I'm so sorry for your loss, Isabella. Losing a parent is incredibly difficult, and having to navigate all these bureaucratic details while grieving makes it even harder. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like you're getting solid advice. Just wanted to add a couple of practical tips that might help your mom through this process: - When she calls SSA, have her keep a log of who she speaks with, the date/time, and what was discussed. Sometimes information gets lost between calls. - If she's comfortable with it, consider being on the call with her for moral support. SSA allows this if she gives verbal permission. - The local SSA office might be less busy than the national phone line. You could try walking in early in the morning if phone calls aren't working. Your mom is lucky to have you helping her through this. Take care of yourself too during this difficult time. The financial stress will ease once you get through the application process, but the emotional support she needs from you is just as important.

I'm deeply sorry for the loss of your father, Isabella. Having gone through this process when my own parent passed, I understand how overwhelming it can be during such a difficult time. The advice you've received here is excellent. I'd like to emphasize a few key points: 1) Timing is critical - survivor benefits can only be backdated 6 months, so don't delay the application even if you're still gathering documents. 2) When your mom calls, she should specifically ask to "report a death and apply for survivor benefits" - this ensures she gets transferred to the right department immediately. 3) Consider bringing a trusted family member or friend to any in-person appointment for emotional support and to help remember important details. 4) If the phone wait times are impossible, many people have success visiting their local SSA field office first thing in the morning when they open. You can find the nearest office on the SSA website. Your mother will likely receive your father's full $2,400 benefit since she's over full retirement age, which should provide some financial relief during this transition. You're being such a wonderful support to your mother during this time. Take care of yourself too - grief is exhausting, and navigating bureaucracy while mourning adds another layer of stress.

Another Texas teacher here. One important thing nobody's mentioned: If you keep working in a SS-covered job AFTER starting your TRS pension, those earnings are still subject to WEP, but they're calculated differently. In my case, I retired from teaching but work part-time as a consultant. That income still counts toward Social Security, and if I work enough years, it could eventually help reduce my WEP penalty further. The most accurate way to get your personal estimate is to contact SSA directly. I know it's frustrating with the wait times, but you need someone to calculate your specific situation. I used Claimyr.com to bypass the hold times and got connected to an agent in under 5 minutes. Worth every penny because I was able to get exact figures for my planning.

I'm a newer member here but wanted to share what I learned going through this process recently. The key thing that helped me was getting my actual earnings record from SSA (at my.ssa.gov) and identifying which years qualified as "substantial earnings." What really surprised me was that the WEP reduction isn't just a flat percentage - it's calculated using a different formula for the first "bend point" of your Social Security benefit calculation. With your 20+ years in the private sector, you're likely looking at a reduction somewhere between 25-45% depending on your specific earnings history. One piece of advice: don't just rely on online calculators. I thought I had it figured out, but when I finally got through to an SSA specialist (took 3 tries), my actual projected reduction was different than what the calculators showed. The human factor really matters with these complex cases. Also, keep all your documentation organized - you'll need your TRS benefit estimate and your complete SS earnings record when you apply. The more prepared you are, the smoother the process will be.

I'm new to this community but dealing with a similar situation with my father who's on SSDI for chronic back issues. After reading through all these responses, I feel much more informed about how the system actually works. What really stands out to me is how many people here have direct experience with declining various treatments without losing benefits, which contradicts some of the scarier stories you hear online. The distinction everyone's making between symptom management (like pain therapy) versus treatments that could actually restore work capacity makes perfect sense. For degenerative conditions like your brother's disc disease, it seems like SSA recognizes these are progressive issues that therapy might help manage but won't "cure." One thing I'm curious about - has anyone here actually been through a Continuing Disability Review where treatment compliance was specifically questioned? It would be helpful to know what that process looks like in practice, especially for spinal conditions. The consistent advice about maintaining regular medical documentation and having reasonable explanations for declining treatments seems like the smart approach regardless.

As someone new to this community but unfortunately familiar with SSDI due to my own disability journey, I wanted to add my perspective on this important topic. What I've learned through my own experience and research is that the "failure to follow prescribed treatment" rule is much more narrowly applied than many people fear. The regulation specifically requires three conditions to be met: the treatment must be prescribed by a physician, it must be expected to restore your ability to work, and you must have no good reason for refusing. For degenerative disc disease like your brother has, pain management therapy typically fails the second test - it's designed to help manage symptoms and improve quality of life, not restore someone's ability to perform substantial gainful activity. I've actually refused several recommended treatments myself (including physical therapy that wasn't helping and some medications with severe side effects) and it's never been questioned during my interactions with SSA. What they really care about during reviews is whether your condition still meets the disability criteria, which is determined through your ongoing medical records and functional assessments. The most important thing your brother can do is maintain regular care with his specialists to ensure there's continuous documentation of his condition. If the therapy question ever comes up, having a reasonable explanation like "previous similar treatments weren't effective" or "managing condition through other doctor-approved methods" should be sufficient. The key is showing he's not abandoning medical care entirely, just making informed decisions about specific treatments that may not be beneficial for his situation.

i always get confused about FRA. isn't it different for everyone?? mine is 67 according to my SS statement i got

Just wanted to add one more thing that might be helpful - make sure you keep good records of your monthly earnings during those 10 months before your FRA! SSA sometimes asks for documentation if your reported earnings seem inconsistent with what employers report. I learned this the hard way when I had irregular consulting income. Also, if you're doing 1099 contract work, remember that self-employment income is counted when it's earned, not when you get paid. So if you complete a project in month 8 but don't invoice until month 11 (after FRA), it still counts against your pre-FRA limit. Keep track of when work is actually performed vs. when payment is received. The $59,520 limit for 2025 is really generous compared to previous years, so you should be in good shape with that consulting work!

I definitely will! I'm planning to call tomorrow morning right when they open. Based on everyone's feedback, I'm pretty confident the first agent was mistaken, but I'll update with what I find out.

I've been through a similar situation and want to emphasize something important that others have mentioned - even though you received incorrect information from an SSA agent, you're still responsible for any overpayments. However, don't let this discourage you from appealing if you do exceed the limit based on their advice. When you call back, ask to speak with a supervisor and document EVERYTHING - get the agent's name, ID number, time of call, and ask them to note your file that you're calling to clarify conflicting information you received. If possible, ask them to send you written confirmation of the correct earnings limits. Also, since you're doing 1099 work now, consider spreading your income strategically. You could potentially defer some payments until 2026 when the higher limit applies (January-March), or structure your contracts to minimize 2025 earnings. Just make sure any deferral strategies don't create tax complications. The earnings limit rules are confusing enough without getting wrong information from SSA agents. Stay strong and keep advocating for yourself!