As someone who recently went through Social Security planning with my elderly parents, I wanted to add that it's also worth considering the tax implications of survivor benefits. Your wife's survivor benefit would be subject to the same federal income tax rules as regular Social Security benefits - so if her total income (including the survivor benefit) exceeds certain thresholds, up to 85% of the benefit could be taxable. Since she'd be receiving a higher monthly amount ($3,100 vs whatever she's getting now), this might push her into a higher tax bracket. It's something to factor into your overall financial planning. Also, make sure she knows that Medicare premiums are typically deducted directly from Social Security payments, so the actual amount she receives might be slightly less than the gross benefit amount.

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share something I learned recently that might be helpful for your situation. When my aunt was dealing with survivor benefits, she discovered that Social Security has a "deemed filing" rule that can be confusing. Since your wife has already filed for her own retirement benefits, when she becomes eligible for survivor benefits, she'll automatically be deemed to have filed for both - but she'll only receive the higher amount, not both. The good news is that since she's already past her FRA, there won't be any reduction to the survivor benefit due to early filing. One thing that really helped my aunt was creating a timeline document showing when each benefit started and what the projected survivor benefit would be, which made it much easier when she had to meet with SSA later. Also, don't forget that if you have any delayed retirement credits by waiting past your FRA, those will increase the survivor benefit amount too!

As someone who just went through this process myself (got my first payment last month), I can definitely relate to the confusion and anxiety! The delay between field office transmission and payment center receipt is unfortunately very common. In my case, there was about a week gap too, and like others have mentioned, it's due to all the automated verification steps that happen in between. One thing I learned that might help - when you call SSA, try to get the specific payment center that's handling your claim. Different centers have different processing times right now due to staffing levels. The Northeastern Payment Center (which you mentioned) tends to be pretty efficient from what I've heard, so that's good news for you. Also, don't stress too much about calling "daily" to check - as someone else pointed out, frequent calls can actually slow things down. I found that calling once every 2-3 weeks was plenty, and using that MySocialSecurity online account to check for updates in between calls saved me a lot of phone time. The online account sometimes shows status changes before the phone reps even see them in their system.

I'm new to this community and currently navigating the SSA retirement process myself. This entire thread has been incredibly enlightening! I filed my application about three weeks ago and have been anxiously waiting for updates. Reading about everyone's experiences with the mysterious delays between field offices and payment centers really helps set realistic expectations. I especially appreciate the technical explanation about the automated processing steps - it makes so much more sense than the vague "system delays" I keep hearing about. I'm definitely going to start using the term "adjudicated" when I call, and I'll make sure to ask which specific payment center is handling my claim. One question for those who've been through this: Is there any pattern to how long the initial field office processing takes? Mine was submitted in early February and I'm still waiting to hear that it's been "transmitted" to a payment center at all. Should I be concerned, or is this normal timing for the initial review phase? Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's so much better than trying to navigate this process in the dark!

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My husband just turned 66 and we were planning to file for his Social Security next month while continuing to max out our HSA contributions. I had NO idea about this automatic Medicare Part A enrollment issue until I saw your post. This is exactly the kind of critical information that should be prominently displayed on the Social Security application forms and website. Instead, it's buried in fine print that most people miss. We've been contributing to our HSA for 8 years specifically as part of our retirement healthcare strategy, and now we have to completely recalculate our plans. Thank you for sharing your experience - it's saving us from making the same costly mistake. We're going to delay his Social Security filing until we're ready to give up the HSA contributions. It's frustrating that the system forces this either/or choice when many people could benefit from both programs simultaneously.

I'm so sorry you're going through this - it's one of the most frustrating "gotcha" rules in the entire Social Security/Medicare system. What happened to you is unfortunately very common and perfectly legal, even though it feels completely unfair. The SSA agent was correct that you cannot decline Medicare Part A while receiving Social Security retirement benefits after age 65. This is mandated by federal law and there are no exceptions. The decline option you saw during your SS application only applies to Medicare Parts B and D, not Part A. For your HSA situation, you'll want to act quickly to avoid penalties. Contact your HSA administrator and request an "excess contribution correction" for any contributions made after your Medicare Part A effective date (October 2024). They'll calculate any earnings on those excess contributions that also need to be withdrawn. As long as you complete this before your tax filing deadline (including extensions), you can avoid the 6% penalty entirely. The silver lining is that your wife can still contribute to the HSA at the individual rate since she doesn't have Medicare coverage yet. And all your existing HSA funds remain available for tax-free medical expenses throughout retirement. This rule really needs better disclosure - too many people get blindsided by it when they're just trying to optimize their retirement planning.

My sister went through this exact same situation! Started on her own benefit then got the higher spousal when her husband claimed. But there was a 3 month gap between when he filed and when her increased payment started. They did pay her the back payments eventually but just be prepared that it might not be immediate. The SSA is soooo slow with everything.

I'm in a very similar situation and have been researching this extensively! One thing I'd add is that you should definitely request a Social Security Statement (either online at ssa.gov or by calling) to confirm your exact benefit amounts before making your final decision. Sometimes the estimates we have aren't perfectly accurate. Also, I've found that the best time to call SSA is right when they open at 8 AM Eastern - much shorter wait times. And if you do decide to visit a local office, you can actually schedule appointments online now through their website, which is way better than just showing up. One last tip: when you do apply for the spousal benefit in 2026, make sure to ask them to make it effective the month your husband files, not the month you submit the application. There can be a difference and you want to maximize your benefits!

my brother n his gf tried to claim they were common law for ss and got DENIED even tho they lived together 15+ years... ss said they needed MORE PROOF they were acting like married people. make sure u have tons of paperwork!!!

Just wanted to add my experience - I successfully got spousal benefits based on my common-law marriage in Texas after 25 years together. The key was having that Declaration of Informal Marriage from the county clerk like @Javier Gomez mentioned. We filed it about 6 months before I applied for SS benefits, and it made the whole process much smoother. The SSA agent told me that having that official declaration really helps because it shows the state of Texas recognizes your marriage. We also provided joint bank statements going back 10+ years, our mortgage documents showing both names, and affidavits from family members. One tip: when you go to file the Declaration, bring as much documentation as possible showing your relationship timeline. The county clerk can include some of that in the filing which strengthens your case with SSA later. Good luck!