One more important thing to check - if your mother has been collecting her own benefit all these years because it was higher, you should verify whether the SSA properly calculated the survivor benefit when your father passed away. Sometimes they miss applying exceptions or special rules. If your father had enough "substantial earnings" years or if his WEP reduction wasn't properly calculated, your mother might have been eligible for a higher survivor benefit all along. SSA can pay back benefits for up to 6 months if they discover an underpayment. Also, survivor benefits ignore any reduction your father might have taken for claiming early retirement. So even if he took benefits at 62½, your mother's survivor benefit would be based on his full retirement age amount (minus any applicable WEP reduction).

This is such a valuable discussion! As someone new to navigating Social Security complexities, I'm learning so much from everyone's experiences. One thing that struck me is how many different factors can affect benefits - WEP, GPO, early retirement reductions, substantial earnings years, and survivor benefit calculations. It really highlights why getting professional help or using services like the Claimyr mentioned earlier makes sense. Dallas, your systematic approach of listing out next steps is smart. I'd also suggest documenting everything when you call SSA - dates, representative names, what they tell you - because you might need to reference it later or call back for clarification. Has anyone here had success getting SSA to review old determinations and find underpayments? I'm curious how often they discover calculation errors when people specifically ask them to double-check WEP-related benefits.

To summarize what everyone has said: 1. Your children's survivor benefits continue until they turn 18 (or 19 if still in high school) regardless of YOUR marital status 2. SSA doesn't monitor social media platforms 3. Cohabitation without legal marriage has no effect on benefits 4. Only legal remarriage would affect any widow's benefits YOU might receive (not the children's) So go ahead and use whatever name you want on social media without worrying about it affecting benefits.

I understand your concern about protecting your children's benefits - that's such an important priority as a parent. Just wanted to add that if you're still feeling anxious about this, you could also consider using a hyphenated name on social media (like Curtis-[Boyfriend's Last Name]) as a compromise. That way you're showing your relationship status without fully adopting his name, though as everyone has said, either approach is fine from a benefits perspective. The key thing is that you're being thoughtful about your family's financial security, which shows you're a great mom!

This is totally normal! I've been getting Social Security for about 7 years now and this happens every time there's a federal holiday that would interfere with the regular payment schedule. The SSA processes payments early to make sure you don't have to wait longer than usual. Presidents Day is February 17th this year, so that's definitely why your payment came early. You can always check the official SSA payment calendar on their website to see when holidays will affect your payment dates throughout the year. No need to worry - you're getting your regular payment, just on an adjusted schedule!

Same thing happened to me! I've been receiving disability benefits for about 3 years and this caught me off guard too. Like others mentioned, it's definitely because of Presidents Day. I've learned to check the SSA payment calendar at the beginning of each year - it shows all the adjusted dates when holidays fall near regular payment dates. It's actually pretty convenient when you think about it, since we get our money sooner rather than having to wait until after the holiday. Just wanted to add my experience to confirm this is totally normal!

dont forget to setup direct deposit!!! my first check got mailed and i almost missed it cause it went to my old address

I'm in a similar boat - turning 67 next month and planning to work until my birthday before starting benefits. Reading through all these responses is really reassuring! Just wanted to add that I called SSA last week using the number on their website (1-800-772-1213) and got through after about 45 minutes on hold. They confirmed my application was received and processing normally. The agent told me that as long as you're past FRA, working right up to your benefit start date is totally fine and very common. She also mentioned that you can check your application status anytime through your my Social Security account online, which I didn't know before. Good luck with everything!

Quick question related to this - I'm 63 and taking SS early but still working part time. Is it the same for me? Will they recalculate my benefits if I'm earning good money now?

Just wanted to add my experience - I was in almost the exact same situation as you two years ago. Hit FRA in March 2023, started benefits in May, and worked through December making about $180k that year. The automatic recalculation did happen, but like others mentioned, it took until December 2024 to see the increase. My monthly benefit went up by $147, which replaced one of my zero-earning years from the early 1990s when I was out of the workforce. One thing I learned is that you can actually check your Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov to see if your most recent year's earnings have been posted. They usually update it by late summer/early fall after you file your taxes. It's worth checking to make sure your high earnings year shows up correctly in their system! The wait is frustrating, but the automatic system does work eventually. Good luck with your continued work - sounds like you're making a smart financial move!