I'm so sorry for your loss, Cedric. I went through this same process about 3 months ago when my husband passed away. My widow's benefits took exactly 5 weeks and 6 days from application to first payment. What helped me most during the waiting period was keeping a simple calendar where I marked off each day and noted any correspondence from SSA. It gave me a sense of progress during such an uncertain time. Since your husband passed in January and you just applied, you should definitely receive retroactive benefits back to that time period. My first payment was almost triple my regular monthly amount because of the back payments - it really helped with all the expenses that had accumulated. A couple of practical tips that made a difference for me: - Check your MySocialSecurity account every few days - mine showed "approved" status about a week before the payment arrived - Keep your confirmation number handy for any follow-up calls - The award letter typically arrives 3-5 days before your first deposit The waiting is absolutely brutal when you're grieving and worried about finances. But from what you've shared about submitting complete documentation upfront, you've done everything right. Most widow's benefit applications like yours process within 4-6 weeks. You should hopefully hear something very soon. This community has been such a support during this difficult journey.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Cedric. I went through this exact process about 11 months ago when my wife passed away. My widow's benefits took 5 weeks and 3 days from application to first payment. What helped me most during the waiting period was understanding that while the timeline can vary, most complete applications with all documentation submitted upfront (like yours) process within 4-6 weeks. Since you provided your marriage certificate, death certificate, and birth certificates when you applied, that should help avoid common delays. A few things that made the wait more manageable for me: - I set up a simple tracking system with my application date and confirmation number - Called my local SSA office directly around day 30 rather than the national line - they were much more knowledgeable about my specific case - Set up mobile banking alerts so I'd know immediately when deposits arrived Since your husband passed in January and you just applied, you should definitely receive retroactive benefits back to that time. My first payment was significantly larger because it included those back payments, which really helped with expenses that had accumulated during those difficult months. The uncertainty is probably the hardest part when you're already dealing with so much grief and financial stress. But based on everything you've shared, you've done everything right. You should hopefully hear something within the next few weeks. This community has been such a source of strength during these challenging times. Hang in there.

I'm 61 and went through this exact conversion 18 months ago! Was making $85k as a salaried food service manager, now averaging $98k with overtime as hourly. I had the same worries about Social Security, but I can confirm everything everyone's saying is absolutely correct - ALL your overtime earnings count toward your SS benefits as long as FICA taxes are withheld. I actually used that Claimyr service to call SSA and got confirmation directly from them. What's amazing is that I just checked my projections last week and my estimated monthly benefit has increased by $240/month compared to my old salary! That's nearly $2,900 extra per year for life. At 58, you're in a perfect spot - these higher earning years will definitely replace some of your lower ones from decades ago. The loss of flexibility was annoying at first, but honestly, when you're looking at potentially tens of thousands of extra dollars over retirement, it's completely worth it. Definitely create that my.ssa.gov account and run the numbers - you'll probably be pleasantly surprised! The timing of this change in your late 50s is actually ideal for maximizing your final high-earning years before retirement.

I'm 56 and just found this community while researching this exact topic! My manufacturing company is planning to convert all supervisory positions from salary to hourly next quarter, and I've been really anxious about how it would affect my Social Security benefits. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea that ALL FICA-taxed earnings count equally toward your SS record, regardless of whether it's overtime, base pay, or any other compensation. The monthly benefit increases people are reporting ($165-$240+) are really substantial when you think about it over a full retirement. At 56, I have potentially 11-13 years to maximize these higher earnings before I retire, which could help replace some of my much lower-earning years from the 80s and 90s. I was dreading this change because I value salary flexibility, but seeing the real financial impact people have experienced makes me much more optimistic. I'm definitely creating my SSA account this weekend to check my earnings history and run some projections. Thanks to everyone who shared their actual numbers and experiences - it's exactly what I needed to feel confident about this transition!

I've been following this discussion and wanted to share some additional resources that might help everyone here. For those struggling to get through to SSA by phone, you can also visit your local Social Security office in person - sometimes it's faster than waiting on hold for hours. You can find your nearest office at ssa.gov/locator. I'd recommend calling ahead to see if they require appointments, as some offices have shifted to appointment-only since COVID. Also, if you're trying to get benefit estimates, the online "my Social Security" account at ssa.gov is really helpful for seeing your own projected benefits, though as others mentioned, it won't show you what you might be eligible for from an ex-spouse's record. One more tip: if you do end up calling SSA, try calling right when they open at 7 AM local time - the wait times are usually much shorter in the morning. I've had good luck getting through within 15-20 minutes that way versus hours during peak times. The remarriage timing decisions you're all discussing are so important financially - it's worth the effort to get the official numbers to make informed choices!

This has been such an informative discussion! I'm 62 and went through this exact decision process 3 years ago. I was divorced after 14 years of marriage and had been with my current partner for 5 years when I had to decide about remarriage timing. I ended up waiting until after my 60th birthday to remarry, and I'm so glad I did. My ex-husband had significantly higher earnings than both myself and my new husband, so preserving the option to claim on his record was financially crucial. When I applied for benefits last year, I was able to choose the highest of the three options available to me. One thing I wish someone had told me earlier: even though everyone talks about the "age 60 rule," the actual claiming decision doesn't happen until you're 62+ anyway, so you have time after remarriage to really crunch the numbers and see which benefit source gives you the most money. For those of you still deciding on timing - it's worth doing the math with actual benefit estimates rather than guessing. The difference in my case was about $400/month between my ex's record versus my new husband's record, which adds up to almost $5,000 per year. Waiting two extra years to remarry was definitely worth it for that kind of financial security. Best of luck to everyone navigating these decisions!

I went through this same confusion last year! The key thing that helped me was understanding that Social Security benefits are always paid "in arrears" - meaning you get paid in June for your May benefits, July for June benefits, etc. Since your FRA is May 15th, you'd tell SSA to start benefits in May 2025, and your first check would arrive in June on the third Wednesday (since your birthday is the 15th). Don't let anyone convince you to start in April - that would actually reduce your benefits permanently since you'd be starting before FRA. The SSA representatives I spoke with were very clear about this timing. Just make sure you apply 3-4 months ahead of time to avoid any processing delays!

Welcome to the community! I'm also approaching my FRA and found this thread incredibly helpful. Just wanted to add one more confirmation to what everyone else is saying - the timing is exactly as described here. I actually called SSA last month to verify this for my own situation (FRA in July) and the representative confirmed that you should use your FRA month as the start date, not the month before. The "paid in arrears" system means you'll always get your first payment the month after your benefit start month. It's confusing at first but makes sense once you understand the pattern. One tip: when you're filling out the online application, there's a section that explains this timing - it helped me feel more confident about my choice. Good luck with your application!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by the wealth of practical knowledge shared in this thread! Reading through everyone's experiences with the Medicare premium/Social Security transition has been incredibly educational. The systematic approach that emerged here - calling Medicare 1-2 months before benefits start, getting written confirmation, timing autopay cancellation carefully, and monitoring both accounts - is pure gold. What really strikes me is how Caden's proactive approach led to such a smooth transition, while others who didn't know about the coordination gap faced costly double payments. This thread perfectly demonstrates the value of community knowledge-sharing in navigating complex government systems. I'm bookmarking this as my reference guide for when I face this transition in a few years. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share both successes and cautionary tales - this is exactly the kind of practical guidance that makes all the difference!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly impressed by how comprehensive and helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm 62 and won't need to navigate this Medicare/Social Security transition for several years, but reading through everyone's experiences has already given me such valuable insight into what to expect. The clear roadmap that emerged from this thread - calling Medicare directly before your SS benefits start, getting written confirmation of the switch timeline, carefully timing your autopay cancellation, and monitoring both accounts during the transition - is exactly the kind of practical guidance you simply can't find on official government websites. What really stands out to me is how Caden's proactive approach led to such a smooth resolution, while the cautionary tales from others who experienced double payments highlight just how important it is to plan ahead. The professional insights from Giovanni about getting written documentation and understanding that only Part B premiums get deducted (while Supplement and Part D stay separate) add such valuable depth to the discussion. This thread perfectly demonstrates the power of community knowledge-sharing in turning what could be a stressful bureaucratic challenge into a manageable, step-by-step process. I'm definitely bookmarking this as my reference guide for when my time comes. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share both their successes and lessons learned - this is community support at its absolute best!