As someone who's been through a similar journey, I want to echo what others have said - your SSDI benefits will continue indefinitely after EPE as long as you stay below SGA. I've been post-EPE for about 2 years now and still receive my full monthly payment and Medicare. One thing that really helped me was setting up a simple monthly budget tracker that includes not just my earnings, but also my disability-related expenses. This way I can see at a glance how close I am to SGA and what my actual "countable" income is after IRWEs. I'd also suggest getting any IRWE documentation from your doctors sooner rather than later - things like letters explaining why your orthopedic shoes and transportation accommodations are medically necessary. Having this paperwork ready makes the reporting process much smoother. The most important thing is to stay organized with your reporting and don't let the fear paralyze you from working. The work incentives are there to help us maintain some independence while keeping our safety net. You've got this!

I'm new to this community and just starting my SSDI journey after being approved last month for my neurological condition. This entire discussion has been incredibly eye-opening and reassuring! I had no idea about the Trial Work Period or Extended Period of Eligibility - my case worker barely mentioned these programs during my application process. Reading through everyone's experiences gives me so much hope that I might be able to return to some form of part-time work in the future without jeopardizing my benefits. Right now I'm focused on managing my condition, but knowing that there are these safety nets and work incentives available makes me feel less trapped by my disability. The IRWE information is completely new to me too - I have significant monthly costs for physical therapy and specialized medical equipment that I never realized might factor into earnings calculations. I'm going to start documenting everything now so I'm prepared if I decide to explore work options down the road. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and real experiences. It's so valuable to hear from people who are actually living this rather than just reading policy manuals. This community seems like an amazing resource for navigating these complex systems!

Welcome Emma! Your questions about research/education time and inventory management are really important ones that I don't think have been fully addressed yet in this thread. From my experience dealing with SSA, they generally consider any time spent on activities that are necessary for your business operations as work time. So yes, that research time you spend on collectibles markets and pricing would likely count - it's directly related to making informed business decisions. Same with organizing your storage unit and retrieving items to ship. Think of it this way: if you hired someone else to do these tasks, you'd pay them for that time, so SSA would probably consider it business activity when you do it yourself. I'd definitely include those activities in your tracking spreadsheet. For the research time, I log it as "market research" or "product education" in my daily notes. For storage unit visits, I track it as "inventory management" along with any mileage (which is also a business deduction). Your plan to call the local SSA office before filing is smart. When you do, I'd suggest asking them specifically about these types of indirect business activities so you know exactly how to categorize them. The learning curve is steep but you're asking all the right questions upfront. Starting your tracking system now before you even file will put you way ahead of where most of us were when we began this process!

As someone who's been through this exact situation, I can't emphasize enough how important it is to start documenting everything from day one. I filed for SS at 62 while running my small Amazon business and made several mistakes early on that could have been avoided. The key things I wish I'd known from the start: 1. **Track EVERYTHING** - Even 10 minutes answering customer questions counts. I use a simple app on my phone to log time in real-time rather than trying to remember at the end of the day. 2. **Monthly vs Annual rules** - That first year is crucial since they look month-by-month. After year one, it's much simpler with just annual totals. 3. **"Substantial services" is broader than you think** - Research time, inventory management, even updating listings all count as business activity. 4. **Get it in writing** - Different SSA reps will give you different answers. When you get clarification, ask them to email you a summary or send written guidance. One specific tip that saved me headaches: I set up automatic monthly exports from my selling platforms on the 1st of each month, then spend 30 minutes calculating my net earnings and total hours. Having this routine prevents scrambling later if SSA asks questions. The system definitely isn't designed for modern online businesses, but once you establish good documentation habits, it becomes manageable. Don't let the complexity discourage you from claiming benefits you've earned!

As someone who recently went through a similar situation with my ex-spouse's survivor benefits, I wanted to share a few practical tips that might help you navigate this process: 1. Document everything - Keep records of your marriage dates, divorce decree, and any correspondence with SSA. You'll need proof of the 10+ year marriage when you apply. 2. Consider getting a Social Security statement estimate for yourself now so you can compare your projected benefits at different claiming ages. This will help you evaluate the switching strategies others mentioned. 3. When you do speak with SSA, ask specifically about "deemed filing" rules if you're considering claiming before your FRA. Sometimes claiming one benefit automatically triggers an application for another, which could affect your strategy. 4. If your ex-husband has other ex-spouses from marriages of 10+ years, don't worry - survivor benefits aren't reduced when multiple people claim on the same record (unlike some other benefit types). The earnings test point that Amina raised is crucial if you're still working. At $65K salary, you'd definitely want to factor that into your timing decision. Good luck with your SSA appointment - having all these questions prepared will make it much more productive!

Just wanted to add one more consideration that might be relevant to your situation - if your ex-husband is currently receiving Medicare and has health issues, you might want to think about the potential timing of when survivor benefits could become available. While this obviously isn't something you'd want to happen, having a realistic financial plan that includes survivor benefit timing could help with your overall retirement planning. Also, since you mentioned you're 64 and still working, you might want to look into whether your continued earnings could increase your own Social Security benefit calculation. If you're earning more now than in some of your earlier working years, these higher earnings could replace lower-earning years in your benefit calculation, potentially increasing your own retirement benefit amount. This could affect the comparison between your own benefits and potential survivor benefits down the line. The SSA uses your highest 35 years of earnings, so if you're currently out-earning some of those earlier years, continuing to work could boost your own benefit even beyond age 67.

I just found this thread while searching for solutions to the exact same problem! I've been trying to reach SSA for over two weeks about my disability benefits review and keep getting that same disconnect after pressing 8. Reading through all these strategies has given me so much hope - this community is incredible! I'm planning to try the local office direct number approach tomorrow morning around 10:30 AM using my landline (never would have thought about the cell phone vs landline issue). I've already looked up my local office through the ICON locator that was shared and have all my questions written out and organized. What really strikes me is how we've all had to become amateur experts at gaming a broken system just to access services we're entitled to. It's frustrating that it takes this much strategy and persistence, but I'm so grateful for everyone who took the time to share what worked for them. This thread is like a comprehensive survival guide for navigating SSA! I'll definitely report back with my results - fingers crossed the combination of strategies from this thread finally gets me through to someone who can help with my review questions.

I've been following this thread as a newcomer dealing with the exact same SSA phone system nightmare! After weeks of getting disconnected when pressing 8, I finally got through yesterday using several strategies from this amazing thread. What worked for me: I called my local office directly (found through the ICON locator) on a Tuesday at 10:15 AM from an old landline phone. After a 40-minute hold, I reached a very helpful representative who answered all my questions about early retirement options. A couple additional tips from my experience: - When the automated system asks for your SSN, speak slowly and clearly - I think poor voice recognition might contribute to some disconnects - I mentioned at the start of the call that I had specific questions about benefit calculations, which seemed to route me to someone more knowledgeable - The rep gave me a case number for my inquiry, which she said I could reference in future calls This community's collective wisdom is incredible - combining the local office approach with proper timing and phone type really made the difference. For anyone still struggling, don't give up! The strategies shared here absolutely work with persistence. Thank you to everyone who contributed their hard-earned tips to help the rest of us navigate this broken system!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Dominique. I just went through this process with my father when my mother passed away 6 months ago, and I know how emotionally exhausting it is to deal with all this paperwork while you're grieving. Reading through all the excellent advice here, it looks like you're incredibly well-prepared for your phone interview. One thing I'd add that really helped us - if you have any old tax returns where your parents filed jointly, bring those along. Sometimes they ask about your mom's earnings history, and joint returns can help verify information quickly. Also, don't be surprised if they ask your dad to estimate what your mom might have earned in her final year of work. We weren't prepared for that question and had to call back with better information. Since your dad is worried about bills, definitely ask about that $255 lump sum death benefit during the call - it's automatic but they don't always mention it unless you ask. And if your mom had any life insurance through her employer, make sure to mention that too, as sometimes there are coordination of benefits issues. The phone interview lasted about an hour for us, but the agent was incredibly patient and compassionate. She even called us back the next day to clarify something rather than making us wait weeks for a letter. Our first payment came 7 weeks after approval with full backdating to the application date. Your dad is so fortunate to have you advocating for him. This community has been amazing - the shared experiences here are invaluable for families going through this difficult process.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Dominique. I went through this same process when my spouse passed away last year, and I can tell from all the great advice you've received that this community really understands what you're going through. One thing I'd add that helped me tremendously - create a simple one-page "cheat sheet" with all the key information laid out clearly: both parents' full names, SSNs, birth dates, marriage date, date of death, and your dad's bank info. Having everything on one page made the phone interview so much smoother when I was emotional and trying to focus. Also, since your mom passed at 64 before claiming benefits, the calculation process might take a bit longer than usual, so don't be discouraged if it extends beyond the typical 6-8 week timeframe others have mentioned. One question I wish I had asked during my interview - if your dad has any chronic health conditions or medications, ask if there are any Medicare implications to switching from his potential retirement benefits to survivor benefits. The agent should be able to clarify this or connect you with someone who can. The waiting period is really difficult, especially when bills are a concern, but you're doing everything right. Your thorough preparation will make such a difference, and your dad is lucky to have you helping him navigate this process. This community has been invaluable for so many of us dealing with these situations.