my brother tried suspending and said it was a nightmare to restart. took him like 4 months to get payments going again when he turned 70. just something to think about...

Update: I called SSA this morning (waited about 45 minutes) and got some helpful info. The agent confirmed I can suspend anytime after FRA, and my benefits will grow by 2/3% every month they're suspended. She also mentioned that if I earn enough at my new job, I could potentially increase my benefit amount that way too because they'll recalculate based on my new earnings if they're higher than what was previously used. So it's like a double advantage! Thanks everyone for your helpful advice!

One final tip: when your mom communicates with SSA, she should emphasize that these were one-time deposits and not recurring income. Have her bring bank statements from before and after to show her account is typically well below the limit. If the tax refund was $1420 and $1200 of the inheritance can be excluded as burial funds, that would resolve the issue. The remaining portion of the inheritance would still count, but you've already identified enough exclusions to potentially bring her below the $2000 limit. Make sure to submit the Request for Reconsideration right away regardless, as this preserves her appeal rights while you sort everything out. Good luck!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share something that might help. My aunt went through almost the exact same situation last year - her SSI Medicaid got terminated when she received an unexpected inheritance and tax refund in the same month. What really helped her case was keeping detailed records of everything. She made copies of her aunt's will that specifically mentioned the funds being "for final expenses" and got a letter from the tax preparer showing exactly when and how much her refund was. When she went to the SSA office, having all that documentation made a huge difference. The caseworker was actually pretty understanding once they saw it was clearly a one-time situation and not her trying to hide assets. They reinstated her benefits within about 6 weeks after she filed the appeal. One thing I learned from her experience - if you can't get through to SSA by phone, sometimes showing up at the office first thing in the morning works better. She went at 8 AM when they opened and only waited about 20 minutes to be seen. Really hoping your mom gets this sorted out quickly. The stress of potentially losing healthcare coverage is terrible, especially when it's just a misunderstanding about the rules.

Based on everything I've read here, it sounds like you have a solid plan! Just to summarize the key points from everyone's advice: Yes, you can get up to 6 months retroactive benefits when switching from survivor to retirement benefits at 70. Apply in January 2025 (don't wait until June), specify January 2025 as your effective date to preserve your delayed retirement credits, and be prepared for the lump sum backpay to count as 2025 income for tax purposes. The consensus seems to be that SSA will pay you the difference between what you received in survivor benefits vs. what your retirement benefit should have been for those months. Good luck with your application and your dental work!

Just wanted to add one more consideration that might be helpful - when you apply in January, make sure to ask the SSA representative about any potential Medicare Part B premium adjustments. Since your monthly Social Security benefit will increase by $1,400, this could affect your Medicare premiums if you're already enrolled or planning to enroll soon. The income increase might push you into a higher IRMAA bracket, but since you're switching from survivor benefits to your own earned benefits (rather than getting a windfall), there may be ways to address this. It's worth asking about during your application appointment so you're not surprised by any premium changes later.

I went through this exact same nightmare last year! After days of failed phone attempts, I discovered you can actually start your Medicare application online at ssa.gov without needing to talk to anyone first. Go to "Apply for Benefits" and select "Medicare Only." You'll answer questions about your current insurance and employment status. Even if you can't complete everything online, it creates a case in their system and they'll often call YOU back within a few days to finish up. This saved me from the phone hell and I got my Medicare sorted out well before my deadline. The online application also helps you figure out exactly what documents you'll need if you do end up needing an appointment. Worth trying before spending more hours on hold!

I just went through this exact same struggle three weeks ago! After multiple failed attempts with the phone system, I found a combination approach that finally worked. First, I started the Medicare application online at ssa.gov (under "Apply for Benefits" > "Medicare Only") which at least got something in their system. Then I called the 800 number at exactly 8:00 AM on a Wednesday morning with my confirmation number from the online application. Having that reference number seemed to help - the agent could pull up my case immediately and we finished everything in about 20 minutes over the phone. The key documents I needed were: birth certificate, Social Security card, photo ID, and details about my current insurance coverage (including when it ends). Since you mentioned you have a marketplace plan ending when you turn 65, make sure to have those policy details handy - they'll want to coordinate the timing so there's no coverage gap. Don't stress too much about the deadline - you have until June since you're turning 65 in March. But definitely try that early morning call strategy with your online application reference number if you can get one started. Good luck!

After reading through this whole discussion, I think you're in a good position to make an informed choice now. It's not a massive financial difference either way given that it's only 4 months. The earnings test complicates things slightly, but only for those 4 months. One last thing to consider: if you're truly miserable at work, what's the value of your happiness and mental health for those 4 months? Sometimes that's worth more than the financial calculation. Best of luck with your decision!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the "break-even" analysis. With a $58/month reduction on a $2,650 benefit, you'd collect about $2,592/month starting now versus $0 for 4 months then $2,650. It would take roughly 18-19 years for the higher benefit to make up for those 4 months of missed payments ($2,592 x 4 = $10,368). Given your good health and family longevity, this might actually favor waiting, especially with the part-time work earnings test issue. Have you considered gradually reducing your work hours over these 4 months to make the wait more bearable?