Welcome to the Social Security community! I see you're getting great advice here about prorated first payments - this is actually one of the most common questions new beneficiaries have. The confusion is totally understandable since SSA doesn't always explain this clearly upfront. Just to add to what others have shared: if your birthday is February 18th and you filed to start benefits in February, you'd be entitled starting from your birthday. So your first payment would only cover Feb 18-28 (11 days), which comes out to roughly 39% of your full monthly benefit. Add in the Medicare Part B premium deduction ($174.70 for 2025), and that explains the $749 you received. Your April payment should be your full $2,248 minus Medicare premiums and any other deductions you've elected. If you want to verify everything is correct, definitely set up that my Social Security account - the payment history section breaks down exactly how they calculated each payment, including any deductions. It's really helpful for peace of mind! Don't worry, you're not alone in this experience and everything sounds normal based on what you've described.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works with Social Security cases - this is absolutely normal and happens to nearly every new beneficiary! The proration system can be really confusing when you're not expecting it. One thing I always tell people is to keep your award letter handy and compare it to your payment stub (which you can access through your my Social Security account). The award letter shows your monthly benefit amount, but your actual payments will show all the deductions and prorations clearly itemized. Also, if you're concerned about future payments, you can set up direct deposit notifications or text alerts through your bank so you know exactly when and how much you're receiving each month. Makes it much easier to spot any actual issues versus normal processing quirks like this first payment situation. You're doing everything right by asking questions and getting informed. Once you get through this first payment cycle, everything becomes much more predictable!

Update: I finally got through to SSA this morning after trying for days! They confirmed that yes, my February payment (for January) WILL include the 2025 COLA. The representative explained that what I'm seeing online is my base amount before the COLA adjustment. She said the online portal won't display the updated amount until my claim is fully processed in January. Mystery solved! Thanks everyone for your help.

That's fantastic that you got confirmation directly from SSA! This is such a common source of confusion for new retirees. Your experience really highlights why it's worth the effort to call and get official confirmation rather than relying on the online estimates during the transition period. Hopefully your post helps other people in similar situations understand that the COLA will automatically be included in their 2025 payments, even if they're just starting benefits. Enjoy your retirement!

my condolenses. i just want to add that when my mom was trying to get my dads benefits the funeral home actually helped her with some of the paperwork. they dealt with ss stuff all the time so maybe ask them if they have any advice?

I'm so sorry for your loss, Anastasia. Losing someone suddenly is incredibly difficult, and having to navigate bureaucracy during grief makes it even harder. Based on what others have shared, I'd strongly recommend calling SSA as soon as possible to schedule an appointment, even without the death certificate in hand. The wait times can be significant, so getting on their calendar now while you're waiting for the death certificate makes sense. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - you might want to contact your local SSA office directly in addition to the 1-800 number. Sometimes local offices have different availability or can provide more personalized guidance about their specific procedures and current wait times. Also, consider asking a trusted friend or family member to help you organize all the documents and maybe even accompany you to the appointment if possible. Having emotional support during this process can be invaluable, and an extra set of eyes can help ensure nothing gets missed. Take care of yourself during this difficult time. The financial aspects will get sorted out, but your wellbeing matters most right now.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with my mom (she's 65). Her husband passed away last month and we're trying to figure out her survivor benefits too. One thing I learned from the SSA office is that they sometimes quote percentages differently than we expect. When they told my mom she'd get "90% of his benefit," what they actually meant was 90% of what he was receiving at the time of death, but since he had delayed retirement credits from waiting until 70, that 90% was still more than his full retirement age amount would have been. Also, make sure your sister-in-law understands that if she switches to survivor benefits, she gives up her own retirement benefit. It's not additive - it's whichever is higher. The SSA rep should have explained this to her, but sometimes they assume people already know. Has she received her first survivor benefit payment yet, or is she just going off what the SSA rep told her during the application? Sometimes there's a difference between the initial estimate and the actual payment amount.

I work for a nonprofit that helps seniors navigate Social Security benefits, and this type of confusion comes up frequently. The 94% figure your sister-in-law mentioned is almost certainly not her actual reduction percentage for claiming survivor benefits early. Here's what likely happened: Since her husband waited until age 70 to claim, his benefit included delayed retirement credits that boosted it to about 132% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). When she claims survivor benefits at 63 and 2 months, she gets roughly 82% of his PIA due to the early claiming reduction. But 82% of his PIA might equal around 94% of what he was actually receiving monthly (since his actual benefit was inflated by delayed credits). So she's probably getting about $2,665 per month (82% of his PIA), which happens to be roughly 94% of his $3,250 monthly payment. The percentage she quoted refers to his actual payment, not the standard survivor benefit calculation. She should definitely review her MySocialSecurity account or award letter to see the exact calculation. Also confirm she understands that switching to survivor benefits means giving up her $1,100 retirement benefit - it's not both benefits combined.

I'm dealing with a somewhat similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! My husband passed away 6 months ago, and I'm currently 61. I was planning to wait until my FRA at 67 to claim survivor benefits to get the full 100%, but I'm wondering if there's any advantage to claiming reduced survivor benefits now and then potentially switching later if I remarry and that spouse passes away. Does anyone know if the "switch at FRA" rule still applies if you're switching FROM survivor benefits TO different survivor benefits, rather than from your own retirement benefits to survivor benefits? The scenarios discussed here mostly seem to cover people who started with reduced survivor benefits early, but I'm curious about the strategy of waiting for full benefits versus claiming early and keeping options open. Also, has anyone had experience with getting written confirmation from SSA about these switching rules? Given all the conflicting information people seem to get over the phone, I'm thinking it might be worth getting something in writing before making any decisions.

I want to add some clarification about the timing aspects that might help others in similar situations. The switching rule for survivor benefits is indeed very favorable - you can take reduced survivor benefits from one deceased spouse early and then switch to full survivor benefits from another deceased spouse at your FRA. But there's an important timing consideration many people miss. When you switch at FRA, the new survivor benefit starts the month you reach FRA (or the month you apply, if later). So if you're planning to switch, make sure to apply for the new benefit in the month you turn your FRA age, not months later. SSA won't make it retroactive beyond the month you reach FRA. Also, for anyone dealing with this situation, I'd suggest keeping detailed records of your conversations with SSA representatives - dates, names, what was discussed. Given how many people report getting conflicting information, having a paper trail can be really helpful if you need to escalate or correct misinformation later. The survivor benefit switching rules are actually quite generous compared to other Social Security provisions, but the complexity means even SSA staff sometimes get it wrong. Don't give up if the first person you talk to seems uncertain - these are specialized situations that not every representative handles regularly.