To summarize what appears to be causing confusion: 1. You WILL receive any DRCs your husband earned between his FRA and his death at 66. 2. You will NOT receive additional DRCs he might have earned had he lived longer (up to age 70). 3. Since you mentioned he died at 66, which was likely very close to his FRA, there may be very few DRCs involved (possibly just a few months' worth). 4. Given your still-working status and the fact that your own benefit at 70 would be less than the widow's benefit, waiting until your widow's FRA (66+8mo) appears to be the optimal strategy in your case. 5. Once you stop working or reach your FRA, don't forget to inquire about the possible 6 months of retroactive benefits that may be available if you file after your FRA.

Just wanted to add one more important point that hasn't been mentioned yet - make sure you understand the difference between "deemed filing" and survivor benefits timing. Since you're 62 now, if you were to file for any Social Security benefits before your widow's FRA, you'd be subject to deemed filing rules that could permanently reduce your benefits. Also, I'd strongly recommend getting a personalized benefit estimate from SSA that shows your projected widow's benefit amount. This will help you make the most informed decision about timing. You can request this when you call SSA or visit a local office. Given your situation (still working full-time with good income, widow's benefit higher than your own), waiting until your widow's FRA definitely seems like the right strategy. Just make sure to apply a few months before you want benefits to start to avoid any processing delays!

I had the same panic last year! It's such a relief to read all these responses confirming it's normal. The SSA website really should include a disclaimer about the delay - would save so many people unnecessary stress. I've been working two jobs this year and was worried one of my employers wasn't reporting correctly. Now I know to just be patient and check back next fall. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

As a newcomer to this community, I can't tell you how relieved I am to have found this discussion! I literally just created my SSA.gov account yesterday and when I saw $0 for 2024 earnings, I immediately thought there was some major error with my Social Security contributions. I was already mentally preparing to spend my entire day tomorrow on hold with SSA trying to figure out what went wrong. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a lifesaver - it's clear this is completely normal and I just need to be patient until next fall. It's incredible how many people have had this exact same worry! Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and saving me from unnecessary panic. I'll definitely be checking back annually now that I understand the timeline.

btw does anyone know when the payments hit your account? my retirement starts in december and im trying to figure out when ill get paid

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works in benefits administration (not SSA, but similar federal program). The folks above are absolutely correct - COLA increases apply to ALL current beneficiaries regardless of when you started receiving benefits. It's actually one of the most straightforward aspects of Social Security! One small tip: when you do start receiving benefits in October 2025, I'd recommend setting up a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if you haven't already. You'll be able to see your payment history, download your benefit verification letters, and most importantly, you can see exactly how the COLA increase affects your benefit amount in real-time when it gets applied in January 2026. Good luck with your retirement planning! It sounds like you're being very thoughtful about the timing and budget considerations.

Another thing to consider is that dependent benefits can increase over time. If any dependents stop receiving benefits (like when your child turns 18/19), the remaining dependents can have their benefits recalculated and potentially increased up to the 50% maximum. This won't happen automatically though - you need to contact SSA to request a recalculation when your family situation changes.

I went through a similar situation when I started receiving benefits last year. The family maximum definitely hit us harder than expected too. One thing that helped me understand it better was using the SSA's online benefit calculators, but as others mentioned, they don't always show the family max impact clearly. What I found most helpful was keeping detailed records of all our communications with SSA. When I finally got through to someone knowledgeable, they were able to walk me through each step of the calculation. The bend point formula that Dmitry explained is exactly right - your numbers sound like they're calculated correctly based on your PIA. One tip: if you do call SSA, try calling right when they open at 7 AM local time. I had much better luck getting through quickly in that first hour. Also, don't hesitate to ask the representative to transfer you to someone who specializes in family benefit calculations if the first person seems unsure about the details. The family maximum rules have been around since the 1960s, so while it feels unfair when it affects your family, it's designed to prevent total family benefits from becoming too high relative to what the worker contributed. Still doesn't make it less frustrating when you're planning your finances around those theoretical 50% amounts!

Another consideration: once your daughter turns 18, even if she continues on survivor's benefits as a disabled adult child (DAC), she might also qualify for SSI if those survivor benefits are below the maximum federal benefit rate (currently $943/month for 2023). Also, when she turns 18, think about whether you should become her representative payee. If her disabilities affect her ability to manage finances, having you continue as her payee might be best. SSA will evaluate this when she transitions to adult benefits. Regarding work - some parents in your situation find that working full-time actually improves their overall financial situation because of benefits like health insurance and retirement contributions, even after accounting for the loss of SS benefits. It's worth doing a complete financial analysis.

I went through this exact situation 3 years ago with my son who has autism and intellectual disability. Here's what I wish I had known: 1. Start the CDB application NOW - don't wait. I made the mistake of waiting until 2 months before his 16th birthday and it was a nightmare of stress. 2. Get a comprehensive psychological evaluation done by a neuropsychologist if you don't have one recent. SSA weighs these heavily for intellectual and developmental disabilities. 3. Consider opening a special needs trust or ABLE account now while you still have time to plan. Once she's 18 and potentially on SSI, asset limits become really important. 4. Document EVERYTHING about her daily care needs. I kept a daily log for 2 months showing what assistance she needed with activities of daily living - this helped enormously with the determination. The financial hit when you lose your benefits is real, but manageable if you plan ahead. I actually ended up in a better place financially after a year of full-time work, plus my son qualified for additional state services we didn't know about before. One more tip: if your local SSA office isn't helpful, try calling the national number and asking to speak with a disability specialist. Some offices are just more knowledgeable than others.