Just following up - did you manage to get through to the FBU Manila before your trip? Any updates on the document list situation?

Great to hear you're making progress! As someone who went through the FBU Manila process recently, I'd also recommend testing your phone/internet connection from your travel destination a few days before the interview if possible. International calling can be tricky - sometimes the connection quality varies by time of day due to network traffic. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple checklist of all the key points I wanted to cover during the call (work history dates, spouse info, direct deposit details, etc.) so I wouldn't forget anything important during the interview. The FBU staff are generally patient, but being organized definitely helps the process go smoothly. Since you're being proactive about preparation, you should be in good shape. Best of luck with your interview!

Just wanted to add that you should also consider whether your ex has remarried. If he remarried and is still married, you can still collect divorced spouse benefits on his record - it doesn't affect what he or his current spouse receives. But if YOU remarry, you'll lose eligibility for divorced spouse benefits (unless that marriage also ends). Also, make sure you have documentation showing you were married for at least 10 years - SSA is pretty strict about this requirement. Good luck with your application!

I went through this exact same situation two years ago! The process was actually much smoother than I expected once I understood that SSA handles all the comparison work. I applied online at ssa.gov and it took about 6 weeks to get approved. One tip that really helped me: when you're gathering documents, also look for any old tax returns where you filed jointly - SSA sometimes asks for these to verify the marriage dates if there are any discrepancies with your other documents. I ended up getting the divorced spouse benefit which was about $200 more per month than my own would have been. Don't stress about not knowing your ex's benefit amount - the system really does work without you having to figure that out yourself!

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments! I'm definitely understanding things better now, even if I'm disappointed that I can't use the strategy I heard about. I'm going to schedule an appointment with SSA to get specific numbers for my situation so I can compare taking benefits at 62 vs waiting till 70. I've got some savings to live on, so waiting might be better in the long run, especially since I'm in good health and my parents both lived into their 90s.

I'm in a similar situation and want to add something that might help with your decision-making process. Since you mentioned you have savings to live on, you might want to run a "break-even" analysis to see at what age waiting until 70 becomes more profitable than taking reduced benefits at 62. For example, if your benefit at 62 would be $1,200/month but waiting until 70 gets you $2,000/month, you'd collect $96,000 over 8 years by taking it early. But the higher benefit would "catch up" in about 12 years (around age 82). Given your family longevity, waiting could mean significantly more lifetime income. Also, don't forget that your Social Security benefits might be partially taxable depending on your other retirement income, so factor that into your calculations too. The SSA representatives should be able to help you with the benefit estimates, but they won't do the break-even math for you - that's something you'll need to calculate yourself or with a financial advisor. Good luck with your appointment! The wait times have gotten better at most offices lately.

Update: I spoke with a claims specialist yesterday who confirmed I should receive retroactive payments back to the date when my pension amount changes. The specialist said I need to bring in the official letter from my pension administrator showing the new amount and effective date. Going to my appointment next week with all my documentation. Thanks everyone for your help!

Great to hear you got some clarity! That's exactly what I was hoping to hear - that you'll get retroactive payments back to when your pension amount actually changes. Make sure to get multiple copies of that pension administrator letter since SSA has a habit of "losing" paperwork. Also, if possible, try to get a receipt showing you submitted the documentation. Good luck with your appointment next week!

One important thing no one has mentioned: when your daughter switches from SSI to DAC benefits, she'll have a 2-year waiting period before Medicare begins, but she should keep her Medicaid during this period. After the 2 years, she'll have both Medicare and Medicaid (called "dual eligible"). This is actually better coverage than just having Medicaid alone. Medicaid will then act as a secondary insurance and will cover many costs that Medicare doesn't, like certain prescriptions and long-term care services. So while the monthly cash benefit might be lower now, the healthcare coverage will eventually be more comprehensive once she has both Medicare and Medicaid.

I'm really sorry you're going through this stressful transition! Based on everyone's helpful comments here, it sounds like you have a solid plan for calling SSA with the right terminology. Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me when I was dealing with SSA phone calls - try calling first thing in the morning (8am) or right after lunch (1pm) when wait times tend to be shorter. Also, if you do end up using that Claimyr service someone mentioned to skip the hold times, make sure you have all your questions written down beforehand since you'll want to make the most of getting through quickly. Having your daughter's Social Security number, your Social Security number, and the exact dates from the notices will help the representative pull up the case faster. The concurrent benefits piece seems really important based on what others have shared - if her DAC payment plus any other income is less than $943/month (the current federal SSI rate), she should definitely be getting supplemental SSI to make up at least part of the difference. Wishing you luck with the call! It sounds like once you get the right protections in place, this will actually work out better for your daughter in the long run.