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!

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.

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!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Jamal. This is definitely one of the most confusing aspects of Social Security, and you're getting good advice here from the community. Just to reinforce what everyone is saying - survivor benefits absolutely do NOT increase after your FRA. I work in elder law and see this confusion constantly. Your financial advisor is incorrect on this point. Here's what I always tell clients in your situation: Think of it as two separate "buckets" of benefits with different rules. Your own retirement benefit bucket has delayed retirement credits until 70, but the survivor benefit bucket maxes out at your FRA - no exceptions. Given that you're 62, the "claim survivor benefits now, switch to your own at 70" strategy often makes the most sense if your own benefit would be substantially higher. You'd get reduced survivor benefits (about 71.5% of full amount) for 8 years, then switch to your maximized retirement benefit. One additional tip: When you call SSA for that comparison calculation, specifically ask them to show you the crossover point - the age where your own delayed retirement benefit would exceed the survivor benefit. This helps you see exactly when switching would pay off. The SSA Publication 05-10084 "Survivors Benefits" has this info in writing if you want official documentation to show your financial advisor.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Jamal. This is such a difficult time to have to navigate these complex benefit decisions. Everyone here is absolutely correct - survivor benefits do NOT increase after your full retirement age. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Social Security, and unfortunately even some financial advisors get it wrong. I went through this exact situation three years ago when I lost my wife. Like you, I got conflicting advice and it was incredibly frustrating. What finally helped me was getting the actual numbers from SSA for my specific situation. Here's what I learned: Since you're 62, you can take reduced survivor benefits now (about 71.5% of the full amount) and then switch to your own retirement benefit at 70 if yours would be higher with the delayed retirement credits. This way you're not leaving money on the table while your own benefit grows. The key is getting SSA to run those comparison calculations for you. When you call, ask them to show you both scenarios with actual dollar amounts and the "break-even" point where switching would benefit you long-term. Also, don't feel bad about your financial advisor being wrong on this - it's a very specific rule that even some professionals miss. The important thing is you're getting the right information now before making any irreversible decisions. Take care of yourself during this difficult time, and don't hesitate to ask more questions here. This community really knows their stuff when it comes to Social Security.