The REAL problem is that the SSA's systems are outdated and the different offices don't communicate. I've had THREE different answers from THREE different representatives about the same question. Your best bet is to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Write down who you talked to today, the time, what they told you, and any confirmation numbers. Trust me, when they inevitably mess something up, you'll need this information to fight them!!!

I went through this exact situation when I applied for survivor benefits at 60. The protective filing date is crucial - it saved me about $1,800 in back benefits! When you call SSA, they should give you what's called a "receipt notice" or confirmation that you initiated contact on today's date. If you didn't get one, I'd recommend calling back tomorrow and specifically asking for documentation of your protective filing date from today's call. Also, during your October 31st appointment, bring up the protective filing date first thing - don't wait for them to mention it. Some reps are great about this, others need reminding. The system works, but you have to be proactive about protecting your rights.

After you apply, you can appeal if you disagree with their determination. Many people don't realize there's a formal appeals process. The first level is called "Reconsideration" and must be filed within 60 days of receiving their decision. About 15-20% of reconsiderations result in a changed decision, so it's worth trying if you think they made an error in the calculation.

I'm sorry for your family's loss. As someone new to navigating these benefits, I found this thread incredibly helpful. The GPO rules are so complex and it sounds like even with the offset, it's still worth applying since every situation can be different. I had no idea about the time limits for retroactive benefits or the appeals process. Thank you everyone for sharing your knowledge and experiences - it really helps those of us trying to figure out this system for our elderly parents. Wishing your father the best outcome with his application!

As someone who works in disability advocacy, I want to emphasize how important this thread is! The confusion between SSDI and SSI is probably the #1 misconception I encounter with clients. Your brother is absolutely in the clear to accept his inheritance without any impact on his SSDI benefits or Medicare coverage. I've helped hundreds of SSDI recipients navigate similar situations, and the key thing to remember is that SSDI is an insurance program you've paid into through your work history - it's your earned benefit. The Social Security Administration doesn't care about your assets when you're on SSDI, only about whether you're attempting to return to work above the substantial gainful activity threshold. One practical tip: your brother might want to keep good records of where the inheritance came from (copy of the will, documentation from the estate) just for his own tax records, since inheritances can sometimes affect tax filings even though they don't affect SSDI benefits. But that's purely a tax consideration, not a Social Security one. It's wonderful that your family is looking out for each other during what must be a difficult time with both the loss of your uncle and managing your brother's MS progression. He can accept this gift from your uncle with complete peace of mind!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now, so this thread couldn't have come at a better time! My mom has been on SSDI for about 3 years due to severe fibromyalgia, and we just found out she's inheriting around $25,000 from her sister's estate. I was panicking thinking this might mess up her benefits, but reading everyone's experiences here is such a huge relief. The distinction between SSDI and SSI really needs to be explained better by Social Security - I can't believe how many people get confused by this (myself included!). It makes total sense now that SSDI is based on what you've paid in through working, not your current financial situation. One question for those who've been through this - did any of you notify your local Social Security office anyway, just as a courtesy? I know from what @Yuki Yamamoto said that it's not required, but I'm wondering if anyone chose to give them a heads up just to avoid any potential issues down the road.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what I learned from my own Social Security experience. The confusion about "excess benefits" is so common! When I was researching this for my own situation, I found it helpful to think of Social Security spousal benefits as a safety net rather than a bonus. They're designed to ensure that a spouse receives at least 50% of the higher earner's benefit, but only if their own benefit is lower than that amount. Since your benefit ($2,450) is already much higher than half of your husband's benefit, you're essentially "self-insured" and don't need that safety net. The system recognizes you've earned a higher benefit on your own work record. One thing that might help explain your friend's confusion: there used to be more complex claiming strategies available, but most were eliminated by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. People who benefited from those old rules sometimes still talk about them, not realizing they no longer apply to most people. The good news is you're already maximizing your current benefits! And as others mentioned, survivor benefits would be a completely separate calculation if that situation ever arises.

I'm also dealing with Social Security confusion as a newcomer to retirement! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational. What strikes me is how many people have gotten conflicting information from SSA representatives - that seems to be a widespread problem. I'm curious about one thing that hasn't been fully addressed: when you say your husband gets $1,970/month, is that his full benefit amount or is he receiving a reduced amount because he claimed before his full retirement age? The reason I ask is that spousal benefits are calculated based on the Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the full benefit amount at full retirement age, not necessarily what someone is currently receiving if they claimed early. In your case it probably doesn't matter since your own benefit is so much higher, but it might be worth confirming the exact PIA amount for future planning, especially when thinking about potential survivor benefits down the road. It sounds like you've gotten great advice here from the community - much clearer than what you got from those SSA phone calls! The consensus is definitely correct that there are no "excess spousal benefits" available in your situation.

I just want to echo what everyone else is saying about calling SSA directly - don't rely on just the remarks section! I had a similar issue with my spouse's application last year where the system locked in an old date. We tried the remarks section approach first and it was completely ignored. What finally worked was calling and speaking to a representative who walked us through the process step by step. They were able to see our saved application on their end and manually override the locked date field. The whole call took about 30 minutes once we got through, and they gave us a confirmation number. One additional tip: if you do get through to someone, ask them to read back the corrected start date to you before ending the call. We learned this the hard way when there was a miscommunication the first time and they entered the wrong month. Having them confirm it verbally saved us from having to call back again. The Monday morning strategy definitely works - we called at 8:05 AM and only waited about 15 minutes. Good luck getting this sorted out!

I'm new to this community but facing a very similar situation! I partially completed my retirement application back in September but had to pause due to some missing documents. Now when I log back in, it's showing September 2024 as my start date, but I actually want to begin benefits in April 2025 when I officially retire. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - it sounds like calling SSA directly is definitely the way to go rather than hoping the online system will handle it correctly. I'm going to try the Monday 8 AM strategy that several people mentioned, and I'll make sure to ask them to "clear and replace" the old date rather than just update it. @Yara, I hope you were able to get your issue resolved! This thread should be required reading for anyone applying for Social Security benefits online. The collective wisdom here is so much more useful than anything I found on the official SSA website.