I think theres a lump sum death payment too isnt there? Like $255 or something? Not much but every little bit helps when someone passes

Thanks everyone for the helpful information. I managed to get through to SSA yesterday and have an appointment set up for next week. They're sending me a checklist of documents to bring. The representative also confirmed my younger siblings (16 and 14) will likely qualify for benefits until they graduate high school. This has been really helpful during such a difficult time.

My friend works for SS (not giving advice just sharing what I know) - definitely call the main number not your local office. The national line has access to more info. And keep calling until you get someone helpful cuz some reps are way better than others honestly

Just checking back - were you able to get through to someone who could help? The situation with multiple families definitely complicates things, but 4 months is still excessive for not even having an update.

I went to my local Social Security office with almost this EXACT question and the lady there was so rude to me, acted like I was stupid for asking. Like we're all supposed to be born knowing this stuff?! Ugh. Glad you got better answers here than I did there.

To summarize what everyone has said: 1. You reach FRA on the FIRST DAY of the month in which you attain the necessary age (66 and 4 months in your case) 2. Your actual date of birth within the month is irrelevant (except for the special rule for people born on the 1st) 3. Benefits are paid in the month FOLLOWING the month they're due for 4. If you file exactly at FRA (not before or after), you'll receive 100% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) If you file before FRA, your benefit is permanently reduced. If you file after FRA, you earn Delayed Retirement Credits of 8% per year until age 70. These are important considerations when deciding exactly when to file.

One thing to consider - have you looked into the Ticket to Work program? It allows you to test your ability to work while protecting your benefits. You get a 9-month Trial Work Period where you can earn any amount without affecting benefits, followed by a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility where benefits are only suspended in months you earn over SGA. Plus if your benefits end due to work, you have 5 years of expedited reinstatement rights if you need to go back on benefits. Might be better than switching to retirement.

Bottom line: Stay on SSDI until your Full Retirement Age (67). At that point, your SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits at the same amount. If you want to try working before then, use the work incentives designed for SSDI recipients (Trial Work Period, etc.) rather than switching to early retirement. The permanent reduction from taking early retirement almost never makes financial sense for someone already receiving SSDI.

has anybody heard anything NEW about the fairness act? i heard it had like 300+ co-sponsors in the house but then nothing happened with it?

My sister works for our state retirement system and she said they're getting flooded with calls from retirees who got similar scam emails. The scammers are really targeting public pensioners right now!

my cousin works for ssa and says sometimes the cola is bigger than the 8% delay credit depending on inflation. last years cola was what, like 8.7%? that was higher than waiting benefit. but ya still get both

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - don't forget about taxes! Depending on your other income, up to 85% of your SS benefits might be taxable. If you're still working and delay benefits, you might end up in a lower tax bracket when you finally do claim if you're retired by then. Something else to factor into your decision.

Just an additional point of clarification since I see some confusion in the comments - Social Security benefits are paid in arrears, meaning the payment received in November is actually for October. However, the rule still stands that if the beneficiary dies, any payment made for the month of death or after must be returned. In your case, since your father passed in early November, the November payment (for October) was correctly paid, but any payment in December (which would be for November) would need to be returned. I recommend calling SSA to verify the specific details for your father's case. Each benefit type has slightly different rules, and they can confirm exactly which payments need to be returned.

my friend just went through this... she said if you wait too long they might put a freeze on your dads account and then its a huge headache to sort out. def call them soon

Your calculation is correct. If your teacher's pension is $3,400/month, then 2/3 of that is about $2,267. If your late husband's benefit would have been $3,000, then after applying GPO, your survivor benefit would be approximately $733 ($3,000 - $2,267). This is why GPO can be so devastating for those with non-covered pensions. Many people are shocked when they realize how much it reduces their survivor benefits. However, you'll still receive your own retirement benefit if it's higher than the GPO-reduced survivor benefit. You don't lose both - you'll get the higher of the two. For your next call, I suggest asking for a PEBES (Personal Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement) and a detailed written explanation of how both WEP and GPO affect your specific situation. This documentation will be invaluable for your records and for understanding exactly what benefits you'll receive.

To answer your question about WEP and survivor benefits: The two calculations are separate, but related in terms of what you ultimately receive. Applying for survivor benefits doesn't directly change the WEP reduction on your own retirement benefit. WEP only applies to benefits based on your own earnings record. However, when you apply for survivor benefits, SSA will determine which is higher: your WEP-reduced retirement benefit OR your GPO-reduced survivor benefit. You'll receive the higher amount, not both. This process might be what the representative was referring to when mentioning adjustments, as they need to recalculate and compare both benefits. Regarding documenting your conversation: While SSA calls aren't officially recorded for your access, I recommend: 1. Taking detailed notes during the call 2. Asking for the representative's name and ID number 3. Requesting all information be sent to you in writing 4. Following up with a written summary to your local SSA office The most important thing is getting a formal, written explanation of your benefits calculation that shows exactly how WEP and GPO are being applied in your case.

if your husbands abusive why wait til december? the 2 year mark only matters for certain benefits but not worth staying in danger

It's complicated. Without income of my own and with my health issues, I don't have many options. I'm trying to understand what benefits I might qualify for if I leave versus what I might lose by leaving before certain time thresholds. It's literally about survival at this point.

I'm approaching 63 too and trying to understand the same thing... I've read that if you hit the year of your Full Retirement Age, the earnings limit jumps way up (like $60,000 or something) and they only take $1 for every $3 you earn over that higher limit. And once you actually hit your FRA month, there's no limit at all! The whole system is so complicated!!!

Just make sure ur reporting ur earnings correctly throughout the year. SSA does these 'reconciliations' where they check what u told them against ur actual earnings. I had a friend who got hit with a huge overpayment notice because he didn't report some income and went over the limit. What a mess!!!! Better to tell them about any changes in ur income right away.