes all the paperwork worth it!

I'm a case worker who helps families navigate Social Security benefits, and I wanted to add a few professional insights to this excellent discussion. First, regarding timing - I always recommend applying 3-4 months before you want benefits to start, especially with dependent children involved. The processing can be slower when multiple beneficiaries are on one record, and any missing documentation can add weeks to the timeline. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet: if any of your adopted children have disabilities or special needs, they may be eligible for different benefit calculations or extended benefits beyond age 18/19. Make sure to mention any disabilities during your appointment, as this could significantly impact their long-term benefit eligibility. Also, keep in mind that if you remarry after starting benefits, it generally won't affect your children's benefits, but it's something to be aware of for future planning. The representative payee reporting isn't as scary as it sounds - SSA mainly wants to see that funds are used appropriately for the children's needs (housing, food, clothing, education, medical care). Keep receipts for major purchases, but you don't need to account for every dollar spent. Best of luck with your retirement planning! Your children are fortunate to have someone thinking so carefully about their financial future.

As someone who just went through becoming a rep payee for my elderly aunt last year, I completely feel your frustration! Here's what I learned that might help you get this resolved quickly: First, call your local SSA office at exactly 8:00 AM when they open - the wait times are SO much shorter first thing in the morning. Ask specifically for Form SSA-L1226 (Representative Payee Verification Letter) and emphasize it's urgent because you can't access your cousin's benefits without it. If you can go in person, even better - they can often print it same day. For immediate help while you're getting the paperwork sorted, try smaller community banks or credit unions rather than the big chains. Call ahead and ask specifically "Do you handle Social Security representative payee accounts?" Many of them are much more experienced with these situations than places like Chase or Bank of America. Also consider Walmart MoneyCenter (not regular customer service) or check cashing stores as a temporary solution. Yes, there are fees, but it gets your cousin her money quickly while you work on the proper banking setup. DEFINITELY get the Direct Express card set up ASAP - it eliminates all these headaches permanently. You can handle the entire application as her payee, and once it's active, she has immediate access to funds each month without any banking requirements. Whatever you do, don't deposit that check in your personal account even temporarily. SSA does audit rep payees and mixed funds are an immediate red flag. Start keeping detailed expense records NOW - date, amount, purpose for every purchase. That annual SSA report will be so much easier if you track everything from day one. You're doing the right thing by asking questions and following proper procedures. Your cousin is lucky to have someone advocating for her properly!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this confusing situation! I went through something very similar when I became rep payee for my mom's disability benefits. Here are a few things that really helped me: First, definitely get that Representative Payee letter (Form SSA-L1226) from SSA as others mentioned. But here's a tip I learned - if you're having trouble getting through by phone, try going to your local SSA office right when they open (usually 9 AM). They can often print the letter same day for urgent situations like yours. For immediate relief, I had good luck with smaller regional banks and credit unions. They're usually more familiar with government benefit accounts than the big chains. Before going anywhere, call and specifically ask "Do you handle Social Security representative payee accounts?" This saves you from wasting time at places that don't understand these accounts. The Direct Express card really is a game-changer once you get it set up. I was hesitant at first, but it's eliminated all the monthly check-cashing headaches for us. You can apply for it during the same SSA visit when you get your verification letter. Most importantly - and I can't stress this enough - don't put those funds in your personal account even temporarily. SSA takes that very seriously and it could jeopardize your payee status. I know it's frustrating when your cousin needs the money, but following the proper procedures protects both of you. Start keeping detailed records of every expense right now, even before you can access the funds. When that annual SSA report comes, you'll be so grateful you tracked everything from day one. You're clearly trying to do right by your cousin, and that's what matters most. The initial setup is definitely the hardest part!

As someone who's been navigating SSDI for about 6 months now, this entire discussion has been absolutely invaluable! I came into this thread with the exact same fears that @Dominique Adams expressed, and I'm leaving with such clarity and peace of mind. The insurance analogy that so many people have used here really made everything click for me - we literally earned SSDI through years of working and paying Social Security taxes, just like any other insurance policy. It makes perfect sense that having money in savings wouldn't affect benefits we've already paid for through our work history. What strikes me most is how common this confusion seems to be among SSDI recipients. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that the fear of accidentally losing benefits has been causing so many of us to unnecessarily restrict ourselves financially. I've been afraid to even touch my small savings account from before I became disabled! The distinction between SSDI (insurance we earned) and SSI (needs-based with asset limits) is something I wish was explained more clearly during the application process. The psychological toll of living in constant fear about rules that don't even apply to us is exhausting when we're already managing the challenges of disability. @Dominique Adams - I hope you're feeling so much better about your situation now! Your question sparked such an important educational discussion that has clearly helped a whole community of people. Definitely enjoy that inheritance knowing your aunt would want it to provide you security and comfort, not stress. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge, experiences, and professional insights. This thread should be bookmarked by anyone navigating SSDI - the peer support and real-world clarity here is absolutely priceless!

This thread has been such an incredible resource! As someone who's been on SSDI for about 8 months, I was carrying around the exact same fears that so many others have shared here. I actually had a small inheritance from my grandfather last year (around $5,000) that I was terrified to deposit because I thought it might somehow affect my benefits. Reading through everyone's explanations about the fundamental difference between SSDI and SSI has been absolutely eye-opening. The insurance analogy really resonates with me - we earned SSDI through years of work and paying Social Security taxes, so of course having assets doesn't matter! It's like any other insurance policy we've paid premiums for. What really gets to me is realizing how much unnecessary stress I've been carrying. When you're already dealing with the daily challenges of managing a disability, the last thing you should have to worry about is imaginary rules that don't even apply to your situation. I ended up depositing that inheritance months ago with zero issues, but I wish I had found this kind of clear explanation sooner. @Dominique Adams - I'm so glad you asked this question because it's obviously helped educate so many people who were confused about the same thing! Your aunt's gift should bring you peace of mind and financial security, not anxiety. This community really is amazing for providing this kind of peer support and real-world knowledge when we need it most. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and expertise. This discussion should honestly be required reading for anyone starting their SSDI journey!

UPDATE: The MySocialSecurity site is working for me again as of this morning. I just successfully logged in and was able to access my account. They've made some changes to the interface - you now have to verify your identity with a text code every time you log in, not just the first time. Try again today and see if it's working for you now.

I'm having the same issue! Been locked out since Monday and really need to download my 1099 for tax filing. Just tried again after reading Paolo's update but still getting the Bad Request error. Has anyone noticed if certain times of day work better than others? I'm wondering if they're doing a gradual rollout of the fix or if the servers are just overloaded with everyone trying to log back in at once.