One more thing to know about your first payment - they pay benefits in the month following the month they're due. So November benefits are paid in December, December benefits in January, etc. Something to factor into your planning.

Just wanted to add - since you're planning to request benefits starting November 1st and you mentioned your financial advisor brought up retroactive payments and taxes, make sure you're clear on the terminology during your call tomorrow. What you're actually requesting is a "protective filing date" or benefits with a start date prior to your application date, which will result in back payments for November and December. True "retroactive" benefits in SSA terms only apply if you're past full retirement age. The rep should understand what you mean, but using the right terminology can help avoid confusion and make sure you get exactly what you're asking for.

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I'm not dealing with this issue personally yet (still a few years away from claiming Social Security), but I'm definitely bookmarking this conversation for future reference. It's honestly shocking that such a predictable transition issue doesn't have better automated systems in place to prevent double billing. What strikes me most is how many people have experienced this exact same problem, yet it seems like every person has to figure it out on their own and spend hours on the phone to get it resolved. You'd think after decades of people transitioning from self-paid Medicare premiums to Social Security deduction, they'd have streamlined this process by now. @Carmella Fromis I really hope you're able to get this sorted out quickly! Based on all the advice here, it sounds like you have a solid plan of attack. Please update us on how it goes - I'm sure there are other people lurking here who would benefit from hearing about your experience with the resolution process. The Claimyr service that multiple people have mentioned sounds like a game-changer for dealing with SSA phone waits. Definitely something I'll remember for when my time comes to navigate these bureaucratic waters!

As someone who just went through this transition myself about 6 months ago, I can confirm this is unfortunately a very common issue! The system coordination between Medicare and Social Security is terrible, and you're definitely not alone in experiencing double charges. Here's what worked for me: I called both SSA and my Medicare Administrative Contractor on the same day. For the SSA call, I used that Claimyr service that others have mentioned - it really does save you from sitting on hold for hours. When I got through, I specifically said "I need to report a Medicare Part B premium transition duplicate payment" and they immediately knew what I was dealing with. The whole resolution took about 2-3 weeks, but I did get fully refunded for the double payments. Make sure you have your Medicare card, Social Security award letter, and bank statements showing both charges ready when you call. Also, get confirmation numbers for everything and ask them to document that your premium deduction method has been permanently updated in their system. One tip that helped me: when you call, mention SSA Publication No. 05-10043 that @AaliyahAli referenced above. It shows you understand this isn't supposed to happen according to their own procedures, and they seemed to take my case more seriously after that. Don't wait - this won't fix itself automatically. But the good news is it's definitely resolvable, just requires some persistence with the bureaucracy. Good luck!

This is such a helpful thread! As someone new to navigating Social Security benefits, I'm learning so much from everyone's experiences. It sounds like the key takeaway for your neighbor is that while her 4-year-old will get the full 50% benefit they're entitled to once the twins age out, the household will still experience a significant income reduction because that money the twins were receiving doesn't just transfer over. I'm bookmarking several of these suggestions - the BOAN request, visiting the local office in person, and that Claimyr service for getting through to SSA faster. It's frustrating how complicated these calculations are and how hard it can be to get clear answers from SSA directly. Your neighbor is lucky to have someone like you helping her navigate this system! Has anyone here dealt with appealing benefit calculations if they think SSA made an error? I'm wondering if that's something families should be aware of as an option if the numbers don't seem right.

This is such valuable information for families dealing with SSDI dependent benefits! I'm relatively new to understanding how Social Security works, but I've been helping my elderly father navigate some benefit questions recently. One thing I want to emphasize from reading through all these responses is how important it is to get everything in writing from SSA. When I was helping my dad, we had three different phone representatives give us three different answers to the same question. It wasn't until we got the official documentation that we knew what was actually correct. For your neighbor, in addition to all the great suggestions here about getting the BOAN report and visiting the local office, I'd recommend she ask for any benefit changes or calculations to be sent to her in writing. That way she has official documentation of exactly when the twins' benefits will end and what the new payment amounts will be. Also, has she looked into whether there are any local organizations that help families navigate Social Security benefits? Sometimes community centers, disability advocacy groups, or even libraries have volunteers who are familiar with the system and can help interpret the documentation once she gets it from SSA.

I want to echo what Nina said about using the waiting time productively! I'm a retired benefits specialist and I always advised clients in similar situations to think of those "waiting years" as an opportunity rather than just dead time. A few additional suggestions: Consider if you qualify for any other benefits during this waiting period - things like spousal benefits from a current spouse if you've remarried, or even checking if you might qualify for disability benefits if you have any health issues. Also, keep detailed records of your current part-time earnings because those final years can sometimes bump up your lifetime average earnings calculation. One more tip: When you do eventually file, make sure to specifically ask SSA to explain both benefit calculations to you. Sometimes there are nuances in how they calculate the ex-spouse benefit versus your own that aren't immediately obvious. Having that conversation upfront can prevent surprises later!

I'm in a very similar boat - turned 62 last month and my ex won't be 62 for another 2 years! Initially I was frustrated about having to wait, but after reading through everyone's responses here, I'm starting to see this delay as a blessing in disguise. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet - if you're still in touch with your ex (amicably), it might be worth having a conversation about his retirement plans. Not that it changes the rules, but knowing whether he's planning to file at 62 or wait longer could help inform your own strategy. My ex mentioned he's planning to work until 67, which actually doesn't matter for my ex-spouse benefit calculation, but it's good to know for planning purposes. Also, I found the SSA's online benefit calculators really helpful, but they can be confusing at first. Don't be discouraged if the numbers seem off initially - there are a lot of variables they factor in. The WEP and GPO calculators are particularly important if you have any government pension income. Sara, given that you were married 23 years, your ex likely has a substantial work history which could mean a decent ex-spouse benefit for you. Those extra 3 years of waiting might really pay off!

To summarize what everyone has said: 1. Your children's survivor benefits continue until they turn 18 (or 19 if still in high school) regardless of YOUR marital status 2. SSA doesn't monitor social media platforms 3. Cohabitation without legal marriage has no effect on benefits 4. Only legal remarriage would affect any widow's benefits YOU might receive (not the children's) So go ahead and use whatever name you want on social media without worrying about it affecting benefits.

I understand your concern about protecting your children's benefits - that's such an important priority as a parent. Just wanted to add that if you're still feeling anxious about this, you could also consider using a hyphenated name on social media (like Curtis-[Boyfriend's Last Name]) as a compromise. That way you're showing your relationship status without fully adopting his name, though as everyone has said, either approach is fine from a benefits perspective. The key thing is that you're being thoughtful about your family's financial security, which shows you're a great mom!