Maya, I'm so incredibly sorry you're dealing with this bureaucratic nightmare on top of losing your husband. Seven months with no resolution after you've already paid back everything is absolutely unacceptable and frankly disgraceful on SSA's part. As someone new to this community, I've been reading through all the excellent advice you've received here, and it's clear you need to take immediate aggressive action. The fact that so many people have experienced similar delays shows this is a systemic problem with SSA's withdrawal processing system. Based on everything I've read, here's what I think you should do this week: 1) Go to your local SSA office in person with ALL your documentation and refuse to leave without speaking to a supervisor about an "urgent case review" - use the specific terminology people have shared about requesting a "Post-Entitlement Technical Expert" and asking for a "case status inquiry" done right there while you wait, 2) Request a "critical hardship flag" on your case due to the financial impact of this delay, and 3) If the local office doesn't produce immediate results, contact your Congressional representative's constituent services office for a congressional inquiry - the mandatory 30-day response time could be exactly what you need to break this logjam. You've been incredibly patient, but 7 months is beyond reasonable. Your file is likely stuck in some electronic queue or assigned to someone who's on leave with no backup coverage. Don't accept any more "it's still processing" responses - demand specific answers about WHERE your file is and WHAT needs to happen for immediate resolution. When this finally gets resolved, make sure you get every penny of retroactive survivor benefits you're entitled to. You shouldn't have had to wait a single day longer than necessary, let alone 7 months. Keep fighting - you deserve those benefits and the peace of mind that comes with them!

Maya, I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare! As someone who's new to dealing with SSA but has been reading through all these responses, I'm absolutely shocked that 7 months is even possible when you've already repaid everything they asked for. What really strikes me is how many experienced people here are saying this is NOT normal even by SSA's notoriously slow standards. The fact that your file is probably just sitting in some electronic queue or assigned to someone who's on extended leave is infuriating but unfortunately seems pretty common based on these stories. I think the multi-pronged approach everyone's recommending sounds perfect - hit them hard with an in-person visit using all that specific terminology people shared (Post-Entitlement Technical Expert, urgent case review, critical hardship flag), and if that doesn't work immediately, get your Congressional representative involved. The 30-day mandatory response time for congressional inquiries could be exactly the pressure needed to get your case unstuck. You've been way too patient already. After 7 months, you deserve immediate action and full retroactive benefits when this finally gets resolved. The system failed YOU - you did everything right. Don't let them brush you off with any more vague "processing" responses. You've got this!

I'm in a very similar situation - turning 65 next month and planning to work until 67 with good employer coverage. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful! One question I have: when you apply for Medicare Part A initially, do they ask why you're not enrolling in Part B, or do you just simply not check that box on the application? I want to make sure I handle the initial application correctly to avoid any confusion later. Also, has anyone had experience with how this affects your Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) - do you still receive those with just Part A coverage? I'm trying to understand all the administrative aspects before I start this process. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice you can't find in the official Medicare handbooks!

I'm a Medicare enrollment specialist and wanted to add some clarity to this excellent discussion. Your two-step approach is definitely feasible, but here are some key points to ensure success: 1. **Initial Medicare Application**: When applying for Part A only, you'll complete Form CMS-40B. You can decline Part B by checking the appropriate box and selecting "I have group health plan coverage" as your reason. 2. **Documentation**: Get Form CMS-L564 completed by your employer NOW, even before you apply. This creates a paper trail showing your employer coverage was in effect when you declined Part B. 3. **Special Enrollment Rights**: Since you're declining Part B due to active employment, you'll have an 8-month Special Enrollment Period that begins the month after your employment OR group coverage ends (whichever comes first). 4. **Social Security Application Strategy**: When you apply for SS benefits later, bring copies of: your Medicare card showing Part A only, your completed CMS-L564, and a letter from your employer confirming your current group coverage. This documentation package will make it much easier for the SS representative to understand your situation. 5. **Pro tip**: Consider calling 1-800-MEDICARE about 2-3 weeks before your SS application to put a note in your Medicare file explaining your Part A-only status and intention to maintain it until employment ends. This approach works well when properly documented from the start!

I'm in a similar situation but just starting this process - my husband was also a federal employee who passed from work-related injuries. I'm not yet at the age to collect survivor benefits, but reading through all these responses is really eye-opening about how complicated the interaction between Workers' Comp and Social Security can be. It sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Survivor benefits don't automatically convert to retirement benefits at any age, 2) The Workers' Comp offset calculation method changes at retirement eligibility age (not the benefits themselves), and 3) Getting everything in writing from both SSA and OWCP is crucial because phone representatives often give inconsistent information. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world insight that's so hard to find elsewhere. I'm going to save this thread to reference when I get closer to filing for my benefits.

I'm going through something very similar and wanted to share what I learned after months of confusion. The Workers' Comp representative was technically correct but using confusing language - the offset calculation DOES change at 62, but your survivor benefits themselves don't convert to anything else. Here's what actually happens: At 62, you become eligible for your own Social Security retirement benefits. Even if you don't apply for them, OWCP has to factor that eligibility into their offset calculation. This is what they mean by "collect retirement on his record" - they're not talking about survivor benefits converting, but rather how they calculate the offset amount. The $2,143.65 monthly deduction you're seeing now might decrease (or increase) at 62 depending on what your own retirement benefit would be versus your current survivor benefit amount. OWCP uses a complex formula that considers the higher of the two benefits you're eligible for. My advice: Request a written projection from OWCP showing exactly how your offset will change at 62, and get a benefit estimate from SSA for your own retirement benefits. Don't let them give you verbal explanations - insist on documentation. The terminology they use makes everything sound more complicated than it needs to be. You're absolutely right to plan ahead for this - understanding these changes in advance will help you budget properly and make informed decisions about your benefits.

I went through something very similar when I was 63! The confusion around what counts as "earned income" for Social Security purposes is really common. Everyone here is absolutely right - annuity payments are considered unearned income and won't affect your Social Security benefits at all. The earnings limit only applies to wages from employment or net self-employment income. Since you're just 2 months away from your FRA, you're almost home free anyway! At that point, the earnings test disappears completely and you can have unlimited income from any source without any benefit reductions. One thing I'd suggest is keeping good records of your annuity payments for tax purposes, even though they don't count toward the earnings limit. As someone else mentioned, they could affect the taxability of your Social Security benefits depending on your total income. But that's a separate issue from the earnings test you were worried about. Hang in there - you're so close to FRA and then all these worries will be behind you!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who works in retirement planning - everyone here is absolutely correct that annuity payments do NOT count toward the Social Security earnings limit. The confusion is totally understandable because the SSA's terminology around "earned" vs "unearned" income isn't always crystal clear. The earnings test specifically targets income from active work - W-2 wages, 1099-NEC payments, or net self-employment earnings. Your annuity is considered "unearned income" along with things like pensions, IRA distributions, investment dividends, rental income, etc. None of these affect your Social Security benefits under the earnings test. Since you're only 2 months from FRA, you're practically in the clear anyway! At that point, you could literally win the lottery and it wouldn't impact your SS benefits. The earnings test completely disappears at full retirement age. One small tip: when you do call SSA (whether through regular channels or that Claimyr service someone mentioned), have your annuity contract handy. Sometimes it helps to clarify exactly what type of annuity you have (immediate vs deferred, etc.) just to be thorough, though the answer will be the same regardless. Congratulations on being so close to FRA - you've made it through the trickiest part of the earnings test rules!

Great advice from everyone here! Just wanted to add one more tip - when you do meet with SSA next week, bring documentation showing your last day of work (like a letter from HR or your final paystub). This can help speed up the process and avoid any confusion later. Also, if you're planning to do any freelance or consulting work in the future, make sure to ask about how that would affect your benefits so you're prepared. Good luck with your retirement!

One thing I'd add is to make sure you understand the difference between the monthly and annual earnings tests for your first year of retirement. Since you're stopping work in February and starting benefits in April, the monthly test will protect you even if your January-February earnings were substantial. But it's also worth noting that once you reach full retirement age (probably 67), there's no earnings limit at all - you can work as much as you want without any benefit reduction. The permanent early retirement reduction you'll get at 63 is separate from the temporary earnings test reductions. Sounds like you've got good advice here about documenting your work stoppage with SSA!