I'm sorry for your loss. This is a really complex situation that many widowers face. Based on what others have shared, it sounds like waiting until your FRA is the smart move given your income level. One thing I'd add is that you might want to check what your wife's actual benefit amount would be at her FRA versus what your own benefit would be at age 70. Sometimes people assume the survivor benefit is always the better choice, but if you had significantly higher earnings than your wife, your own delayed retirement benefit at 70 could be substantially higher. The SSA website has benefit calculators that can help you estimate both amounts. Also, don't forget that as a widower, you may be eligible for other benefits or tax considerations that could help with those medical bills you mentioned.

I'm really sorry for your loss, and I understand how overwhelming these decisions can be when you're still grieving. One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet is that you should also consider filing a "protective filing" with SSA if you haven't already. This essentially puts your claim on record even if you decide to withdraw it later, which can help protect your filing date for benefit calculation purposes. Also, since you mentioned medical bills, you might want to look into whether any of those expenses could qualify for medical expense deductions on your taxes, especially given your situation as a widower. Sometimes people don't realize that significant medical expenses can provide tax relief that helps offset the income that's causing the earnings limit issue. The strategy everyone's outlined (waiting until FRA for survivor benefits, then switching to your own at 70) really does sound optimal for your situation, but definitely get that confirmed with SSA directly since everyone's situation has unique factors.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Sofia. Going through this while grieving must be incredibly difficult. I wanted to add one more perspective that might help with your decision. Given your situation - 60 years old, working 32 hours at $24/hour (roughly $40k annually) - you would indeed face benefit reductions due to exceeding the $22,320 earnings limit. However, consider this: even a reduced survivor benefit could provide a financial cushion for unexpected expenses or allow you to reduce your work hours if needed for your health or well-being. Also, remember that you have flexibility here. If you find the reduced benefit amount isn't worth the hassle, you can actually withdraw your application within 12 months and repay any benefits received. This gives you a "trial run" to see if it works for your situation. One practical tip: if possible, try to track your monthly earnings. If you have any months where you earn less than $1,860 (the monthly limit), you'd receive your full survivor benefit for those months regardless of your annual total. The people here have given you excellent advice about applying. Even small amounts can add up over time and provide peace of mind during this difficult transition.

Sofia, I'm so sorry for the loss of your husband. What you're going through is incredibly difficult, and I want to make sure you have all the information you need to make the best decision for your situation. You've received excellent advice here about survivor benefits and the earnings test. I'd like to add one more important consideration: the timing of your application. Since you're turning 60 next month, you can apply for survivor benefits as early as the month you turn 60. However, you might want to consider waiting a few months if possible. Here's why: if you apply in a month where you expect lower earnings (maybe due to holiday store closures or reduced hours), you could potentially receive a full benefit payment for that month even if your annual earnings exceed the limit. The earnings test works both annually AND monthly in your first year of eligibility. Also, don't forget that as a surviving spouse, you may be eligible for a one-time death benefit of $255 if you haven't already received it. It's not much, but every bit helps with expenses. The most important thing is that you have time to make this decision thoughtfully. Take care of yourself during this difficult time, and don't hesitate to reach out to SSA or come back here if you have more questions after you apply.

I'm in the same boat here in the UK! My March 3rd payment is missing too. This thread has been incredibly helpful - I was starting to panic thinking there was something wrong with my specific account or that SSA had somehow flagged me for living abroad. It's reassuring to see this is a widespread issue related to the system maintenance, and that payments are starting to come through for people. I'm going to follow the advice here and wait until Friday before contacting the embassy. The international calling situation to SSA really is a nightmare - I've been through that before and it's almost impossible to get through. Thanks to everyone sharing their experiences and especially to those with SSA background knowledge for explaining what's actually happening. This community is a lifesaver when dealing with these stressful situations!

I'm in France and dealing with the exact same issue! My March 3rd payment didn't arrive either, which is really concerning since I've been receiving my disability benefits reliably for the past 2 years. Reading through all these comments has been such a relief - I was starting to worry that there was some new policy affecting overseas recipients or that my account had been flagged somehow. It's incredibly helpful to see that this is a widespread issue affecting expats across Europe and beyond, and that it's connected to the SSA system maintenance from last week. The explanations from @Fatima Al-Maktoum and @Liam McConnell about how the Treasury Department's International Direct Deposit system works really put things in perspective. I'm going to follow the advice here and wait until Friday before taking any action. Hopefully by then my payment will have processed through whatever backlog exists. Will definitely update this thread when mine comes through - this community support has been invaluable during what could have been a very stressful situation!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Giovanni. Having gone through a similar situation myself, I wanted to share something that might help with your decision-making process. One thing that really helped me was requesting a "what-if" calculation from SSA before I actually applied. When you call (or use that Claimyr service someone mentioned), you can ask them to run hypothetical numbers showing exactly what your monthly widow benefit would be after the earnings test reduction at your current income level. In my case, I was surprised to learn that even with the earnings test, I'd still receive about $280/month. That might not sound like much, but over the 7-8 years until my FRA, it added up to real money - plus the recalculation benefit later made it worthwhile. Another consideration: if you have any major expenses coming up (medical bills, home repairs, etc.), having even that reduced monthly benefit can provide a small buffer. And psychologically, there was something meaningful about receiving benefits based on my husband's decades of work contributions, even if it was a reduced amount. The paperwork isn't as overwhelming as it seems, especially if you gather everything ahead of time. The hardest part is just making that first call to get the process started. You've got this!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Giovanni. Reading through all these responses, it's clear you're getting excellent advice from people who've actually been through this difficult situation. One additional resource I'd recommend checking out is the SSA's online "Retirement Estimator" and "Benefits Planner" tools on their website. These can help you get rough estimates of both your widow benefits and your own retirement benefits at different claiming ages, which will be helpful for comparison purposes. Also, since you mentioned your husband was a teacher and may have had WEP issues, make sure to ask specifically about this when you speak with SSA. The Windfall Elimination Provision can significantly impact benefit calculations, and it's something they don't always explain clearly unless you ask directly. From everything shared here, the strategy seems clear: apply at 60, accept that most will be withheld initially due to your income, but establish your claim and preserve your options. Even receiving $200-300/month while working is better than nothing, and the recalculation at FRA will make it much more worthwhile. You're handling a really tough situation with such thoughtfulness and planning. Your husband would be proud of how carefully you're approaching this decision.

I'm dealing with this exact same issue right now! Filed my Social Security application about 4 weeks ago, withdrew it 2 weeks ago when I realized the timing wasn't optimal for my financial situation, and now I'm completely locked out of my MySocialSecurity account with that same "benefits may be suspended" message. I can't access my earnings history or any of the benefit calculators I used to use regularly for retirement planning. This thread has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea this was such a widespread problem! I was genuinely worried I had somehow permanently broken my account or created some kind of red flag in their system. It's fascinating (and frustrating) how the timeline varies so much between different cases - some people get restored quickly while others wait months for what seems to be the exact same technical glitch. I'm definitely going to request a paper statement using form SSA-7004 while waiting for the online portal to fix itself. It's such a relief to find this community and realize this is a known issue that eventually resolves, even if the wait time is completely unpredictable. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - knowing we're all dealing with this together makes the frustration much more bearable!

I'm experiencing this exact same issue right now! Filed for my retirement benefits about 5 weeks ago, then withdrew my application 2 weeks ago after doing more research on optimal timing. My MySocialSecurity account has been showing that same "benefits may be suspended" message ever since, and I can't access any of my earnings history or benefit estimates that I used to check regularly. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! I had no idea this was such a common problem after withdrawals - I was genuinely starting to worry that I had somehow permanently damaged my account. The timeline variations are really striking though - it's wild how some people get their access back in just a few days while others are waiting months for what seems to be the exact same system glitch. I'm definitely going to try requesting a paper statement using form SSA-7004 that so many people have mentioned as a workaround. It sounds like the perfect solution to get my information while waiting for SSA's online systems to sort themselves out. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's such a relief to know this is a known technical issue that will eventually resolve itself, even if the timeline is completely unpredictable!