THIS IS WHY THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! They keep cutting SSA staff while making the rules more complicated! I had to deal with similar garbage when applying for SSDI. The online system is a JOKE and they expect us to just wait MONTHS for appointments! Meanwhile we're supposed to live on what exactly???

One thing to try while waiting: call your local SSA office directly (not the main 800 number) first thing when they open in the morning. Explain your situation and ask if they've had any appointment cancellations. Sometimes they can fit you in much earlier if you catch them at the right time. Make sure to mention that you've already attempted to apply online but the system wouldn't allow it due to WEP.

dont forget these benefits are taxable if ur income is high enough! and the kids benefits will count as YOUR income for tax purposes i think

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I'm going to create my my Social Security account today to check my projected benefit amounts and the family maximum. Then I'll try to speak with an SSA representative to get exact figures before making my decision. The mix of health issues, raising two kids, and long-term financial planning makes this complicated, but your advice has been invaluable in understanding how this works!

When my mom passed we had SO MUCH CONFUSION with the bank!! They were gonna send EVERYTHING back to Social Security!!! I had to fight with them to keep the right payment! Make sure you talk to a MANAGER at the bank who understands how SS works!!

had this happen last year banks dont know SS rules half the time lol they almost sent back june and july payments when my uncle died in august!!! crazy stuff

wait are u sure u can even get ex spouse benefits?? u have to be unmarried now and the marriage had to be 10 years i think

One last piece of advice - when you submit your application, take screenshots of the confirmation page and note the confirmation number. Also print the PDF copy of your application if the system offers it. If there are any issues later, having documentation of exactly what you submitted and when can save a lot of headaches. Also, set a calendar reminder to follow up if you don't hear anything within 2-3 weeks. SSA should send you an acknowledgment letter, but sometimes these get delayed. Being proactive about following up (especially regarding those marriage/divorce documents) will help ensure your January start date doesn't slip.

After reading all these comments, I'm thinking the SSA rep either misspoke or you misunderstood (through no fault of your own - this stuff is complex!). Here's what I think happened:1. Your husband qualified for a fairly high SSDI payment based on his work history2. The family maximum came out to be higher than the typical 150% due to the formula that considers higher earnings differently3. The rep was telling you that the TOTAL family benefits were between 65-70% MORE than your husband's benefit alone (not that each dependent gets 65-70%)So if your husband's SSDI is $3,000/month, the family maximum might be around $5,000/month (which is about 67% more than his individual benefit).Does that seem like a possible explanation for what you were told?

That makes PERFECT sense and explains the confusion! His benefit is right around $3,100 and she said the family max was about $5,200. So she was saying the family would get about 67% MORE in total, not that each dependent would get 67% of his benefit. Thank you for helping me make sense of this!

wait so does this mean once someone gets remarried they lose ALL access to their ex's benefits?? my mom was married to my dad for 22 years and then they divorced and she remarried like 2 years later. she just turned 65 and was counting on getting some of my dads SS since he made way more money than her or her new husband... this is gonna be bad news for her

Thank you all for the helpful information! I've learned a lot. To summarize what I understand now: 1. My current wife gets 50% of my benefit at her FRA (if that's more than her own benefit) 2. She'd get 100% survivor benefits after I pass away 3. My ex-wife can't claim on my record since she remarried I'll try using that Claimyr service to confirm these details directly with SSA. It's frustrating how difficult it is to reach them by phone these days.

btw make sure your looking at the right estimate on ur statement! theres different amounts for retirement disability and survivors benefits dont mix them up

While you're waiting for a decision, you might want to set up a my Social Security account online if you haven't already. It won't tell you the exact amount you'll get approved for, but it does give you access to your earnings record which is what they use to calculate your benefit. You can at least verify all your work history is correct.

Anyone here know if the same rules apply to FERS employees? Federal retirement system is different from teachers but I'll be in a similar situation where I'll have some final paychecks coming after my retirement date next year.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I'm going to make an appointment with my local SS office to discuss both my FRA benefits and how WEP will affect me specifically. I'll make sure to ask about the SSA-150 form too. It's such a relief to know the system will at least consider those final contributions, even if they might not end up increasing my benefit amount much. I'll come back and update once I've met with them and have more concrete information about my specific situation.

Since there seems to be confusion about spousal benefits in this thread, let me clarify a few key points: 1. If you were born after January 1, 1954, when you file for either your retirement OR spousal benefit, you're automatically deemed to have filed for both. 2. The maximum spousal benefit is 50% of your spouse's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), but you only receive the higher of either your own benefit or the combination that gives you the most money. 3. If you file before your Full Retirement Age (FRA), both your own retirement and spousal benefits will be permanently reduced. 4. Your spouse must have already filed for their own benefits for you to receive spousal benefits (unless they're suspended due to earnings). The online application system does handle spousal benefits correctly if you indicate you're married and want to file on your spouse's record.

To the person asking about getting $1000 plus $700 - you don't add them together. You get the HIGHER of either your own benefit OR the spousal amount. So in your example, you'd get $1000 (which is higher than your $700). The system essentially tops you up to the higher amount. And @OP - for your original question, yes, the application date online becomes your official filing date. Print or screenshot your confirmation page as proof. And if you need to visit an office, use the online appointment scheduler at ssa.gov/locator - don't rely on phone agents to set it up.

Just to add one more important consideration: If your own benefit at 67 will be $1,950 and your husband's is $2,850, it might make financial sense to: 1. Take reduced survivor benefits at 60 (approximately 71.5% of $2,850) 2. Switch to your own benefit at 70 (which would be 124% of your FRA amount, so around $2,418) This strategy could maximize your lifetime benefits, especially if you expect average or above-average longevity. It's definitely worth consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies to run calculations based on your specific situation.

I've worked with many widows in your situation through my volunteer work at the senior center. Here's what most people don't realize: you need to actually apply for survivor benefits - they don't automatically convert your husband's benefit to yours when he passes. You should apply for survivor benefits promptly after his passing (within a month if possible). Benefits are only retroactive for a limited time. Also, funeral homes often report deaths to SSA, but don't count on this - you should still contact SSA yourself. Lastly, if your husband received a Social Security payment for the month in which he died, that payment may need to be returned to SSA (unless you were already eligible for benefits on his record for that same month).