my aunt got widows benefits even tho she worked and had her own ss. they told her something about FRA and delayed retirement credits? i dont really understand it but maybe theres exceptions?

Just to add some clarity from someone who recently went through this process with my parents - the timing of when you contact Social Security after a death is important. You need to report the death promptly to avoid overpayments that would need to be returned later. Also, if you're currently receiving spousal benefits instead of your own worker benefits (which can happen if your spouse's benefit was higher), the calculation changes. The surviving spouse would then compare their own worker benefit to 100% of the deceased spouse's benefit and take whichever is higher. In your case with identical amounts, you'd definitely want to verify both of you are receiving your own worker benefits rather than spousal benefits, as this could affect the survivor calculation.

Thank you everyone for all the helpful responses! I've scheduled an appointment for next week using that Claimyr service (which worked amazingly well - took less than 10 minutes to get through to a real person). The agent I spoke with confirmed I should apply now for March benefits and gave me a list of documents to bring. She also explained the earnings limit since I still work part-time. I really appreciate all your advice and support!

Great to see you got everything sorted out! Just wanted to add that when you do go to your appointment, make sure to ask about retroactive benefits. Since survivor benefits can sometimes be paid retroactively up to 6 months before your application date (depending on your situation), it's worth asking if you're eligible for any back payments. Also, if you haven't already, consider setting up a my Social Security account online - it'll make it much easier to track your benefit statements and manage your account once everything is processed. The whole process can feel overwhelming at first, but it sounds like you're handling it perfectly!

Just to add some additional context for anyone who might be wondering - this early payment policy has been in place for decades and is actually written into federal regulations. The SSA payment schedule is published annually and clearly shows all the adjusted dates for holidays. You can find the official 2024 payment calendar on the SSA website under "When to expect your Social Security payment" which lists December 24th for payments that would normally be issued on December 25th. It's really convenient that they handle this automatically so we don't have to worry about it!

This is great information everyone! I'm also new to Social Security and wasn't sure about the holiday payment schedule. It's really helpful to know that SSA has such a reliable system in place for early payments when holidays fall on payment dates. I was worried I'd have to contact them directly, but it sounds like it's all handled automatically. Thanks for sharing your experiences - it makes me feel much more confident about the process!

To answer your question about notifications - your sister should: 1. Sign up for email updates from advocacy groups like the National Active and Retired Federal Employees Association (NARFE) or the National Education Association (NEA) who track this legislation closely 2. Set up alerts on congress.gov for the specific bill numbers (though these change each session) 3. Follow her congressional representatives on social media as they'll likely announce when it passes If her question is specifically about applying for benefits should the law change, she should create a my Social Security account online where SSA posts important notices and updates.

I'm in a similar boat as your sister! I retired from teaching last year after 38 years and my husband passed in 2023. The GPO wiped out my entire survivor benefit because my pension is $3,900/month. It's so frustrating because we paid into Social Security for years before I became a teacher, and my husband paid in his whole working life. I've been following the Fairness Act closely and reached out to both my senators' offices last month. One staffer told me they expect movement on it this spring, but who knows. I'm trying not to get my hopes up after being disappointed so many times before. Your sister should definitely prepare all her paperwork now like others suggested. I have everything ready in a folder - marriage certificate, death certificate, pension documentation, and my husband's Social Security statement. If this thing ever passes, I want to be first in line to apply!

While your father's retirement benefits will be suspended during incarceration, it's important to know that some programs like SSI have different rules than regular Social Security retirement. With SSI, benefits can be suspended for up to 12 months before termination, but with traditional retirement benefits, they're just suspended and can be reinstated after release regardless of how long the incarceration lasts. Make sure you're applying for reinstatement as soon as possible after release. Also, if your father was receiving any other benefits like food stamps, housing assistance, etc., those all have different rules during incarceration. Each program requires separate notification for reinstatement.

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses. I feel much better prepared now. To summarize: his benefits will be suspended (not terminated), we need to get them reinstated right after release with proper documentation, and I should plan for 2-3 weeks without income after his release while SSA processes everything. I should also figure out how to handle his Medicare premiums while he's incarcerated. I'm going to look into getting power of attorney so I can help manage all this while he's inside.