my neighber gets Survivor benefits for her grand kids to. but be careful they make you account for every penny spent from those benefits! keep all reciepts for clothes school stuff etc as proof

I'm sorry for your loss and the challenges you're facing with navigating the SSA system. Based on what others have shared, it sounds like you should definitely prioritize applying for child survivor benefits for your grandson right away, especially given the 6-month retroactive payment limit. One thing I wanted to add that might help: when you do get through to SSA (whether by phone or in person), ask specifically about auxiliary benefits. Sometimes there are additional benefits available to family members that aren't immediately obvious. Also, since you mentioned your grandson is 9 and you're his legal guardian, make sure to ask about any potential caregiver benefits that might be available in your specific situation. The documentation others mentioned is key - having everything ready (birth certificate, death certificate, guardianship papers) will make the process much smoother. And definitely keep detailed records of any expenses related to your grandson's care once benefits start, as others have noted. Hang in there - the system is frustrating but you're asking the right questions and getting good advice from this community!

That sounds like an excellent plan! One last thing to consider: Since your own benefit at 62 ($1,125) is very close to what your ex-spouse benefit would be at 62 ($1,080), you might actually be better off claiming your own benefit and letting it grow. Reason: If you claim your own benefit at your Full Retirement Age instead of 62, it would be approximately 33% higher. But if you claim ex-spouse benefits at FRA instead of 62, you'd only get the flat 50% of his benefit. In your specific situation, maximizing your own benefit by waiting might be the best financial move regardless of marriage plans. Definitely discuss this with SSA when you reach them!

Just wanted to add one more consideration that might be helpful - since you're 62 in August, you have some time to really crunch the numbers before making any decisions. One strategy some people use is to file a "restricted application" where you can claim spousal benefits first while letting your own benefit grow with delayed retirement credits until age 70. BUT this option was eliminated for people born after January 1, 1954. Since you're turning 62 this year, you were likely born in 1963, so this strategy unfortunately wouldn't be available to you. However, given that your own benefit and ex-spouse benefit amounts are so close, you might want to consider working a couple more years to build up your own record further. Every year you delay claiming (up to age 70) adds about 8% to your own benefit, but won't increase the ex-spouse benefit at all. Also, don't forget that if you do decide to marry your boyfriend eventually, you could potentially claim spousal benefits on HIS record once he starts collecting (assuming his benefit would be higher than yours). Something to factor into your long-term planning!

my heart goes out to you and your family during this difficult time. losing a loved one is hard enough without having to figure out all these complicated financial issues. sending hugs to you and those kiddos.

I'm so sorry for your family's loss. Just wanted to add one more reassurance - I work with families dealing with survivor benefits regularly, and inheritance truly has zero impact on Social Security survivor benefits. The key thing to remember is that survivor benefits are an earned benefit based on your brother's work history, not a need-based program. Your SIL can safely proceed with managing the inheritance without worrying about the children's benefits being affected. The house sale, retirement account distributions, life insurance proceeds - none of it matters to SSA for survivor benefit purposes. If she does decide to work later, just keep in mind that only HER benefit would be affected by the earnings test, never the children's. And even then, it's only a temporary reduction during her working years - the children's benefits continue uninterrupted regardless of family income or assets. Focus on getting proper estate planning advice for managing the inheritance in the children's best interests, but rest assured the survivor benefits are secure.

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm in a similar situation - started collecting in September 2024 and my 2023 earnings ($78,000, my second highest year ever) seem to have been completely ignored in my benefit calculation. I called once and got the same runaround about waiting for the next automatic recalculation cycle. Reading everyone's experiences here, I'm realizing I need to be much more assertive and specific. The language about requesting a "manual recalculation because my 2023 earnings are posted to my record but weren't included in my initial benefit computation" is exactly what I needed. And asking to see my "computation years" to get concrete proof - that's brilliant. I'm particularly encouraged by the success stories from Miguel and others who got immediate manual recalculations with significant monthly increases and backpay. It's clear this isn't something we should just accept waiting a year for. One question for those who've been through this successfully - when you called and asked for the Technical Expert unit, did you have to explain the situation first to the initial representative, or were you able to ask to be transferred immediately? I'm trying to figure out the most efficient way to get to someone who actually knows how to handle these computation issues. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and advice. This community support is invaluable when dealing with SSA bureaucracy!

I'm a retired SSA claims representative and I've seen this issue countless times over my 30-year career. What you're experiencing is unfortunately common, but absolutely fixable. The rep who told you to wait until March 2026 is either misinformed or taking the easy way out. Here's what's actually happening: When you filed for retirement benefits, SSA should have included all earnings posted to your record through the previous year. If your 2023 earnings were already posted when you applied in 2024, they should have been included in your initial computation. If they weren't available yet, the AERO (Automatic Earnings Reappraisal Operation) should have picked them up in the October 2024 run. Since you've verified your 2023 earnings are correctly posted on my.ssa.gov but weren't included in your benefit calculation, this is clearly a processing error that requires immediate correction, not waiting for the next automated cycle. When you call back, use this exact language: "I need a manual benefit recalculation. My 2023 earnings of $87,500 are correctly posted to my earnings record but were not included in my initial benefit computation. I'm requesting immediate review of my computation years." Ask to speak with a Technical Expert in the Payment Center who handles computation issues - not just a general customer service rep. They have the authority to order an immediate manual recalculation when there's clear evidence of a computational error. You should also receive retroactive payments back to your benefit start date once the correction is made. Don't accept any delays - this is their mistake and they have the tools to fix it immediately.

my neighbor worked for SSA for 30 years before retiring and she always told me they never actually skip payments unless theres a problem with eligibility. have you had any changes lately? new job? inheritance? moved? sometimes these trigger reviews and they hold payments

After reading through all your responses, I'm pretty sure this is a specific issue that needs direct SSA intervention. One possibility is that there was an unprocessed Change of Payment Address (even if you didn't change addresses), a bank account verification issue, or a routine eligibility review. These can sometimes result in a payment being held but not necessarily communicated clearly in your online account. Your March payment being scheduled suggests you're still eligible, which is good news. I would definitely prioritize speaking with an agent directly.