Glad you got confirmation! One last tip - schedule the appointment for AFTER you've submitted your own retirement application. Her benefits are dependent on yours being processed first. You can actually apply for both at the same time, but make sure your retirement application is mentioned first when you schedule the appointment.

Just wanted to add another piece of info that might be helpful - when you do apply for your daughter's benefits, they'll be retroactive up to 6 months from your application date (but not before your retirement benefits start). So even if there's a delay in getting the appointment scheduled, you won't lose out on those monthly payments. The SSA will calculate back to when she first became eligible and issue any back payments in a lump sum with her first check. This was really helpful for us when there was a 2-month delay getting all our paperwork processed!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful and informative this entire thread has been! CosmicCruiser, congratulations on your new job - what a wonderful outcome! Reading through everyone's responses really highlights how important it is to get accurate information from people who've actually dealt with these situations firsthand. The consistent message from experienced community members that your income won't affect your children's survivor benefits must have been such a relief to hear. It's also educational to see the clarifications about different types of benefits (survivor benefits vs. SSI) and how the earnings limits work. This is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that makes such a difference for families navigating these complex systems. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - it's clear this community is a valuable resource for anyone dealing with Social Security benefits!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to express how incredibly valuable this entire discussion has been to read! CosmicCruiser, huge congratulations on your new job - what an amazing outcome! This thread is such a perfect example of why community support matters so much when dealing with Social Security benefits. Seeing how you went from genuine worry about potentially losing your children's benefits to confidently accepting a great career opportunity really shows the power of getting accurate information from people with real experience. The consistent reassurance from multiple members that your income has zero impact on your kids' survivor benefits must have been such a weight off your shoulders. I've learned so much just from reading through everyone's responses, especially the important distinctions between different benefit programs. It's wonderful that your family now has both the continued survivor benefits AND the stability of your new full-time position. Thank you to all the experienced members who shared their knowledge - this community is clearly an invaluable resource for navigating these complex systems!

Just a WARNING about those appointments - don't assume the first person you talk to knows everything!! I got completely wrong info at my first appointment and made a HUGE mistake with my claiming strategy. Make sure you talk to a TECHNICAL EXPERT not just a regular service rep. Ask specifically for someone who specializes in survivor benefits!! And take notes of EVERYTHING they say.

I'm new to this community but going through a similar situation with my late husband's benefits. One thing I learned that might help - when you schedule your appointment, try to get the earliest time slot possible in the day. The staff tends to be more focused in the morning and the computers are less likely to have issues. Also, I'd recommend calling ahead to confirm what specific documents they need for your exact situation since requirements can vary slightly based on your circumstances. Another tip - bring a simple one-page summary of your key dates (birth date, marriage date, divorce date, ex-spouse's death date) and your specific questions written down. It helps keep the appointment on track and ensures you don't forget to ask something important. Good luck with everything!

By the way, it's worth checking if your state has any supplemental programs to offset the WEP reduction. A handful of states have recognized how WEP hurts their public employees and created special supplemental benefit programs. I know Colorado, Massachusetts, and Ohio have something like this. Might be worth asking your HR department if there's anything similar in your pension system.

Carmen, regarding your question about working part-time in a SS-covered job to get more substantial earnings years - it can be worth it, but you'd need to run the numbers carefully. Each additional year of substantial earnings reduces your WEP penalty by about 5% of the maximum reduction. So going from 12 to 15 substantial years would save you roughly $94/month ($627 × 15%). The substantial earnings threshold for 2025 is expected to be around $31,275, so you'd need to earn at least that much in SS-covered employment for the year to count. If you can find part-time work that pays well enough and you're physically able to do it for a few years, it might make financial sense - especially since you'd also be earning additional SS credits that increase your base benefit amount. Just remember that your state pension system might have restrictions on working after retirement, so check those rules first. Some systems reduce your pension if you work for another government entity or work too many hours.

Something critical to understand: there are strict time limits on retroactive adjustments for benefit calculation errors. Under Social Security regulations, if your reconsideration is successful, they can only pay you retroactively for 12 months from the date you filed the reconsideration. I'd recommend sending a certified letter to both your local office AND the processing center (ask your local office for the address) stating that you're inquiring about the status of your reconsideration filed on [exact date]. Reference your claim number and explicitly state that you're concerned about potential retroactive payment limitations if the review isn't completed promptly. This creates a paper trail showing you've been actively pursuing resolution, which can be important if you later need to argue for extended retroactive payments.

I'm going through something very similar right now! Filed for retirement benefits in January and my PIA dropped significantly from what was shown on my annual statement. Like you, my online account showed "evaluated" and "approved" on the same day, which seemed suspicious. I've been waiting 2 months since filing my reconsideration and it's incredibly frustrating. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening - I had no idea about the SSA-795 form or the 12-month retroactive payment limitation that Sophie mentioned. The advice about keeping detailed records and getting congressional help if needed is something I'm definitely going to follow. It's reassuring to know others have successfully gotten through this process, even though it takes way longer than it should. Thanks for posting this - sometimes you feel like you're the only one dealing with SSA's mistakes, but clearly this is a widespread issue with their auto-adjudication system bypassing proper review.