Just curious - does anyone know if they MAIL BACK your original documents after they process your application? My friend is worried about sending her only copy of her divorce papers...

I went through a similar situation last year and want to share a few additional tips that helped me! First, when ordering certified copies, get at least 2-3 of each document - you never know if you'll need extras for other purposes or if one gets damaged. Second, I created a simple checklist and kept copies of everything in a folder organized by marriage/relationship so I could easily find what the SSA rep was asking for. Also, if you're having trouble getting your first husband's death certificate because you're divorced, try contacting the funeral home that handled his arrangements - they sometimes keep records and can point you in the right direction for obtaining the official certificate. The whole process took me about 45 minutes once I had all my paperwork in order, so the prep work is definitely worth it!

For restarting after suspension, you don't need a new application. You simply contact SSA to request reinstatement of your benefits. This can be done by phone, in person, or online through your my Social Security account. When you request reinstatement, benefits resume the month after your request (unless you specify a future month). The amount will include all accumulated DRCs. My recommendation: Set a calendar reminder about 30 days before you want to restart. This gives SSA time to process everything so there's no gap in payments.

just a tip from someone who did the suspend thing last year - write down EVERYTHING when u talk to them! i didnt get the name of the person i talked to when i suspended and then they had no record of my request! lost a month of credits because of it. always get confirmation numbers and names!!!!!

does anyone no if the earnings limit changes every year? my nephew is on disabilty and his wife works, they told them theres a limit for her to.

I work for a nonprofit that helps people navigate Social Security issues, and I can confirm the other commenters are absolutely right - the rep gave you incorrect information. Employment income (wages, salary, bonuses) definitely counts toward the annual earnings test for ALL Social Security benefits when you're under full retirement age, including survivor benefits. The $22,320 limit for 2025 is correct, and yes, they'll withhold $1 for every $2 you earn over that amount. Since you mentioned a $20,000 increase, this could significantly impact your benefits if it puts you over the limit. Here's my advice: When you call back, ask to speak with a "Technical Expert" or request to be transferred to someone who specializes in survivor benefits and the earnings test. Regular customer service reps sometimes mix up the rules between different types of income. Also, have your expected 2025 earnings amount ready - they'll need to know your total anticipated wages for the year to properly adjust your benefits going forward. Don't wait on this - it's much easier to have them adjust your monthly benefit amount now than to deal with an overpayment situation later!

Thank you all for the helpful responses. I'm going to try contacting SSA directly to get a definitive answer for our situation. The Claimyr service someone mentioned sounds helpful since I've had trouble getting through on the phone before. I appreciate the clarification about Colorado recognizing common-law marriage, but it sounds like that alone won't help with the grandchildren's eligibility. Neither child has disabilities that would qualify for SSI, so that's unfortunately not an option either. I'll update this thread if I learn anything that might help others in similar situations.

Just wanted to add another perspective here - I work in family law and see situations like this frequently. While the adoption route seems daunting with teenagers, it's actually not uncommon and can still provide benefits. Colorado has a streamlined process for stepparent adoption when there's been long-term care, and since you have conservatorship already, that demonstrates the legal relationship. Even if your partner adopts them at 14 and 16, they could still qualify for student benefits through age 19 if they're in high school, which could help with college costs. The adoption might also help with other things like medical decisions, inheritance, and family medical leave. It's worth consulting with a family attorney who specializes in these situations - many offer free consultations and can walk you through the process and timeline.

UPDATE: I finally got through to Social Security! You guys were right - it IS legitimate! During my continuing disability review, they found they had been using an incorrect calculation of my Average Indexed Monthly Earnings. They missed some of my self-employment income from 2016-2019 (good catch @casual_commenter!). The $23,475 is backpay for the difference in what I should have been receiving all along. AND my monthly payment is increasing by $428 going forward! I'm actually in tears right now. This is life-changing for me.Thank you all for helping me keep calm while I figured this out!

Congratulations! What an incredible relief that must be! 🎉 This is exactly why I always tell people not to panic when they get unexpected payments from SSA - while mistakes do happen, legitimate corrections are actually pretty common, especially after CDRs. The fact that they caught the self-employment income error during your review shows the system does work sometimes (even if it takes a while). That monthly increase of $428 is going to make such a difference in your quality of life. Thanks for updating us - stories like this give hope to others who might be in similar situations!