Great to see you got through to SSA and have an appointment scheduled! Just wanted to add a couple things that might be helpful for your meeting: 1. If you can find any old tax returns from when you were married, those might have his SSN on them (joint returns would show both). Even if you don't have them, it's not necessary since SSA confirmed they can find his record without it. 2. Since you mentioned he earned "almost triple" what you did, you're likely looking at a significant increase. At FRA, survivor benefits aren't reduced, so you should get 100% of what he was entitled to (or what he was receiving if he had already claimed). 3. Don't forget to ask about Medicare implications if you're eligible - sometimes survivor benefit changes can affect Medicare premiums. Really hoping this works out for you and provides the financial relief you need. Keep us posted after your appointment!

So glad you were able to get through and have an appointment scheduled! This is exactly the kind of situation where the SSA's ability to locate records with basic information really shines. Since you mentioned you were married for 17 years (well over the 10-year requirement) and never remarried, you're in a strong position for approval. One thing to keep in mind - since you're already receiving your own reduced benefit that you took at 62, the survivor benefit calculation will be separate. You'll essentially switch from your current benefit to the higher survivor benefit if eligible. The good news is that taking your own benefit early won't reduce the survivor benefit amount. Wishing you the best of luck at your appointment! This could be life-changing financially, and it sounds like you have all the documentation you need.

I'm so grateful I found this discussion before making what could have been a costly mistake! Like many others here, I was planning to start Social Security at 65 thinking that was the "normal" retirement age, but clearly I had outdated information. The advice from the SSA professionals and financial planner has been invaluable. I now understand that for a June 28th birthday, you'd select July as your start month, but more importantly, that taking benefits at 65 instead of waiting until FRA of 67 means a permanent 13% reduction - that's huge money over a lifetime! I had no idea that Medicare and Social Security were separate programs. Being able to enroll in Medicare at 65 while delaying Social Security until 67 or even 70 seems like the smart financial move for most people who can afford to wait. I'm definitely going to use that SSA retirement estimator tool that everyone keeps mentioning to see the actual dollar impact before making any decisions. It sounds like taking time to really understand these numbers could mean the difference between financial comfort and struggling in retirement. Thanks to everyone who shared their expertise and personal experiences - this thread should be required reading for anyone approaching 65!

I'm approaching 65 myself and this entire discussion has been absolutely invaluable! Like so many others here, I was operating under the assumption that 65 was still the standard retirement age and was planning to start Social Security benefits right away. The clarity everyone has provided about selecting July (the month after your June 28th birthday) makes perfect sense now - you need to be 65 for the entire month to be eligible for that month's benefits. But the real eye-opener has been learning about the permanent 13% reduction for taking benefits before Full Retirement Age of 67. That's a substantial amount of money to give up for life! The advice about separating Medicare enrollment (which should happen at 65) from Social Security timing is particularly helpful since it gives us more flexibility in our planning. I had never heard of the SSA retirement estimator tool that everyone keeps mentioning, but I'm definitely going to use it to see the actual dollar impact before making any decisions. The stories from people who took benefits early and regretted it, versus those who waited and benefited financially, are really compelling. Thank you to all the SSA professionals, financial planners, and people who've been through this process for sharing your expertise. This thread should honestly be pinned as a resource for anyone approaching retirement - it's filled with exactly the kind of practical, real-world advice that's hard to find elsewhere!

I'm so sorry for your loss. This is such a challenging situation to navigate while grieving. I went through something similar when my brother passed and left behind his disabled son. A few practical tips that might help: Start gathering ALL medical documentation NOW - not just recent stuff, but everything from childhood diagnoses, school IEPs, therapy records, everything. SSA wants a complete picture of how the disability affects daily living and work capacity. Also, consider getting a letter from her current doctors specifically addressing her ability to work. They need to understand not just the diagnosis, but how it impacts her functional capacity. One thing that caught me off guard was that they may want to do their own medical evaluation even with extensive records. Don't be surprised if they schedule her for additional appointments. The good news is that with a well-documented case like Down Syndrome, approval rates are generally good. The frustrating part is just the bureaucratic timeline. Stay on top of deadlines and don't hesitate to call if you don't hear back when they say you will. Hang in there - you're doing everything right by planning ahead!

I'm really sorry for your loss - navigating all this while grieving must be incredibly overwhelming. I'm a disability benefits advocate and see families go through this transition regularly. Here's what you should know: Your daughter's benefits will likely continue after 18 since Down Syndrome typically qualifies for adult disabled child benefits, but there WILL be a gap while they process the adult disability determination. This is unavoidable - even with clear-cut cases like Down Syndrome. For your benefits at 62, you're currently receiving "child-in-care" benefits which end when she turns 18 (or if her disability continues, when she's no longer in your care). At that point, you can switch to either widow's benefits (reduced at 62) or your own retirement benefit - whichever is higher. Here's my strongest recommendation: Start the process 6+ months early AND consider consulting with a disability attorney who offers free consultations. They can help ensure all paperwork is complete and may even represent her for free if needed (they only get paid if she's approved). Also, definitely look into setting up an ABLE account or special needs trust now if you haven't - any inheritance or assets need to be handled carefully to protect her future benefits eligibility. The system is frustrating but manageable with proper planning. You've got time to prepare!

I recently went through this exact same process and wanted to share what worked for me! I was switching from Chase to a local credit union after 25+ years and was absolutely terrified about my Social Security payments getting disrupted. Here's the approach that gave me complete peace of mind: 1) I scheduled an appointment with my new credit union specifically to discuss the direct deposit change - they walked me through their process and gave me a official direct deposit form with pre-printed account info 2) I called SSA at 1-800-772-1213 (called at 10 AM on a Tuesday, waited about 30 minutes) and spoke with a representative who was incredibly helpful 3) She guided me through the entire process over the phone, read back all my information for confirmation, and gave me a reference number 4) I kept detailed notes of our conversation including her name and the date 5) Kept both accounts open for 8 weeks to be absolutely certain My payment arrived exactly on schedule with zero issues. The combination of having official documentation from my credit union and speaking directly with an SSA representative made me feel completely confident that everything was handled correctly. For anyone still nervous about this process - the phone method really does work well if you're patient with the wait time, and having that human confirmation makes all the difference for peace of mind!

I'm planning to make this same change in the next few weeks and this entire discussion has been absolutely invaluable! As someone who's been putting off switching banks for months because I was so worried about disrupting my Social Security payments, reading all these detailed success stories and practical strategies has finally given me the confidence to move forward. I think I'm going to combine several of the approaches mentioned here: get the official direct deposit verification letter from my new credit union (thanks @Giovanni Marino for mentioning that!), do a practice run on the SSA website first (@Giovanni Rossi's idea), and then use the online method while being extremely methodical about double-checking every number. One question for those who've successfully made the change online: when you took screenshots of the confirmation pages, did you also save them as PDFs or print them out? I'm trying to decide the best way to preserve that documentation long-term in case I ever need to reference it. This community has been so helpful in turning what felt like a scary, risky process into something much more manageable with proper preparation. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - both the challenges and the successes. It's made all the difference in my confidence level!

I went through this exact same situation 2 years ago and can confirm - the SSA rep was completely wrong! Restricted applications for survivor benefits are absolutely still allowed. The 2015 changes only affected spousal benefits, not widow(er) benefits. Here's what worked for me: During your phone appointment, say "I am filing a restricted application for survivor benefits ONLY" and repeat that you are NOT applying for your own retirement benefit at this time. If the agent seems confused or pushes back, politely ask to speak with a technical expert or supervisor who specializes in survivor benefits. Also bring up that you plan to file for your own retirement benefit at age 70 when your delayed retirement credits max out - this will help them understand your strategy is intentional and legitimate. Don't let them talk you out of what is absolutely the right financial move for your situation!

I'm a newer community member but wanted to chime in since I just went through this process myself 6 months ago. The SSA representative you spoke with is absolutely incorrect - restricted applications for survivor benefits are still very much allowed and are actually a common, smart strategy for people in your exact situation. What you're describing is textbook correct: take survivor benefits at FRA, let your own benefit grow with delayed retirement credits until 70, then switch. The confusion likely stems from the fact that many SSA phone reps mix up the rules for spousal benefits (which were restricted under the 2015 law changes) with survivor benefits (which were NOT affected). During your phone appointment, I'd recommend being very direct: "I am applying ONLY for widow's benefits at this time. I am NOT applying for my own retirement benefit." If they try to process both or seem confused, don't hesitate to ask for a supervisor or technical specialist. One thing that helped me was explaining upfront that I understood this was a two-step process and that I planned to file for my own retirement benefit at age 70. This seemed to help the agent understand I wasn't confused about the process. Stay confident - you clearly know what you're doing and your strategy is both legal and financially sound!