dont forget about the spending requirements! my cousin was rep payee for her mom and she got in trouble for using the money wrong. u gotta spend it only on your sister and keep all the receipts!

I went through this exact process with my dad last year when he was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. A few things that really helped us: 1. **Documentation timing is critical** - Get all the POA paperwork done NOW while your sister can still understand and sign. We waited just 2 months too long and had to go the guardianship route which cost us $8,000+ and took 6 months. 2. **For the SSA rep payee application** - They'll likely request a "Statement of Claimant's Medical Sources" (Form SSA-787) that her doctors need to fill out. Get this from her neurologist/psychiatrist who diagnosed the dementia - general practitioners sometimes aren't detailed enough for SSA. 3. **Set up a dedicated checking account** for her benefits BEFORE you get approved. This makes the annual reporting so much easier. I use a simple spreadsheet to track every expense with receipt photos. 4. **Contact her Medicare plan administrator** too - rep payee status doesn't automatically give you authority to handle Medicare issues, and you'll likely need to deal with coverage decisions as her condition progresses. The 8-week timeline is pretty accurate in my experience. Hang in there - it's overwhelming at first but getting organized now will save you so much stress later!

To answer your follow-up question: No, if you file for benefits and then suspend them (using the voluntary suspension option available after Full Retirement Age), ALL benefits based on your record - including your daughter's - would stop during the suspension period. This is due to changes made by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. So unfortunately, there's no way to "have your cake and eat it too" in this situation. You either: 1. File now at 68 - you get reduced benefits for life but your daughter gets benefits until 18 2. Wait until 70 - you get maximum benefits for life but your daughter gets nothing until you file (by which time she'll be 16, so only 2 years of eligibility) Given your family history of longevity (parents living to their 90s), waiting until 70 might still be your best financial strategy, despite missing out on some child benefits. At age 90, you would have received substantially more by waiting, even accounting for your daughter's benefits.

I'm a newcomer here but have been researching this exact situation for my own family. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the family maximum benefit cap. Social Security has a limit on the total amount that can be paid to a family based on one worker's record - typically 150-180% of the worker's PIA. In your case with just you and your daughter receiving benefits, you probably won't hit this cap, but it's worth asking SSA about when you call. Also, since your wife is still working and younger, you might want to consider how her future benefits factor into your overall retirement income strategy. Another consideration: if your daughter plans to attend college, those child benefits could help with education expenses during her last few years of eligibility. Some families find it helpful to have that guaranteed income stream for college planning, even if the overall math slightly favors waiting until 70. Have you considered doing a consultation with a Social Security claiming strategist? Given the complexity and the dollar amounts involved, it might be worth the fee to get personalized analysis.

isnt there a thing where if you claim on your ex they get notified? my ex would be furious if he knew i was getting benefits from his record lol

Based on everyone's experiences here, it's clear that while SSA should ask about marital history during your application, you absolutely cannot rely on them to automatically check ex-spouse benefits. I'd recommend being very proactive when you apply in February: 1. Fill out the marital history section completely if applying online 2. Explicitly tell them you want benefits calculated on both your own record AND your ex-spouse's record 3. Bring your marriage certificate and divorce decree showing the 15-year marriage 4. Follow up after submitting to confirm they're checking both records The stories here about people missing out on hundreds of dollars per month for years are exactly what you want to avoid. Since you were married 15 years (well over the 10-year requirement) and haven't remarried, you should definitely be eligible. Better to be overly clear about what you want than to assume they'll figure it out for you!

my mom got widows benefits and they messed up her payments THREE TIMES!! had to keep calling and fixing it. make sure you check EVERY STATEMENT when you get benefits!!!

As a newcomer here, I just wanted to say how helpful this discussion has been! I'm in a similar situation with my spouse and had been agonizing over the timing decision. The math breakdown showing it would take 11+ years just to break even by waiting 7 months for that small $33 increase really puts it in perspective. One question though - when people mention "spousal benefit is 50% of FRA amount," does that mean 50% of what the higher earner would get at their full retirement age, or 50% of what they actually get when they claim at 70? I want to make sure I'm understanding this correctly for our own planning. Thanks to everyone who's shared their knowledge here!

I just wanted to thank everyone for the helpful advice. I called SSA this morning (finally got through after trying for 2 hours) and got confirmation that it's definitely WEP affecting my benefits. The agent walked me through my earnings record and confirmed I have 22 years of substantial earnings under Social Security. The good news: working just 3 more years would reduce my WEP penalty by about $300/month! That makes a huge difference, so I'm now planning to work until 2028 instead of retiring in 2025. Not ideal, but better than trying to live on significantly reduced benefits for the rest of my life. For anyone else in this situation - definitely call and ask for a detailed WEP calculation and how additional working years would change it. The differences can be substantial!

I'm so glad you were able to get through to SSA and get clarity on your situation! Your experience really highlights how important it is for people to understand WEP before making retirement plans. Just to add to what others have shared - you might also want to check if your state has any supplemental programs or if your teacher's pension system offers any additional benefits that could help offset the WEP reduction. Some states have created programs specifically to help public employees who are affected by WEP/GPO. Also, when you're planning those additional 3 years of work, consider whether maximizing your earnings during those years (if possible) could provide any additional benefit beyond just meeting the substantial earnings threshold. Every little bit helps when you're dealing with WEP reductions. Thanks for sharing your update - it's really helpful for others who might be facing the same shock you experienced!