As someone who recently went through a similar maze with SSA, I wanted to add a few practical tips that helped me navigate this process. First, when you call for that Technical Expert appointment, ask them to send you a written summary of your options afterward - this prevents the "three different answers" problem you mentioned. Second, regarding the SGA limit concern, don't reduce your hours immediately without understanding your Trial Work Period status first. You may have unused TWP months that protect you. Third, I found it helpful to create a simple spreadsheet comparing the lifetime value of different benefit strategies - taking the lower benefit early vs waiting for the higher one. The break-even analysis really clarified things for me. Also, if your local office is booked 4 months out, try calling other offices in your region - they can often handle your case remotely. Finally, document everything! Keep records of every call, every representative you speak with, and every piece of advice given. This will be invaluable when you're trying to piece together your optimal strategy. The system is complex, but with persistence and the right expert guidance, you can maximize your benefits. Hang in there!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm finding this thread incredibly valuable! I'm 64 and currently receiving SSDI after a back injury two years ago. My situation is a bit different - I'm unmarried and don't have survivor benefits to consider, but I'm also working part-time (carefully staying under the SGA limit after reading these comments!). What I'm wondering is: since my disability will automatically convert to retirement benefits at my FRA (67), should I be doing anything now to prepare for that transition? Will the amount stay exactly the same, or could there be changes? Also, for those who mentioned the Trial Work Period - does SSA track those months automatically, or do I need to keep my own records? I've been reporting my earnings through their app, but I want to make sure I'm not accidentally using up TWP months without realizing it. The advice about requesting a Technical Expert appointment is gold - I've been getting the runaround from regular representatives too. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and expertise!

Just wanted to add one more important point that might affect your decision - if your ex-husband remarries, it won't impact your eligibility for divorced spouse benefits or survivor benefits at all. His new marriage has zero effect on your benefits as long as YOU remain unmarried. I mention this because I see a lot of people worry unnecessarily about what their ex does after divorce. The 10+ year marriage rule protects your rights regardless of his future relationships. Also, since you mentioned having kids together - if any of your children are still under 18 (or disabled), they might be eligible for benefits on their father's SSDI record too. That's a separate benefit that doesn't reduce what you could get. Good luck with your SSA appointment! Having all the numbers will really help you make the best choice for your situation.

I'm glad you're taking the time to research this thoroughly before making a decision! As someone who went through a similar situation with my ex-spouse's SSDI benefits, I wanted to add that when you meet with the SSA representative, make sure to ask about the "protected filing date" concept. If you're leaning toward waiting but are concerned about missing out on benefits, you can sometimes file a protective claim that establishes your filing date while you gather more information. This can be especially helpful if you're close to a birthday that might affect your benefit calculations. Also, don't be discouraged if the first representative you speak with seems unsure about divorced spouse benefits - unfortunately, not all SSA staff are equally knowledgeable about these more complex situations. If you don't feel confident in the answers you receive, it's perfectly acceptable to request to speak with a supervisor or schedule another appointment. One last tip: bring a copy of your divorce decree that shows the exact marriage dates. Sometimes there can be confusion about whether you truly meet the 10-year requirement, especially if there were separations before the final divorce.

What an absolutely amazing outcome! 🎉 This is such a perfect example of why it's so important to not panic when these unexpected payments happen. The fact that your CDR triggered them to discover the self-employment income miscalculation is incredible - and that monthly increase of $428 is going to be life-changing! I'm so glad you took everyone's advice to call rather than just worrying about it. This whole thread has been so educational for those of us navigating SSDI. Thank you for taking the time to update us with the good news - it really gives hope to others who might find themselves in similar situations!

Wow, what an incredible journey and outcome! 🎉 As someone completely new to understanding SSDI processes, this entire thread has been absolutely fascinating and educational. I had no idea that continuing disability reviews could trigger such thorough file reviews that uncover calculation errors going back years. The fact that they missed your self-employment income from 2016-2019 and then corrected it with such a substantial backpay amount is amazing - and that ongoing monthly increase of $428 is just the cherry on top! Your experience really highlights how important it is not to panic when unexpected things happen with SSA, even though the initial fear is totally understandable. Thank you so much for taking the time to update us with the resolution - stories like this are incredibly valuable for those of us trying to navigate these systems and give real hope that sometimes the bureaucracy actually works in our favor, even if it takes time. Congratulations on this life-changing correction! 🙌

One more important detail - when planning your strategy, remember that your own retirement benefit continues to grow until age 70 (at 8% per year after FRA), but survivor benefits do NOT grow after your FRA. This means there's no advantage to delaying widow benefits past your full retirement age of 67. In your case, taking reduced widow benefits at 60, then switching to your own benefit at 67 (or even 70 for maximum growth) is likely the optimal strategy given the benefit amounts you mentioned. At age 70, your own benefit would be about $3,472/month compared to the $3,200 survivor benefit at FRA.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Michael. Losing a spouse is incredibly difficult, and trying to navigate Social Security on top of grief is overwhelming. You're absolutely right to be confused - the SSA website is not user-friendly at all! But the good news is that you DO qualify for widow benefits regardless of your own benefit amount. The 50% rule only applies to spousal benefits while both spouses are alive, not survivor benefits. Your strategy of taking reduced widow benefits at 60 and switching to your own higher benefit at 67 is actually textbook perfect for your situation. You'll get about $2,288/month in reduced widow benefits ($3,200 x 71.5%) for 7 years, then switch to your own $2,800/month at 67. If you wait until 70 to claim your own benefit, it would grow to about $3,472/month. The key is making sure SSA processes everything correctly when you switch. As others mentioned, get everything in writing and follow up to confirm the change went through. You've got this!

I went through something similar when my husband passed in 2022. One thing that helped me was creating a spreadsheet to track my monthly earnings and projected totals. Since you're earning $58K annually, your January-June earnings would be around $29K, which should be well under the 2025 earnings limit (probably around $59K based on the 2024 limit of $56,520). However, I'd strongly recommend calling SSA or visiting your local office to get a personalized calculation. They can run the numbers based on your specific situation and give you a clearer picture of whether filing in March would trigger any benefit reductions. The "pre-adjudication" service mentioned earlier might be worth looking into as well. Also consider that even if you do go over the earnings limit slightly, the reduction is temporary - you'll get those benefits back when you reach FRA through higher monthly payments. Sometimes it's still worth filing early even with a small penalty, especially if you need the income.

I'm so sorry for your loss. Based on what others have shared, it sounds like you might actually be okay filing in March since your January-June earnings ($29K) would likely be under the 2025 limit. But I wanted to add something I learned when my mom went through this - make sure to ask SSA about the monthly earnings test option too. In addition to the annual earnings limit, there's also a monthly test that can sometimes be more favorable if your earnings vary throughout the year. For any month where you earn less than 1/12th of the annual limit (so probably under $4,900/month for 2025), you can receive your full survivor benefit for that month regardless of your annual total. This might give you more flexibility if you have any lower-earning months or can time things like bonuses or vacation payouts. Definitely worth asking about when you call SSA!