I'm so sorry for your loss, Dmitry. Navigating Social Security survivor benefits while grieving is incredibly difficult, and their confusing online system just makes everything more stressful. What you're experiencing sounds completely normal for a new survivor benefit claim. That $2,780 deposit is almost certainly retroactive benefits - they're paying you for the months between when you became eligible (likely when your husband passed) and when you applied about 2 months later. Since survivor benefits can be paid retroactively for up to 6 months in many cases, this makes perfect sense. The "overpayment" notation you're seeing online is typically just their system reconciling calculations during initial processing. When they process survivor claims, they often make estimated payments first, then adjust as they verify all the details, which creates temporary accounting entries that show as "overpayments" even when you don't actually owe anything back. Your payment schedule is correct - since you were born on the 15th, you'll receive benefits on the 3rd Wednesday (birth dates 11th-20th = 3rd Wednesday). This is based on YOUR birth date, not your husband's, which is where most people get confused. I'd strongly recommend waiting for the official explanation letter before worrying about that overpayment notation. SSA's online portal is notorious for showing incomplete information during processing, but the letter should clearly break down what each payment represents. The first few months are always the most confusing part - once everything gets sorted out, monthly payments typically run much smoother. You're handling an incredibly difficult situation with grace.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Dmitry. Losing a spouse is heartbreaking, and then having to navigate SSA's complicated system while you're grieving just adds so much stress to an already overwhelming time. What you're experiencing sounds completely normal for survivor benefit processing. That $2,780 deposit is almost certainly retroactive benefits - they're paying you for the gap between when you became eligible (around when your husband passed) and when you actually applied about 2 months later. This is actually money you're entitled to, not an error. The "overpayment" notation showing up online is typically just their system working through calculations during initial processing. SSA often makes estimated payments first, then adjusts as they finalize all the details, which creates these temporary accounting entries that look scary but usually don't mean you owe money back. Your payment schedule is correct too - since you were born on the 15th, the 3rd Wednesday is right for birth dates between 11th-20th. It's based on YOUR birthday, not your husband's, which confuses a lot of people initially. I'd definitely wait for the official letter before worrying about that overpayment notice. Their online portal is notorious for showing confusing information during processing, but the letter should explain everything clearly. The first few months are always the messiest part of dealing with SSA, but once everything gets straightened out it usually runs much smoother. Hang in there - you're dealing with one of life's hardest situations and navigating bureaucracy at the same time, which isn't easy for anyone.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evan. This thread has been incredibly informative about the RIB LIM rule - something I knew nothing about before reading through everyone's explanations. It's wonderful to see how this community has rallied to help you understand such a complex issue during an already difficult time. From what I've learned here, it sounds like you're actually in a much better position than you initially thought. The fact that you'll likely receive more than the $2200 your husband was getting due to the 82.5% floor provision is really encouraging news. I wanted to add one small piece of advice for your call tomorrow: consider having a notepad ready to write down the specific dollar amounts they give you - your husband's PIA, what 82.5% of that equals, and your final benefit amount. Sometimes when we're dealing with emotional conversations about finances, it helps to have the numbers written down so you can review them later and make sure everything makes sense. You've gotten such thorough preparation advice from everyone here - the 8 AM call time, your four key questions, asking for documentation, and knowing you can request a supervisor if needed. You should feel really confident going into that conversation. This community has shown what incredible support looks like, and I'm sure I speak for everyone when I say we're all rooting for you to get the full benefits you deserve. Good luck tomorrow!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Evan. This thread has been incredibly helpful in explaining the RIB LIM rule, which really is one of Social Security's most confusing provisions. As someone new to this community, I'm amazed by how everyone has come together to provide such clear guidance during your difficult time. From everything that's been shared here, it's clear you should receive the higher of what your husband was getting ($2200) or 82.5% of his Primary Insurance Amount. Since he claimed at 62 and was likely receiving about 75% of his PIA, that 82.5% floor should definitely work in your favor. You've gotten excellent preparation advice - calling at 8 AM, having your key questions written down, asking for documentation, and knowing you can request a supervisor if the first rep seems uncertain about RIB LIM calculations. Your decision to wait until your FRA at 66 and 6 months is absolutely the right choice. One small addition to all the great advice: during your call, don't hesitate to ask the representative to email you a summary of your benefit determination if they can't provide written documentation immediately. Sometimes having that follow-up in writing can be really valuable for your records. You should feel confident going into that call - this community has equipped you with all the right knowledge and questions. We're all rooting for you to get the full benefits you deserve. Please update us when you can - your experience will likely help other community members facing similar situations. Wishing you strength during this challenging time.

This is such a helpful discussion! As someone who's been considering whether to take on some freelance work after reaching my FRA next year, I'm bookmarking this entire thread. The clarity about no earnings limits after FRA is reassuring, and I hadn't realized about the annual recalculation potentially increasing benefits if the new earnings are high enough. Amelia, it's wonderful that you're going back to help with the teacher shortage - experienced educators are desperately needed right now. The fact that you can do this without worrying about benefit reductions makes it a win-win situation. I'm curious - for those who have gone back to work after FRA, have you found that the additional income significantly changed your tax bracket, or has it been pretty manageable? I'm trying to plan ahead for the tax implications myself.

I can share some real-world experience about the tax impact! I went back to work part-time after my FRA earning about $28,000 annually, and while it did increase my overall tax liability, it wasn't as dramatic as I feared. The key is understanding that it's not just about tax brackets - it's more about how much of your Social Security becomes taxable. Before working, only about 50% of my SS benefits were taxable because my other retirement income was modest. After adding the work income, about 85% became taxable. But remember, that doesn't mean 85% gets taken away - it just means more of your benefits count as taxable income when you file your return. I ended up setting aside about 22% of my work earnings for taxes (federal and state combined), which covered the additional tax burden comfortably. The peace of mind of knowing my monthly SS check stays the same made it totally worth it. Plus, staying active and engaged through work has been great for my mental health! My advice would be to consult with a tax professional for your first year back at work, just to make sure you're withholding enough and taking advantage of any available deductions.

This is such an important topic to plan ahead for. I went through something similar with my husband a few years ago. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned much is the importance of understanding how survivor benefits work if your wife has her own Social Security record too. Since she's currently working and contributing to Social Security, she'll have her own benefit calculation when she reaches retirement age. The strategy many widows use is called "restrict and switch" - she could potentially claim the survivor benefit first (either at 60 with reduction or later at full amount), then switch to her own retirement benefit at 70 if it would be higher due to delayed retirement credits. Also, regarding that gap period before she turns 60 - I'd strongly recommend looking into increasing any life insurance you have specifically to cover those missing months of income. When my husband passed, I was 57 and that 3-year gap was financially devastating even though we thought we were prepared. The combination of funeral expenses, reduced household income, and having to wait for any Social Security help was overwhelming. One last tip: have her start tracking all of her work earnings and Social Security statements now. When the time comes to apply, having organized records of both your earnings histories will make the process much smoother.

I'm so glad you're thinking ahead about this - it shows how much you care about your wife's financial security. From reading everyone's experiences here, it's clear that the gap period between your passing and when she turns 60 is really the biggest challenge to prepare for. One thing I'd suggest is also looking into whether your wife might qualify for any pension survivor benefits through your work history, if you have any. Sometimes people focus so much on Social Security that they forget about other potential sources of survivor income. Also, since she's still working and building her own Social Security record, you might want to run some calculations to see what her own benefit would be at different claiming ages versus the survivor benefit. The my Social Security website has calculators that can help with this. Sometimes the math works out better to claim her own reduced benefit at 62 and then switch to survivor benefits later, depending on the amounts involved. The document preparation advice everyone's given is spot on. I'd also add that you should make sure she knows where all your important financial accounts are located and has access to them. When grief hits, even simple tasks become overwhelming, so having everything clearly organized and accessible will be a huge help.

Just wanted to add one more thing that might help with your decision - you mentioned being 62 and planning to take benefits early. Have you considered whether you'll still be working? If you're planning to work while collecting Social Security before your full retirement age, you could hit the earnings test limit ($22,320 for 2024). If you earn more than that, they'll reduce your benefits by $1 for every $2 you earn over the limit. This applies to both your own retirement benefits AND any divorced spousal benefits you might receive. The earnings test goes away once you reach full retirement age, but it's something to factor into your timing decision. Also, when you do call SSA, ask them to run scenarios showing your benefit amounts at different claiming ages (62, full retirement age, and 70) so you can see the long-term impact of claiming early versus waiting. Sometimes seeing the actual dollar differences over your lifetime can help with the decision.

I'm in a somewhat similar situation and found this thread really helpful! One thing I wanted to add is that you might want to double-check whether your ex-husband has already filed for benefits. If he has, you can apply for divorced spousal benefits immediately. But if he hasn't filed yet, you'll need to have been divorced for at least 2 years (which you definitely have been since 2001). Also, I learned the hard way that SSA doesn't always volunteer information about all the benefits you might be eligible for. When you call, specifically ask about "divorced spousal benefits" and "divorced survivor benefits" - don't just ask about "ex-spouse benefits" generally. The terminology matters and can help ensure you get complete information. One more tip: if you do decide to take your benefits at 62, make sure to ask SSA to put a note in your file about your interest in future divorced spousal and survivor benefits. This can help streamline the process when you're ready to apply for those additional benefits later.