Welcome to the community, Benjamin! As another newcomer who's been following this thread closely, I completely understand that feeling of being overwhelmed by the Social Security application process. Like you, I was putting off even researching it because it seemed so complicated and intimidating. This thread has been absolutely incredible for breaking down the reality versus our fears about the process. Diego's complete journey - from that initial panic about the signature confusion to receiving the acknowledgment letter - shows us exactly what the actual experience looks like rather than what we imagine might go wrong. The educational aspects have been amazing too. Learning about the E-Sign Act and how our electronic submissions are legally equivalent to physical signatures under penalty of perjury really demystifies the whole online application process. I never realized that federal applications worked that way! It's so frustrating that SSA continues to use confusing messaging that causes unnecessary stress, but having a supportive community like this to share real experiences makes navigating these government processes so much more approachable. I'm about 4 months out from applying myself, and this thread has given me the confidence to move forward when the time comes. Thanks to everyone for creating such a helpful resource for newcomers!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to thank everyone for this incredibly helpful thread! I'm planning to apply for my Social Security retirement benefits in about 5 months and was already feeling pretty anxious about the whole process - especially after hearing confusing stories about online applications from other people. Diego, your detailed sharing of both the initial confusion about that signature message and your successful follow-up with the acknowledgment letter has been exactly what I needed to see. It's so valuable to get the complete story rather than just the initial panic! The explanations about the E-Sign Act and how electronic signatures work for federal applications have been genuinely educational. I had no idea that when we submit our online application, we're providing a legally binding digital signature under penalty of perjury - that context really helps demystify the process. It's frustrating that SSA's system creates this unnecessary confusion with misleading messages, but having access to real experiences like these makes the whole application process feel much more manageable. This thread has definitely boosted my confidence about tackling my own application when the time comes. Thank you all for creating such a supportive environment for sharing knowledge!

One important detail I forgot to mention: if you apply for the divorced spouse benefit, make sure you specify you're applying for the "divorced spouse benefit" and not trying to file on your own record again. Sometimes the intake people get confused when you're already receiving SSDI and try to tell you that you've already filed. Be specific that you're filing for the additional benefit based on your ex-spouse's record.

Just wanted to add something that might help with your decision - you can actually request a benefit estimate from SSA before formally applying. This way you'll know exactly what you'd be eligible for on your ex-husband's record versus your current SSDI amount. I did this when I was considering spousal benefits and it saved me from going through the whole application process only to find out I wouldn't get any additional money. The estimate request is much faster than a full application and will give you the concrete numbers you need to decide if it's worth pursuing.

I'm so sorry for your brother-in-law's loss. Losing a spouse is devastating, and dealing with financial stress on top of grief is incredibly difficult. Just to add one more perspective to the excellent advice already given - your brother-in-law might want to consider meeting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies. Given the complexity of his situation (the earnings test, potential permanent reduction from early filing, comparing survivor benefits to his own future retirement benefit), having a professional run the numbers could be worth the consultation fee. Also, regarding those medical bills - he should look into whether any qualify for charity care or payment plans through the hospital's financial assistance programs. Many people don't realize hospitals are required to offer these programs, and they can significantly reduce the burden while he figures out the best Social Security strategy. The community here has given him a solid roadmap, but professional guidance could help him make the most informed decision for his specific circumstances.

I'm really sorry for your family's loss. This is such a difficult time to have to navigate these complex decisions. One thing I want to emphasize that others have touched on - the earnings test isn't necessarily a complete loss. Any benefits that get withheld due to the earnings test before Full Retirement Age will result in a recalculation at FRA that increases his monthly benefit going forward. So while he won't receive those payments now, it's not like that money completely disappears. Also, given that he's 61 and his FRA is likely 67, that's 6 years of potential survivor benefits he'd be giving up by waiting. Even with the earnings test reducing payments significantly, there might still be some monthly amount he'd receive. Sometimes getting even a reduced benefit can help with cash flow during a crisis. My suggestion would be to have him contact SSA (or use that Claimyr service someone mentioned to actually get through) to get the exact numbers for his situation. They can tell him: - What his monthly survivor benefit would be at 61 vs 67 - Exactly how much would be withheld due to his current earnings - How his own retirement benefit at 70 compares to the survivor benefit With those concrete numbers, he can make an informed decision about whether the reduced amount he'd actually receive now is worth it for his financial situation, or if waiting makes more sense long-term.

I'm really glad you trusted your instincts and stopped your mom from giving out any information! As someone whose elderly father was targeted by similar scams last year, I wanted to share a few additional protective steps that have helped us: 1. We set up caller ID to automatically reject calls from unknown numbers - legitimate SSA calls are extremely rare and they'll leave a voicemail if it's truly important 2. I gave my dad a simple rule: "If anyone calls asking for personal information, tell them you'll call them back and then call me first" 3. We laminated a card with the official SSA number (1-800-772-1213) and put it by his phone so he never has to wonder which number to call The sophisticated fake letters are really concerning - scammers are using high-quality printers and stealing official letterhead designs. When in doubt, always bring suspicious mail to the local SSA office rather than calling any numbers printed on the letter. One more tip: encourage your mom to tell her friends about these scams. Often seniors in the same community get targeted by the same scam rings, so spreading awareness can help protect others too. You're being an excellent advocate for your mom. These criminals count on people being isolated and embarrassed, but you've shown that having family support makes all the difference in avoiding these traps.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what happened to my grandmother recently that might help. She received a very convincing letter claiming her Medicare benefits were being suspended due to "suspicious activity" on her Social Security record. The letter looked completely legitimate with official logos and everything. What tipped us off was that they wanted her to call immediately and provide her Medicare number and SSN to "reactivate" her benefits. Real Medicare/SSA would never suspend benefits without multiple official notices and would never ask you to call to provide information they already have. We took the letter to our local SSA office and the staff confirmed it was a sophisticated fake. They said these scams are getting so advanced that even they have to look carefully to spot the differences sometimes. The key things that helped us identify it as fake: - Urgent language demanding immediate action - Requesting information SSA already has on file - Phone number that didn't match official SSA contact info - Subtle differences in the logo quality when compared to legitimate letters Your mom did exactly the right thing by not giving any information. Trust your instincts - if something feels off about a call or letter, it probably is. Better to verify through official channels than risk becoming a victim.

As someone who's completely new to Social Security and just starting to understand these benefits, this entire discussion has been absolutely incredible! I'm 67 and currently working as a medical technician making about $68K, and I was totally confused about whether to file at 70 and keep working or if it would even make financial sense. Reading through everyone's real-world experiences has been so much more helpful than anything I could find on the SSA website or in their publications. The specific examples people have shared - like @Austin Leonard's $28/month increase, @Javier Torres's $22/month boost, and @Anastasia Sokolov's 3.8% growth beyond COLA over 4 years - really help put actual numbers on what to expect from this AERO process. Like so many others here, I had pretty low earnings in my early career years back in the late 1970s and early 1980s (I think I started around $12K as a new tech), so I'm really hopeful that continuing to work past 70 could help replace some of those lean years in the calculation. I'm definitely going to try all the practical strategies everyone has mentioned: using those online calculators to model different scenarios, creating a spreadsheet to track my indexed earnings by year, and setting up automatic notifications in my Social Security account. The tip about visiting a local SSA office in person instead of dealing with those nightmare phone wait times also sounds so much more promising. It's incredibly reassuring to know that these AERO recalculations happen automatically and can only increase your benefits, never decrease them. Thank you to everyone for sharing such detailed personal experiences - this community discussion has been worth its weight in gold compared to trying to figure this out on my own!

As someone who's completely new to understanding Social Security benefits, this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm 68 and working as a project coordinator making about $72K, planning to file at 70 but wasn't sure if continuing to work would actually help my benefits. Reading through all these real-world experiences has been so much more enlightening than trying to decipher the SSA website. The specific examples everyone has shared - @Austin Leonard's $28/month increase, @Javier Torres's $22/month boost, and @Anastasia Sokolov's 3.8% growth beyond COLA - really help set realistic expectations for what the AERO process can deliver. Like many others here, I had quite low earnings in my early career years in the late 1970s and early 1980s (started at around $15K right out of college), so I'm cautiously optimistic that my current salary could replace some of those lower-earning years in the 35-year calculation. I'm definitely going to implement several of the practical strategies mentioned: using the online calculators to model scenarios with hypothetical future earnings, creating a spreadsheet to track my indexed earnings by year, and setting up automatic notifications in my Social Security account. The suggestion about scheduling an in-person appointment at the local SSA office instead of dealing with phone wait times also sounds much more promising for getting personalized guidance. It's so reassuring to learn that the AERO recalculations happen automatically each year and can only increase benefits, never decrease them. Thanks to everyone for creating such a helpful and supportive community - this discussion has provided more clarity than months of trying to navigate official resources on my own!