When I was figuring all this out last year, I found a calculator on the SSA website that helps estimate WEP reductions. It's complicated though! Definitely recommend talking to an actual person at SSA before making decisions. And yes, you each get your own Social Security benefit (though yours may be reduced by WEP). This is separate from spousal benefits, which is a whole different thing that comes into play if your own benefit would be less than half of your spouse's.

Welcome to the community! Don't feel embarrassed at all - these rules are genuinely confusing and you're asking exactly the right questions. I'm a federal retiree who went through this maze a few years ago. Here's the simple breakdown: You'll receive THREE separate monthly payments - your pension ($2,500), your own Social Security (reduced by WEP, probably around $1,600-1,800), and your husband will get his full Social Security ($2,125). So yes, you both get Social Security checks! The key thing to understand is that WEP only reduces YOUR Social Security benefit because you have a pension from work where you didn't pay SS taxes. It doesn't eliminate it entirely, and it doesn't affect your husband's benefit at all. One critical tip: When you apply for Social Security, make sure to tell them about your pension upfront. Don't wait for them to "discover" it later through tax records - that can lead to overpayment situations that are really stressful to deal with. Also consider whether taking benefits at 62 is really the best move financially. That 30% reduction is permanent, and with your pension providing good income, you might be better off waiting until full retirement age for a much higher Social Security benefit. Run the numbers both ways!

Just to add one more important detail - if you're facing financial hardship, you can request a reduction or removal of the levy by submitting Form 911 (Request for Taxpayer Advocate Service Assistance) or by calling the Taxpayer Advocate Service directly at 877-777-4778. They're separate from regular IRS collections and can sometimes help if you're in a difficult financial situation.

One thing that might help ease your anxiety - you can also check if you qualify for an Offer in Compromise (OIC) with the IRS. If your financial situation makes it unlikely you'll ever be able to pay the full $8,900, they might accept a lower amount as settlement. There's a pre-qualifier tool on the IRS website that can give you an idea if you'd be eligible. It's worth looking into since you're on a fixed income now. The application fee is $205 but it's waived if you meet low income guidelines.

To follow up on your question about how much the increase might be - it varies based on how many months were withheld and over what period. The formula is a bit complex, but for someone who had 8 months withheld between age 60 and FRA (approximately 72 months total), you might see an increase of around 1.5-2% of your current benefit. So if your current survivor benefit is $2,000, you might see an increase of $30-40 per month. Not huge, but as others mentioned, it adds up over time, and you should also receive back payments from your FRA month to present.

I went through this exact situation about 3 years ago! The SSA is supposed to automatically do the ARF adjustment, but in my experience, they often don't unless you push them. I had to call multiple times over several months before they finally processed mine. When you do get through to them, make sure to ask for a written confirmation of when the adjustment will be processed. They gave me a reference number and told me it would take 4-6 weeks, which turned out to be accurate. The back pay was nice - I got about 8 months worth of the difference in one lump sum. One tip: if you have trouble getting through on the phone, try calling right when they open at 8 AM EST. I had better luck early in the morning than later in the day.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I just went through this same process when my grandmother passed away last month. Your mother absolutely qualifies for the $255 death benefit - the nursing home stay doesn't affect eligibility at all. What helped us was going to the local SSA office in person instead of trying to call. We brought the death certificate, marriage certificate, and my grandmother's Social Security card. The whole process took about 30 minutes once we got seen. Also, like others mentioned, make sure she asks about survivor benefits if your father's monthly amount was higher than what she's currently receiving. The staff there were actually very helpful and compassionate during what was obviously a difficult time for our family.

I'm so sorry for your family's loss. Just wanted to add that if your mom is having trouble getting through to SSA by phone, she might want to try calling first thing in the morning right when they open (8am local time) or later in the afternoon after 3pm - those tend to be less busy times. Also, many local SSA offices allow you to schedule appointments online now at ssa.gov/locator which can save a lot of waiting time. The nursing home situation definitely doesn't affect her eligibility for the death benefit. Wishing your family peace during this difficult time.

This has been such an incredibly helpful thread! I'm brand new to SSA benefits and was completely unaware of the Login.gov vs SSA profile dual-system setup. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been like getting a crash course in navigating government online systems. The fact that you have to update your email address in TWO separate places that don't sync automatically is honestly mind-boggling - this should definitely be explained with clear step-by-step instructions on the SSA website! I was actually planning to update my contact information next week and would have been completely blindsided by this issue. @Zara Khan, thank you so much for sharing your original problem and then following up to confirm that updating both Login.gov AND the SSA profile separately actually solved it - that kind of follow-through is incredibly valuable for newcomers like me! This community's willingness to help each other navigate these confusing government systems is amazing. Definitely bookmarking this thread for future reference!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable as someone who just started navigating SSA benefits! I'm in the middle of setting up my online account right now and had no idea about the Login.gov vs SSA profile being two completely separate systems. The fact that updating your email in one place doesn't automatically sync to the other seems like such a major usability issue that SSA really needs to address with better documentation. I was actually planning to change my email address this weekend after reading about Login.gov's security features, and this thread has definitely saved me from hours of confusion! @Zara Khan thank you so much for not only sharing the original problem but also coming back to confirm that updating both systems separately actually worked - that follow-up is pure gold for newcomers like me. The community support here has been incredible and makes dealing with these government systems feel so much less intimidating. I'm definitely bookmarking this entire discussion for future reference!