Thanks to everyone who's replied! I feel so much better knowing I don't have any immediate responsibilities. I was stressing about this for days thinking I might be neglecting some important duty. Sounds like this is just my husband planning ahead (which is very like him). I appreciate all the information and personal experiences shared here.

Smart planning by your husband! Just to add one more reassuring point - you can even decline to serve as representative payee if/when the time comes and SSA contacts you. The Advanced Designation form expresses his preference, but it's not a legally binding commitment on your part. If circumstances change or you feel unable to take on those responsibilities in the future, you have the right to decline and SSA would then look for another suitable person or organization to serve as payee.

I wish I'd known about all this when my husband passed. I just took the survivors right away at 60 and now realize I probably should have waited. No one at SS explained any options to me :

I'm so sorry for your loss, Anastasia. Going through all these decisions while grieving is incredibly difficult. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like keeping your October 31st appointment makes sense since the difference between filing at 61 years 11 months versus 62 is minimal (around 0.4% or about $8/month on a $2000 benefit). A few things to keep in mind for your appointment: - Ask specifically about any retroactive payments back to when you turned 60 - Confirm your exact reduction percentage based on your birth year and FRA - Ask about your future options to switch to your own retirement benefit if it would be higher - Make sure you understand how your husband's delayed retirement credits (if any) will affect your benefit amount The SSA rep should be able to give you exact numbers for your specific situation. Take notes during the call - there's a lot of information to process. You've got this!

sorry about your dad but count yourself lucky they only took back one month!! when my grandpa died they somehow took back 3 MONTHS of payments and said he wasnt eligible!! took my aunt almost a year to get it fixed and by then we had already paid all his bills from our own money! the whole system is a mess.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Sofia. I went through something very similar when my mother passed away last October, and the Social Security payment timing was equally confusing for me. From what I understand after dealing with this myself, the January 30th payment your father received was indeed FOR January 2025 (not December 2024), which is why it included the 2025 COLA increase. Since he lived through the entire month of January, that payment was correctly his to keep. The February 28th payment they reclaimed was for February 2025. Because your father passed on February 18th, he didn't live through the complete month of February, so under Social Security rules, he wasn't entitled to that month's benefit. Your 1099-SSA showing only one month's payment for 2025 sounds correct - that would be the January payment. It can be really hard to wrap your head around because the timing seems counterintuitive, but the key rule is that the recipient must be alive for every day of the month to receive that month's benefit. I hope this helps clarify things during what I know is already a difficult time dealing with all the administrative details after losing a parent.

Update: I called SSA this morning (used that Claimyr service someone mentioned and it actually worked great). The agent confirmed exactly what you all said - the January payment was for December, and since dad didn't live through the entire month, we need to return it. They're sending instructions to my father's address. The agent also helped me apply for the $255 death benefit since I'm the surviving spouse. Thanks everyone for your help navigating this confusing system during such a difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your loss. This is such a difficult time to have to deal with these complicated financial matters. I went through something similar when my father passed away two years ago. The Social Security payment system is really confusing - they pay in arrears but require you to live the entire month to be eligible. It sounds like you've already gotten great advice here and have things sorted out with SSA. Just wanted to add that you might also want to notify his bank about the passing if you haven't already, as they'll need to know for account management purposes. Take care of yourself during this challenging time.

Thanks everyone for the helpful answers! I called Social Security using the Claimyr service that someone recommended, and it really did get me through quickly! The representative explained that since this is my first year on benefits, I can use the monthly test for the rest of 2025. That's perfect because I can limit my hours to stay under $1,770 each month, even during holiday seasons when I usually work more. Then next year I'll need to watch my annual total instead. They also told me that if I do go over, they don't immediately take money back - they adjust future payments. And the part about getting credited back after I reach full retirement age was news to me! Makes the whole system seem more fair. Thanks again for all the advice!

I'm glad you got through to SSA and got clarity on your situation! That monthly test for the first year is really helpful for people with variable income. Just wanted to add one more thing - make sure to keep good records of your monthly earnings throughout the year. Even though you're using the monthly test, SSA may still want documentation if there are any questions later. I keep a simple spreadsheet with my hours and gross pay each month, plus copies of all my paystubs. It's saved me headaches during reviews. Good luck with managing your seasonal work schedule!