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I'm so sorry for your loss, Owen. Losing a parent is heartbreaking, and having to deal with all this bureaucracy while you're grieving just makes it so much harder. I went through this exact situation when my father passed away about 8 months ago. Everyone here has given you fantastic advice - the SSA-1724-F4 is absolutely the right form, and you're correct that you don't need to specify the reclaimed amount since SSA already has that information. One thing I learned that might help: when you go to submit your paperwork, ask the SSA representative to give you their direct phone number or extension if possible. Not all offices do this, but some will, and it can be really helpful if you need to follow up on your claim status rather than going through the main phone system. Also, just a heads up - they may ask you to sign an additional form authorizing them to discuss your father's account with you, even though you're the executor. It's just a standard privacy protection thing, so don't worry if they spring that on you. The whole process took about 5 weeks for me, and like others mentioned, you should receive the full January benefit since your dad was alive for that entire month. You're handling this really well under such difficult circumstances. This community has given you all the tools you need to navigate this successfully.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Owen. Losing a parent is incredibly difficult, and having to navigate all this Social Security paperwork while grieving just adds another layer of stress to an already overwhelming time. I can see you've received absolutely excellent guidance from this community - everyone has covered all the essential points perfectly. The SSA-1724-F4 is definitely the correct form, you don't need to worry about listing the reclaimed amount, and since your father was alive for all of January, you should receive his full monthly benefit for that period. One small thing I'd add that helped me when my mother passed away last year: consider making your SSA office visit on a Tuesday or Wednesday if possible, and try to get there right when they open. The offices tend to be less crowded early in the week and first thing in the morning, which means the staff can give you more focused attention and you're less likely to feel rushed. Also, don't forget to ask for a receipt showing what documents you submitted - not just a regular receipt, but specifically one that lists each item you turned in. This creates a clear paper trail in case anything gets misplaced during processing. You're handling this with such strength and preparation. This thread really shows how supportive this community can be during life's most challenging moments. Take care of yourself during this difficult time, and don't hesitate to come back if you need any more guidance along the way.
I'm so sorry for your loss, Owen. Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly moving - seeing how this community has come together to support you during such a difficult time really restores faith in humanity. I went through something very similar when my uncle passed away last year, and I can confirm that everyone has given you absolutely spot-on advice. The Tuesday/Wednesday morning timing that Maggie mentioned is particularly smart - I wish I had thought of that when I went. I ended up going on a Friday afternoon and it was chaos, which made an already emotional situation even more stressful. Your preparation and willingness to ask questions shows such wisdom during what I know must feel like an impossible time. With all the excellent guidance you've received here - from confirming you have the right forms to understanding the payment timing to organizing your documents properly - you're as prepared as anyone could possibly be. This community really is something special. The depth of knowledge and genuine care everyone has shown you is remarkable. You're going to handle this successfully, and please know you have ongoing support here whenever you need it. Take things one step at a time and be gentle with yourself throughout this process.
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This is such valuable information! I had no idea that working part-time while on SSDI could potentially lead to higher retirement benefits. I'm currently on disability and have been considering taking on some part-time work within the SGA limits, but I was worried it might somehow hurt my benefits down the line. Now I'm realizing it could actually help increase my future retirement payments if I stay consistent with it over the years. Does anyone know if there's a minimum number of years you need to work while on SSDI to see any meaningful impact on your retirement calculation?
Great question! From what I understand from reading through this thread, there isn't really a minimum number of years - it's more about whether those additional earnings can replace lower-earning years in your calculation. Since Social Security uses your highest 35 years of earnings, even just a few years of part-time work could help if they're higher than some of your earlier low-earning years. The key seems to be staying consistent and making sure to request the recalculation when you reach retirement age. It sounds like even small improvements can add up to meaningful monthly increases over time!
This is such an informative thread! I'm currently helping my mom navigate a similar situation - she's been on SSDI for about 15 years and has been doing some freelance bookkeeping work (staying well under SGA limits) for the past 8 years. She turns 67 next year and we had no idea she could request a benefit recalculation. One question I have - does it matter what type of work income it is? Her freelance work means she's been paying self-employment taxes rather than traditional W-2 withholdings. Would that still count toward improving her retirement calculation the same way? I want to make sure we have all the right information when we call SSA to request the recalculation.
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Thanks for all this detailed information everyone! I'm new to this community but have been researching identity protection options after hearing some horror stories from friends. I already have credit freezes in place with all three bureaus, but the Electronic Access Block sounds like a really smart additional layer of protection. One question I have - if someone does try to access your SSA information online after you've set up the Electronic Access Block, do you get any kind of notification that an attempt was made? Or is it just silently blocked without you knowing? I'm trying to decide if this is worth the inconvenience of not having online access myself.
That's a great question about notifications! From my experience, the Electronic Access Block works silently - you won't get any alerts or notifications when someone tries to access your account online. It just blocks the attempt without notifying you. This is actually both a pro and con - on one hand, you get protection without being bombarded with alerts for legitimate access attempts, but on the other hand, you won't know if someone is actively trying to get into your account. If you're really concerned about monitoring access attempts, you might want to consider keeping a log of when you personally try to access the account (before setting up the block) so you have a baseline, and then periodically call SSA to ask if there have been any unusual access attempts on your record. The peace of mind from knowing your account can't be accessed online usually outweighs the inconvenience, especially if you're already comfortable managing things by phone when needed.
This has been such an educational thread! I'm someone who's always been pretty paranoid about identity protection (maybe overly so), but I had no idea about the Electronic Access Block option. I've had credit freezes for years and use a credit monitoring service, but hearing about @Ella Knight's experience with someone trying to claim benefits in her name really drove home that there are other attack vectors I hadn't considered. I think I'm going to call that 800 number tomorrow and set up the Electronic Access Block. The inconvenience of not having online access seems like a small price to pay for that extra layer of security, especially since I rarely log into my MySocialSecurity account anyway. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and knowledge!
Welcome to the community @Adriana Cohn! Your paranoia about identity protection is totally justified these days - it's way better to be overly cautious than to deal with the aftermath of identity theft. I'm glad this thread has been helpful! Just a heads up when you call tomorrow - sometimes that 800 number can have really long wait times (as others mentioned), so maybe try calling early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid peak times. Also, make sure you have your Social Security card and a government-issued ID handy when you call, as they'll need to verify your identity before setting up the Electronic Access Block. Good luck with getting everything set up!
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I just successfully resolved this exact issue this morning using all the advice from this thread! Called SSA at 8:00 AM sharp on a Tuesday and got through in about 35 minutes (way better than usual). I used Benjamin's exact script: "I need help with online account access - my email shows as already registered but I can't access the account" and immediately asked to speak with someone who handles MySocialSecurity online account issues. The rep found that I had a system-generated account from 2019 when I called their automated line to check my earnings record - exactly what everyone suspected! She cleared the duplicate entry and sent a password reset while I stayed on the line to verify it worked. Total resolution time was under 15 minutes once I reached the right specialist. This thread literally saved me hours of frustration - the community knowledge here is incredible! For anyone still dealing with this issue, the strategy really works: call early morning Tuesday-Thursday, use the proven script, ask for the right specialist, and don't hang up until you test the fix. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences, especially Benjamin for the official guidance!
This is such fantastic news! Another success story following the exact strategy that's been developed in this thread. It's really validating to see that the approach works consistently - calling at 8:00 AM on Tuesday, using Benjamin's proven script, and getting connected to the right MySocialSecurity specialist. The fact that you also had a system-generated account from calling the automated line in 2019 really confirms this is the most common cause. I love that you stayed on the line to verify the password reset worked - that seems to be such a crucial step that everyone who succeeded has mentioned. Your timeline of 35 minutes to get through and 15 minutes to resolve once connected gives people realistic expectations too. Thanks for taking the time to report back with your success - these follow-up stories really help validate that the community solutions actually work! I'm planning to use this exact same approach for my own SSA issue next week.
I'm a retired federal employee who worked with SSA systems for 15 years, and this thread has been fascinating to follow! Everything Benjamin shared is absolutely correct - the system-generated accounts from automated phone calls are indeed the most common cause of this issue. I wanted to add one additional tip that might help: if you have any old Social Security statements (the paper ones they used to mail annually), check if there's an "online account created" date printed on them. Sometimes SSA would automatically generate basic online profiles when they transitioned people from paper statements to electronic delivery years ago, and people completely forgot about it. Also, for anyone calling SSA, if the first representative can't help with online account issues, don't be afraid to politely end the call and try again - you'll eventually reach someone with the right system access. The timing and script advice everyone has shared is spot-on. This community problem-solving has been incredible to watch!
This is such valuable insight from someone with actual SSA systems experience! The tip about checking old paper Social Security statements for an "online account created" date is brilliant - I never would have thought to look there. That could save people a lot of time wondering if they had an account created automatically during the transition from paper to electronic statements. Your point about not being afraid to politely end the call and try again if the first rep can't help is really important too - it sounds like not all representatives have the same level of system access for these online account issues. Having this kind of insider knowledge combined with all the success stories and proven strategies in this thread makes me feel much more confident about tackling this problem. Thank you for adding your professional perspective to what's already become such a comprehensive community resource!
Michael Adams
Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and currently helping my elderly uncle with his spousal benefits application that's been stuck for about 9 weeks now. This thread has been incredibly informative - the detailed explanations from @defef4c9b885 and @83f1d3cb8ee7 about dual entitlement reviews really opened my eyes to why these applications become so complex when someone is already receiving their own retirement benefits. My uncle is in a very similar situation to @d3125d870638's father. The Congressional representative approach that @4ec3e81f774e mentioned sounds like our best bet at this point, especially after reading about the 10-day success story. I'm also going to try the 7am calling strategy and specifically ask about protective filing status. It's really disappointing that SSA doesn't explain these potential complications upfront, but I'm grateful to have found such a knowledgeable and supportive community. @d3125d870638 - thank you for starting this discussion and please keep us posted on what finally works for your dad's case. Your experience could really help others who are facing similar processing delays!
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Payton Black
•Welcome @421cd4db8cf4! I'm also new to this community and it's amazing how much valuable information is packed into this thread. Your uncle's 9-week delay sounds incredibly frustrating, but reading through everyone's experiences here gives me confidence that there are real solutions available. The dual entitlement review explanations from @defef4c9b885 and @83f1d3cb8ee7 have been absolute lifesavers for understanding why these spousal benefit applications get so bogged down when someone is already receiving retirement benefits. I'm helping my own family member with a similar SSA situation and had no clue about these coordination complexities! The Congressional representative strategy seems to be the golden ticket based on all the success stories, especially @4ec3e81f774e's experience with getting results in just 10 days. I'm definitely going to try the 7am calling approach and ask specifically about protective filing status. It's such a relief to find a community where people share practical, actionable advice rather than just venting frustrations. Really hoping @d3125d870638 updates us soon on which approach finally works - their breakthrough could be the roadmap for all of us dealing with these processing nightmares!
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Anderson Prospero
Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and currently helping my grandmother navigate her spousal benefits application that's been stuck for about 5 weeks now. Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea about the complexity behind what seems like a straightforward application process! The detailed explanations from @defef4c9b885 and @83f1d3cb8ee7 about dual entitlement reviews have been particularly helpful in understanding why these cases take so much longer when someone is already receiving their own retirement benefits. My grandmother is in a very similar situation to @d3125d870638's father. The Congressional representative approach that @4ec3e81f774e mentioned, along with the success stories shared by others, definitely seems like the most promising strategy when standard channels aren't working. I'm also going to implement the 7am calling tip that several people recommended and specifically ask about protective filing status. It's frustrating that SSA doesn't explain these potential delays and complications upfront, but I'm so grateful to have found such a knowledgeable and supportive community where people share real, actionable solutions. @d3125d870638 - thank you for starting this important discussion, and I really hope one of these strategies works for your dad soon! Please keep us updated on your progress - your experience will definitely help others who are facing similar processing delays.
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