Thank you all for your helpful responses. I'm feeling more prepared for my appointment now. I'll definitely ask specifically about whether his claim received medical approval before he passed away and request documentation. I'm going to bring copies of everything I have, including the abatement letter. I'm still confused about why they would send a letter saying "no money is due" if I might be entitled to a higher survivor benefit. The wording makes it sound like everything is completely finished and denied.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Javier. This is such a difficult situation to navigate while you're grieving. From what you've described, it sounds like there may be a disconnect between different departments at SSA. The "abated" language typically refers to stopping his individual claim processing due to death, but shouldn't affect your eligibility for survivor benefits based on what his disability amount would have been. Since he was fast-tracked due to his terminal diagnosis and you mentioned SSA initially told you about the higher survivor benefit amount, there's a good chance his medical approval was completed or very close to completion before he passed. At your appointment, I'd also suggest asking them to check the "remarks" or "notes" section of his file - sometimes there are internal comments that clarify the status of pending approvals. Also ask if they can provide you with a timeline of exactly what happened with his claim between November and February. The $425 monthly difference you mentioned is significant, and you deserve to get the correct amount. Don't be afraid to advocate for yourself - you have every right to understand exactly how your benefits were calculated and to challenge it if something seems wrong.

Thank you everyone for all this helpful information! I think I'm going to go ahead with my plan to claim survivors benefits at 64 while continuing to work, understanding that: 1) Yes, they'll reduce my benefit now due to early claiming and the earnings test 2) The earnings test will completely disappear at my FRA 3) I'll get some adjustment at FRA for completely withheld months, but not a full payback 4) I can let my own retirement benefit grow until 70 which might be the better long-term strategy I really appreciate all the insights and personal experiences shared here. Social Security decisions are so complicated, and it helps to hear from others who've been through it!

Great summary of your plan! Just wanted to add one more consideration that might help with your budgeting - make sure to factor in that your survivor benefits will be subject to federal income tax if your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of your Social Security benefits) exceeds certain thresholds. Since you're continuing to work full-time, you'll likely hit those thresholds. This doesn't change the math much, but it's good to plan for the tax implications when budgeting for the next few years. The earnings test and tax on benefits are separate issues that both affect your net income from Social Security.

one more thing - they only withhold whole percentages (7%, 10%, 12%, 22%) nothing customized so you might still owe some or get refund

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I went through this exact same situation a few months ago. I also didn't see any tax withholding options during my online SS application and was confused about it. I ended up calling the SSA directly and they confirmed that you have to submit the W-4V form separately - it's not part of the initial application process at all. The representative I spoke with was actually pretty helpful and explained that they can't process tax withholding requests until your benefits are officially approved and set up in their system. I submitted my W-4V form about 2 weeks after my application was approved, and the withholding started with my third payment. So there was about a 2-month gap where I had to handle the taxes myself. I'd recommend getting that form ready now so you can submit it as soon as you get your approval notice. Also, if you're tech-savvy, you can actually submit the form electronically through your my Social Security account once your benefits are active, which might be faster than mailing it in. Hope this helps!

Quick update for anyone following this thread - got my official award letter in my SSA account message center today! So the timeline was: - Applied online in August 2025 for November 2025 benefits - Stuck at "processing" for about 3 months - Called and got application completed yesterday - Status changed to approved same day - Award letter received next day (today) So relieved to have this wrapped up before the holidays. Now I can finalize my retirement budget knowing exactly what we'll receive.

This is such helpful information, thank you for sharing! I'm currently in month 2 of waiting for my application to process (filed in September for January 2026 benefits) and was starting to panic seeing no movement. Your explanation about them prioritizing by payment date makes total sense - I wish SSA would communicate this better on their website. One question: when you called and got transferred to your local processing office, did you have to provide any specific information to get that transfer? I've called twice and both times they just told me to wait, but maybe I didn't ask the right way. Going to try the callback option next week and specifically request a transfer to the local office. Fingers crossed I have similar luck! Also really appreciate everyone's comments about the WEP/GPO provisions - had no idea about those and definitely need to look into whether they might affect my situation.

I was in a somewhat similar situation last year. I found that the local Social Security office was actually more helpful than trying to call. I made an appointment (still had to wait a few weeks) but the in-person meeting was so much more productive than trying to get answers on the phone or online. The rep pulled up both my record and my ex's and showed me exactly what I'd get under different scenarios. Just sharing in case that's an option for you. The online appointment system was relatively painless compared to the phone nightmare.

Welcome to the community! I've been following Social Security topics here for a while and wanted to share something that might help with your decision-making process. One thing I don't see mentioned yet is that you should also ask SSA about the "restricted application" rules that might still apply in certain situations, even though most of those strategies were eliminated. Since you're dealing with divorced spouse benefits and you were born before 1954, there might be some nuances worth exploring. Also, when you do get your benefit estimates, make sure to ask them to run the numbers assuming your ex-husband claims at different ages (62, FRA, age 70) if he hasn't filed yet. His claiming decision won't affect your divorced spouse benefit amount, but it's good to understand the full picture. One more tip from my own experience: when you call or visit SSA, have all your documentation ready - marriage certificate, divorce decree, your Social Security statement, etc. It speeds up the process significantly and helps ensure they can give you the most accurate estimates possible. Good luck with your decision! The fact that you're taking time to research and ask questions shows you're approaching this thoughtfully.