I'm so sorry for your loss, and I completely understand how confusing the survivor benefits system can be. I went through this when my brother passed away and left behind three young children. A few additional thoughts that might help: **Application timing**: Everyone's right about applying now - don't wait. I made the mistake of waiting "until closer to the time" and it created unnecessary delays. SSA's processing times can be unpredictable, especially for survivor benefits. **Income reporting strategy**: Since you mentioned your income drops during summer months, you might want to time your application so those lower-income months help with the annual earnings calculation. If your 2025 total will be close to the $28,750 limit, every bit helps. **Documentation for your daughter**: When your 18-year-old's benefits end, make sure SSA gives you clear written confirmation of the stop date. I've heard of cases where there were discrepancies about when student benefits actually ended, and having that documentation prevented overpayment issues later. **Long-term planning**: Since your mother's benefits will end when your youngest turns 16 (in about 3 years), now might be a good time to start thinking about how that income change will affect your family budget. It comes up faster than you think. The fact that you're asking these detailed questions shows you're being a great advocate for your family. Don't let the bureaucracy discourage you - these benefits exist for exactly your situation.

I'm so sorry for your loss and can really empathize with how overwhelming this whole process is. I lost my spouse a few years ago and navigating SSA with two kids was one of the most stressful parts of an already difficult time. A couple of things that helped me that others haven't mentioned: **Local SSA office appointments**: You can actually schedule appointments online at ssa.gov rather than just showing up. This saved me from waiting in long lines and gave me dedicated time with someone who could look at my specific case. **Appeal rights**: If SSA makes any decisions you disagree with (like benefit amounts or eligibility dates), you have 60 days to request reconsideration. I learned this the hard way when they initially calculated my family maximum incorrectly. **State benefits**: Don't forget to check if your state has any additional survivor benefits programs. Some states have small programs that can help with things like college expenses that federal SSA doesn't cover. **Tax planning**: Since you're entering a phase where you'll have benefit income subject to earnings limits, consider meeting with a tax professional who understands SSA benefits. The interplay between benefit reductions and tax implications can be tricky, especially in years where your income fluctuates. You're asking all the right questions and being proactive. That's exactly what your kids need right now. The bureaucracy is frustrating, but you've got this - and this community is here to help when you need it.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Selena. This is definitely a situation where you need to be proactive with SSA. I worked as a benefits counselor for several years and can confirm what others have said - you absolutely must contact them yourself to report the death and apply for survivor benefits. They don't have an automatic system that switches divorced spouse benefits to survivor benefits when an ex-spouse dies. The good news is that your monthly payment should increase substantially - survivor benefits can be much higher than the 50% maximum you get with divorced spouse benefits. Since you started benefits at 62, you'll still have some reduction, but it should be a significant improvement over your current $1,275. Make sure to call as soon as possible and have all your documents ready (death certificate, marriage certificate, divorce decree). Document the date you first report his death, as they can backdate payments to that date. Don't let them tell you the process will take months - while processing can take 4-6 weeks, they should be able to give you a timeline and keep you updated.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Selena. I went through this exact situation 3 years ago when my ex-husband passed away. You absolutely need to contact SSA immediately - they will NOT automatically switch your benefits, even though you're already in their system as his ex-spouse. I was receiving about $1,100/month in divorced spouse benefits, and after applying for survivor benefits, it increased to $1,750/month. The process took about 5 weeks once I submitted all the paperwork. Make sure you have his death certificate, your marriage certificate, and divorce decree ready when you call. Most importantly, document the exact date you first report his death to SSA - they backdate the increased payments to that date, not when they finish processing your application. Don't delay on this - every month you wait potentially means losing money you're entitled to. The 22-year marriage definitely qualifies you, and the survivor benefit should be significantly higher than your current payment even with the early filing reduction.

This is an incredibly informative thread! I'm also trying to understand SS calculations better and really appreciate everyone sharing their knowledge. I have a specific question about the scenario modeling aspect: when you're projecting future earnings for years you haven't worked yet (like Alice's plan to return to work after FRA), how do you handle the uncertainty around what those earnings might actually be? I'm in a similar situation where I might do consulting work in my late 60s, but the income could vary wildly year to year. Should I model conservative estimates, optimistic estimates, or try to build in multiple scenarios? Also, for anyone who has successfully built these spreadsheets - how often do you update them? It seems like the AWI data, bend points, and COLA adjustments change frequently enough that the calculations could drift over time. Would love to see a collaborative template develop from this discussion! The SSA calculators really are too limited for complex planning scenarios.

I'm just getting started with understanding Social Security calculations and this thread has been a goldmine of information! As someone who's always been intimidated by the complexity, seeing everyone break down the formulas and share their approaches is incredibly helpful. I'm particularly interested in the collaborative spreadsheet template idea that several people have mentioned. It sounds like between @Alice Coleman's original scenario, @Owen Jenkins' indexing expertise, @Evelyn Rivera's financial planning background, and @Reginald Blackwell's Excel implementation, there's enough collective knowledge here to create something really useful. One thing I haven't seen discussed much is how to validate your spreadsheet calculations against known results. Are there any good test cases or sample scenarios with published results that you can use to check if your formulas are working correctly? I'd hate to spend months building a model only to discover I made an error in the basic calculations. Also, for those who have tackled this project - what was the biggest "gotcha" or surprise you encountered when building your SS calculator? I want to learn from everyone's mistakes before I dive in myself! This community is amazing for sharing this kind of detailed knowledge. Thank you all for taking the time to explain these complex concepts!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation planning to start benefits mid-2025, and the clarity everyone has provided about switching from monthly to annual testing is exactly what I needed. One question I haven't seen addressed - does the timing of when you file your application matter, or just when benefits actually begin? I'm wondering if I should file early in 2025 even though I want benefits to start in October, or if it's better to wait until closer to my desired start date. Also, has anyone had experience with how quickly SSA processes applications these days? I want to make sure there aren't any delays that could push my start date into 2026 unintentionally.

This is exactly the kind of detailed discussion I was hoping to find! I'm also planning to retire mid-2025 and had the same confusion about the earnings test timing. Based on all the responses here, it sounds like the key takeaway is: monthly test for the remainder of 2025 after you start benefits, then automatic switch to annual test starting January 2026. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned - does anyone know if there are any special considerations for seasonal workers or people with irregular income? My part-time work in 2026 will likely be project-based, so my monthly earnings might vary quite a bit even though my annual total should stay under the limit. I assume the annual test handles this better than trying to track monthly fluctuations, but wanted to check if anyone has experience with this situation. Also, huge thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences with SSA processing times and customer service challenges - this kind of practical advice is invaluable for planning!

I just wanted to add one more perspective as someone who recently helped my mom through this process. She was also confused about the day specification, but like everyone else has confirmed, you only select the month! The SSA representatives we spoke with explained it very clearly - retirement benefits are standardized to always begin on the 1st of the month, regardless of when your birthday actually falls within that month. What I found most helpful was calling SSA directly about 6 months before her desired start date just to ask questions and get familiar with the process. Yes, it took some patience to get through, but the representative was incredibly helpful in walking us through what to expect. One thing they emphasized was having all your documents ready before starting the online application - tax returns, W-2s, marriage certificate if applicable, and your direct deposit information. The whole experience taught me that SSA really has streamlined this process quite a bit, and the online application is much more user-friendly than I expected. Don't stress too much about it - you've got this!

This thread has been so incredibly helpful! I'm turning 67 in August 2025 and have been putting off dealing with the Social Security application because I was intimidated by all the details. Reading through everyone's experiences has really demystified the process for me. It's such a relief to know that I only need to specify the month and that the online application is straightforward. I especially appreciate the tips about applying 3-4 months early and creating the my Social Security account first to verify all my information. The payment timing explanation was also really valuable - I had no idea about the Wednesday payment schedule based on birth date! I feel much more confident now about moving forward with my application. Thank you all for sharing your real-world experiences and taking the stress out of this process!