UPDATE: You were all right! I finally got the letter today (7 business days after the deposit). It was indeed a Medicare IRMAA adjustment based on my 2024 tax return showing lower income. They refunded me for the higher premium I'd been paying since January. Mystery solved! Thanks everyone for your help and reassurance.

Glad you got it sorted out! Your experience is a perfect example of why it's so important not to panic when you see an unexpected deposit. IRMAA adjustments are actually pretty routine - SSA processes thousands of these every month when people's income situations change. For future reference, you can also check your Medicare.gov account to see your current IRMAA status and any recent adjustments. It's usually updated faster than the paper letters arrive. Thanks for following up with the resolution - it'll definitely help others who find themselves in the same situation!

btw you dont have to wait til 67 if you dont want to. you can take reduced benefits at 60 if you need the money now. its like 70% of the full amount i think

I went through a similar situation when my husband passed after receiving disability benefits. One thing that really helped me was calling the SSA first thing in the morning (around 8 AM) when they open - I had much better luck getting through than calling later in the day. Also, if you happen to have a local SSA office nearby, sometimes scheduling an in-person appointment can be easier than trying to get through on the phone. They were very patient with me during the application process and walked me through everything step by step. The most important thing is having all your documents ready beforehand. Good luck with your application - you've got this!

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses! I'm disappointed that the SSA rep gave me completely wrong information, but at least now I know I need to call again. I'll try the early morning trick and if that doesn't work, I might try that Claimyr service or just visit the office in person. I really appreciate knowing I'm not alone in this frustration. Planning for retirement is stressful enough without getting the runaround from SSA. I'll update if I learn anything new when I finally get through to someone.

I'm so sorry for your loss and the frustrating experience you've had with SSA. As someone who went through a similar situation when my spouse passed away last year, I can tell you that the misinformation from representatives is unfortunately common. What helped me was actually requesting to speak with a "claims specialist" rather than just any representative when I called. These specialists tend to be more knowledgeable about survivor benefits. Also, I found that calling right at 8am EST when they open gave me the shortest wait times - usually under 30 minutes versus hours later in the day. One thing that might help while you're waiting: gather all your husband's employment records and your marriage certificate ahead of time. When you do get through, having these documents ready will make the conversation much more productive. The specialist can walk through different claiming scenarios with you since you have that important decision point coming up at 60. Hang in there - it's worth the hassle to get accurate information about your benefits!

I appreciate the clarification on how the payment works. I'll check with his therapist first to see if they have recommendations for attorneys who specialize in mental health disability claims. Thank you!

I went through a similar situation with my adult daughter who has severe anxiety and depression. One thing that really helped was having her sign a HIPAA release form for me so I could speak directly with her doctors about her condition and get copies of all medical records without having to go through her each time. This made the whole process much smoother since she was often too overwhelmed to handle these communications herself. Also, keep detailed notes of every phone call, form submission, and interaction with SSA - dates, times, who you spoke with, and what was discussed. This documentation became invaluable when we had to reference previous conversations. The process is definitely overwhelming, but having someone like you advocating for your brother makes such a difference. You're doing the right thing by stepping in to help him.

I'm a former SSA employee and unfortunately what you experienced is becoming the norm at most field offices. The staffing shortages are real and many offices are operating with skeleton crews. Here's what I'd recommend based on your situation: 1. **Online application is your best bet** - Complete it as a retirement application, then in the remarks section write something like: "I am applying for SPOUSAL BENEFITS ONLY on my husband's record. Husband's name: [Full Name], SSN: XXX-XX-XXXX. I want to file a restricted application for spousal benefits while allowing my own retirement benefit to continue growing until age 70." 2. **Upload documents** - You can upload your marriage certificate directly through the online portal, which will speed up processing. 3. **Don't wait for their call** - In my experience, about 30% of scheduled phone appointments either don't happen or happen late. The online route is much more reliable. 4. **Follow up** - After submitting online, call the 800 number in about 2 weeks to confirm they received everything and understood your intent for spousal benefits only. The whole "I don't have 45 minutes" excuse is ridiculous - that's literally what they're paid to do. But fighting the system won't help you get your benefits faster. The online route with clear instructions in the remarks section is your fastest path forward.

I work as a benefits counselor and see this type of scheduling delay constantly now. The SSA field offices are running on bare minimum staff and using phone appointments to manage their impossible caseloads. Here's my advice: Go with the online application immediately. Don't wait 7 weeks for a phone call that may or may not happen on time. In the remarks section, be very specific: "I am filing a RESTRICTED APPLICATION for spousal benefits only on my husband's record [include his name and SSN]. I do NOT want to file for my own retirement benefits at this time as I plan to delay until age 70 for maximum credits." Since you're 67 and born before 1954, you have this valuable option that younger people don't. Take advantage of it! The online system actually processes these faster than phone applications in most cases. One tip: After you submit online, print out your confirmation receipt and keep calling every 2 weeks to check status. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with SSA unfortunately.