Have u looked at her bank statements? My mom gets direct deposit so i just added up all the SS deposits for the year. Accountant said that was fine since it matches what the 1099 would show anyway. Just make sure u factor in any Medicare deductions if those come out before deposit.

Also if you end up having to go to the office bring WATER AND SNACKS!! Trust me, we were there for almost 3 hours total and they don't even have a vending machine in the waiting area. And charge your phone fully!

i think u might be getting confused between widow benefits and disabled widow benefits they are different things. regular widow benefits u can get at 60 but disabled widow benefits u can get at 50 if ur disabled. the estopple thing only matters if ur trying to get the disabled widow benefit bcuz normally theyd make u prove ur disabled all over again even if u already did that for ur own disability

Just to add one important detail: when you apply for disabled widow benefits under this policy, make sure to bring both your SSDI award letter and recent medical records. Even though they won't require a full medical review, they'll still want to verify your condition hasn't improved significantly since your original determination. Also, be prepared for the fact that the field office staff might not be familiar with the term "collateral estoppel" specifically. You might need to explain that you're referring to the policy that allows them to use your existing disability determination for your widow's claim. Some offices are more up-to-date on policy changes than others.

One more important thing that no one has mentioned yet - when your ex passes away, you only have a limited time to apply for the survivor benefits retroactively. I believe it's currently 6 months. So don't delay in applying once that unfortunate event occurs, or you could lose out on some months of the higher benefit amount.

random but does anyone know if the OP would get the ex-husbands COLA increases too when on his survivor benefits? or just the fixed amount from when he died?

Since this will be your first Social Security payment, you should also be aware that benefits are paid via direct deposit to your bank account or to a Direct Express debit card. If you haven't already set up your payment method, you should do that right away through your my Social Security account online or by calling SSA directly. Also worth noting: if you're working while receiving benefits and are under your Full Retirement Age (FRA), remember there are earnings limits to be aware of ($22,320 in 2025 for those under FRA). Exceeding these limits will reduce your benefits temporarily.

When I strtd SS last year I was so confused too lol. My daughter had to explain it all 2 me like 5 times b4 I got it. Just remeber January $ comes in February, February $ comes in March etc

i filed at 63 too last yr. my investments didnt mess up anything but like someone else said the tax thing is annoying. i got a littl surprise at tax time lol. but the monthly benfit itself wasnt reduced at all from having investments. i sstill get dividends and interest and cds maturing fine with no problems

My aunt recently told me the Social Security Administration looks at ALL your finances when deciding how much to give you. She said her brother got less benefits because he had too many assets. But from what I'm reading here that doesn't sound right?

I'm confused about something similar. If the earnings limit is $22,320 annually, does that mean I can earn $1,860 per month? Or do they look at the whole year at once? I have a seasonal business that makes most of its money in the summer months, so I might go over in some months but still stay under the annual total.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet: if your benefits are reduced because you exceed the earnings limit, it's not money you permanently lose. Once you reach your Full Retirement Age, SSA will recalculate your monthly benefit amount to give you credit for the months they withheld benefits. So you'll get a higher monthly payment after FRA to make up for some of those reductions. Also, for your first year of retirement, SSA sometimes applies a monthly earnings test rather than the annual one. You might want to ask about the "first year rule" when you speak with them.

my neighbor tried to make a new account when she forgot her old one and SSA flagged her account for fraud investigation!!!! took like 3 months to sort out and delayed her getting her checks. dont do that!!!

I used that Claimyr service someone mentioned above when I had account issues last month. Got through to an actual human at SSA in like 20 minutes instead of spending all day on hold. The agent reset everything for me over the phone after verifying my identity. Just needed my SSN, date of birth, and they asked some questions about my work history to confirm it was really me.

my sister said they take walk ins on tuesday afternoons at her office in portland, maybe check if ur local office has specific walk in times?

One more tip - if you're able to get an in-person appointment, make a list of ALL your questions beforehand. I thought I'd covered everything during my appointment about spousal benefits, but realized after I left that I forgot to ask about taxation of benefits. Had to start the whole process over again!

Has anyone here successfully gotten an increase in their SS payment after having cancer??? My dad is going through something similar and we keep hitting dead ends... SO FRUSTRATING!!!

I'm a volunteer with cancer patients, and while Social Security won't provide additional cash benefits beyond his retirement amount, please look into these resources that many miss: 1. Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition (CFAC) - searchable database of financial help 2. CancerCare provides small grants for treatment-related costs 3. Patient Advocate Foundation for help negotiating medical bills 4. If he was employed when diagnosed, check if his employer offered critical illness insurance 5. Veterans with cancer can access additional VA benefits if applicable Definitely apply for Extra Help with Medicare prescription drugs as others suggested - it can reduce costs dramatically.

I'm actually wondering about a similar situation, but I'll be turning 70 in February 2025 and want to make sure I get the maximum delayed retirement credits. Should I also apply 3 months ahead or is my situation different since I'm at the maximum age?

dont u get paid for the month before? like january payment comes in february? thats what my neighbor told me and shes been on SS for years