anyone know if theres a waiting period for the first check with widow disability? with regular SSDI theres that 5 month wait thing

One important thing to understand about these benefits - you might be eligible to switch to retirement benefits on your own record when you reach age 62 if that would pay more. Or you could switch to regular survivor benefits (not disability) when you reach full retirement age. It's worth having a benefits planning session with SSA once you're settled into these payments to understand your future options.

One more thing I forgot to mention - if your school district offers a 403(b) instead of a traditional pension, that's different. WEP only applies to traditional defined benefit pensions from non-covered employment, not defined contribution plans like 403(b) or 457 plans. You need to find out exactly what type of retirement plan you have through the school district.

One last tip: Request a benefit estimate directly from your pension system that shows what your monthly pension amount would be. If you are vested, this is the amount that would affect your calculations. Then, when you speak with SSA, you'll have all the information they need to give you an accurate WEP/GPO calculation. Also, remember that if your combined Social Security covered employment eventually reaches 30 years with "substantial earnings" (over $30,000 per year in 2025), you'd be fully exempt from WEP regardless of your non-covered pension.

my brother had this happen in 2024 and they ended up taking the medicare premium twice! he had to wait like 3 months to get his money back. government efficiency at its finest lol

Quick update for everyone following this thread: SSA processing times for retirement benefits have improved slightly in the past few weeks. Applications filed in November/December 2024 are now being completed in about 8-9 weeks on average, so the original poster should likely see movement very soon. The Medicare premium refund process has not changed, however - still expect 8-12 weeks for that resolution once benefits begin.

I went through this exact situation! My wife was 62 on SSDI when she passed in 2023. I can confirm they base survivor benefits on the FULL disability amount, not the reduced retirement amount. But here's what surprised me - they count my wages against the survivor benefits using the earnings test but it's my NET income after business expenses that counts, not my gross. This made a huge difference for me as I have a lot of legitimate business deductions. Make sure they calculate this correctly!

Thank you all for the helpful information! I've got a much better idea of what to expect now. I'll definitely bring all the documentation mentioned (death certificate, marriage certificate, my latest tax returns, etc.) to my appointment. It sounds like I should expect my survivor benefit to be based on my wife's SSDI amount of $2,750, but reduced to about 91% of that (roughly $2,500) if I claim at age 65. Then the earnings test would further reduce it while I'm still working. I'm thinking the smart strategy might be to file the paperwork now so it's in the system, but only actually claim the benefits if I lose my job. Otherwise, I might be better off waiting until either my FRA or even taking my own benefit at 70. I'll update after my appointment in case it helps anyone else in a similar situation.

To follow up on the Part D question - you don't need a separate application form, but you do need to select a Part D plan through a private insurer (if you went with Original Medicare rather than Medicare Advantage). You can do this through the Medicare Plan Finder on medicare.gov. Regarding your original timeline question, one thing that might help speed things up: if you haven't already, create your my Social Security account online and check if your application appears there. Sometimes the online system shows it's been received before you get any mail confirmation.

Does anyone know if they NOTIFY you if they reject your application?? Or do they just ignore it? I'm so tired of dealing with government bureaucracy!!!

Just to clarify something important: even though your first payment may be delayed due to application processing, you won't lose any money. If you requested benefits to start in January and they don't approve your application until February, your first payment will include any retroactive amounts owed. Also, remember that Social Security pays benefits in the month following the month they're due for. So January benefits are paid in February, February benefits in March, etc. This trips up a lot of new beneficiaries.

Have you checked your my social security account online? sometimes they update the status there before sending anything in mail. also check your spam folder for emails they might have sent!

when i started getting my SS last year the first payment came exactly when they said it would but my neighbor had to wait almost 2 months and never got a good explanation why. i think they're really backed up especially since covid so maybe have a backup plan for expenses just in case. good luck!

One more thing to be aware of: if this is your first Social Security benefit of any kind, you might receive your first payment as a paper check even if you signed up for direct deposit. This is a security measure SSA sometimes implements. Subsequent payments would come via direct deposit as requested. If you're concerned about timing, I'd recommend checking your MySSA account daily once your eligibility month begins, as it will update with payment information before you receive any physical notification.

did you ever get through? im supposed to call tomorrow about my dads survivor benefits but cant be on hold all day i have to pick up kids at 3

For anyone else dealing with this in the future - I worked for SSA for 26 years before retiring. The official policy is that reps should continue to handle calls already in the queue at closing time, but NOT take new calls after 7pm. However, this can vary based on mandatory overtime situations, staffing levels, and management decisions at each office. The national 800 number typically has better after-hours handling than local offices. If you're specifically calling about a disability claim, you can also try contacting your Disability Determination Services (DDS) office directly - they're state agencies that handle the medical portion of disability claims and often have different hours and shorter wait times than SSA offices.

Thank you all for the helpful perspectives! I've got a much clearer picture now of what goes into this decision beyond just the math. I think I'm going to try to speak with someone at SSA using that Claimyr service, but I'm leaning toward taking the $900 now. My break-even point would be around 78-79 based on the calculations shared here, and considering my family health history plus wanting to enjoy the benefits while I'm still active, it makes sense for my situation. I appreciate everyone sharing their personal experiences too!

Sounds like you're making a well-informed decision based on your specific circumstances, which is exactly the right approach. There's no universal

Thats so confusing!!! Why cant they just tell us the right numbers from the start????? I always hate calling them they NEVER HELP!!

I recommend you get something in writing. Call and specifically request a 'benefits verification letter' that shows the breakdown of SSDI and SSI. This is more reliable than what representatives tell you over the phone. Given what you described, it sounds like your sister will receive around $425 in SSDI as a Disabled Adult Child benefit on your father's record, and then a reduced SSI payment to bring her up to the maximum allowed total. The mySSA account will eventually catch up, but official letters are your best bet for accurate information.