I'm new to this community but have been lurking and reading through all these helpful responses! My situation is a bit different - my husband was born in 1951, so his FRA was 66 as well, but we made the mistake of having him claim early at 64 because we were worried about Social Security "running out of money" (thanks to all the scary news articles at the time). Now I realize we left a lot of money on the table by not waiting until his FRA or even later for those delayed credits everyone is talking about. For those dealing with this decision in the future - really take the time to understand these delayed retirement credits! We're talking about permanent increases to your monthly benefits that last for the rest of your life. I wish I had found a community like this back then to ask questions and get real advice from people who had been through it. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences here - it's so valuable for those of us trying to navigate this complex system!

I'm new here and this thread has been so educational! My husband was also born in 1952 and I've been completely confused about when his FRA was and whether he made the right choice. Reading everyone's responses has really clarified things for me - it's definitely 66 for anyone born in 1952. I love all the practical suggestions about how to find the exact benefit start date. The bank statement idea is brilliant and probably the fastest way to get a clear answer. I had no idea about those delayed retirement credits potentially giving a 16% increase - that's huge! It sounds like if your husband did wait until 2020, you're in a really good financial position. One question I have after reading all these responses: does anyone know if there are any downsides to waiting past your FRA? I keep seeing that you can get those 8% annual increases until age 70, but are there any situations where it might not make sense to wait? Just trying to understand all sides of this decision for future reference. Thank you all for creating such a helpful and welcoming discussion!

Tell them to set up a my social security account online NOW too if they haven't!!! Makes everything easier later!!!

As someone who worked in social services for years, I want to emphasize one crucial point that hasn't been mentioned - make sure they have a certified English translation of their Thai marriage certificate if they don't already. SSA will require this for the survivor benefit application. Also, since she's been his full-time caregiver, document this relationship thoroughly with medical records, insurance forms, etc. This helps establish the legitimacy of their marriage. One more thing - if your uncle has any adult children from previous relationships, they should be aware that survivor benefits don't reduce what a surviving spouse receives, so there shouldn't be any family conflicts over benefits.

I'm also navigating a similar situation and wanted to share something that might help. When I called SSA about survivor benefits, they told me I could actually apply online at ssa.gov for the initial application, which saved me from having to wait weeks for an in-person appointment. You still need to provide documents, but at least it gets your claim started in their system faster. They also mentioned that if you're currently receiving SSI, they'll automatically coordinate the transition between benefits so you don't have to worry about accidentally getting overpaid or having gaps in coverage. The online application walks you through exactly what documents you'll need to mail or bring to a follow-up appointment. Might be worth checking out while you're gathering your paperwork!

I'm sorry for your loss, Annabel. Going through this process while grieving is incredibly difficult. I wanted to add something that might give you some peace of mind - many people in your situation actually end up in a better financial position with survivor benefits than they were with SSI. Not only are the payments typically higher, but as others mentioned, you won't have to worry about the strict asset limits and constant reporting requirements that come with SSI. You'll be able to have a normal savings account and won't have to report every small change in your circumstances. The transition might feel overwhelming right now, but once you're receiving survivor benefits, it's generally much simpler to manage. Also, don't hesitate to ask the SSA representative to explain anything you don't understand during your appointment - they're required to help you understand your options, and it's completely normal to need clarification on these complex rules. You've got this!

This gives me so much hope! I'm dealing with a WEP nightmare too - been fighting for 2 years over their calculation. They keep applying the maximum reduction even though I have 25 years of substantial earnings which should reduce the penalty significantly. The worst part is every time I call, I get someone different who acts like they've never heard of WEP before. One rep literally told me "that's just how the system calculates it" when I tried to explain their error. So frustrating! I'm definitely going to try asking for a Technical Expert on my next call. I didn't know that was even an option. And thank you for sharing about documenting everything - I've been writing things down but not getting employee IDs. That's a great tip. Really crossing my fingers that your correction goes through without needing the ALJ hearing. $740/month is huge! Please update us on what happens when you call back. Stories like yours keep me motivated to keep fighting this broken system.

This thread is incredibly helpful! I've been lurking here for months dealing with my own WEP disaster. My case is a bit different - I'm a federal retiree with CSRS pension, and SSA has been applying WEP to reduce my benefits even though I have 32 years of substantial Social Security earnings, which should completely exempt me from any WEP reduction. The most maddening part is that I've submitted all the documentation multiple times showing my substantial earnings history, but they keep sending back letters saying my calculation is "correct" without any explanation of how they arrived at their numbers. Reading about everyone's experiences with Technical Experts is eye-opening - I had no idea I could specifically request someone with WEP expertise. I've been getting bounced around to regular customer service reps who clearly don't understand the nuances of these calculations. @Melody - your story gives me so much hope that there might actually be competent people at SSA who can fix these messes! I'm definitely going to try the approach of asking for a Technical Expert and having all my documentation ready in a one-page summary format. Has anyone had success getting their case escalated to a supervisor when the regular reps don't seem to understand WEP exemptions? I feel like I need someone with actual authority to override whatever is causing their system to keep applying the wrong reduction.

As someone new to this community, I wanted to share a resource that might be helpful for situations like this. I recently discovered that many state disability advocacy organizations have benefits specialists who can help navigate these complex interactions between different programs. In Ohio specifically, there's also the Statewide Independent Living Council (SILC) that provides benefits counseling services. They often have staff who specialize in exactly these kinds of DAC/Medicaid crossover situations and can sometimes even attend meetings with caseworkers to help advocate. I'm just learning about all these programs myself, but it seems like having multiple layers of support and advocacy can really make a difference when dealing with such complicated benefit rules. The phone numbers and form references everyone has shared here are invaluable, but sometimes having a local expert who can walk through the process with you face-to-face can be equally helpful. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences - as a newcomer trying to understand how these systems work, this thread has been incredibly educational. It's clear this community really supports each other through these challenging situations!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm amazed by how comprehensive and helpful this discussion has been! I don't have direct experience with DAC/Medicaid interactions, but I wanted to thank everyone who shared their knowledge and real-world experiences. What strikes me most is how many specific resources and contact numbers have been provided - from the Ohio Medicaid DAC specialist unit (1-800-324-8680 ext. 47291) to the JFS 07200 form for Medicaid Protection Requests. Having these concrete action steps makes what seemed like an overwhelming situation much more manageable. For other newcomers who might find this thread later, it's clear that the key takeaways are: 1) Be proactive and file protection requests BEFORE benefit changes take effect, 2) Don't get discouraged if the first caseworker doesn't understand DAC protections - escalate to specialists, 3) Document everything in writing, and 4) There are multiple advocacy organizations available to help navigate these complex situations. Thank you to everyone, especially the caseworker who provided the detailed procedures and the many community members who shared their family experiences. This is exactly the kind of supportive, informative discussion that makes online communities valuable for people facing challenging benefit situations.