One more thing worth mentioning - if you're married or divorced after a long marriage, make sure you're looking at spousal benefit options too. Sometimes that can provide a higher benefit amount depending on your spouse's earnings record. The calculations get more complex, but it's definitely worth exploring all your options.

I'm in a similar situation and have been researching this extensively! One thing I discovered that might help you is that the SSA website has a retirement estimator tool that can show you different scenarios. You can input various earnings amounts and see how they might affect your benefit calculation. Also, since you mentioned having zero years due to raising kids, you might want to look into whether any of those years qualify for "child care dropout years" - it's a provision that can exclude up to 3 years of low/zero earnings from your calculation if you were caring for a child under 16. Not everyone knows about this! The automatic recalculation that others mentioned is real - I've seen it happen for several people in my retirement planning group. Just keep good records of your earnings so you can verify the increases when they happen.

they usually add it automatic when your husband files but sometimes they mess up. make sure u call them right after he files to check.

I'm in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 65 and took my benefits early last year, and my husband is 66 and still working. He's planning to wait until his FRA next year to file. One thing I learned from my local SSA office (after finally getting an appointment) is that it's really important to keep good records of both your earnings histories and any correspondence with SSA. They told me that sometimes the spousal benefit calculations can get delayed if there are discrepancies in their system. Also, for what it's worth, I used the SSA's online benefit estimator tool on their website (ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html) to get a rough idea of what our combined benefits might look like under different scenarios. It's not perfect but it helped me understand the numbers better than trying to do the math myself. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so much more helpful to hear from people who've actually been through this process!

I'm in a somewhat similar situation with my nephew, though not quite as complex. One thing I learned from my experience is that you should also check if your state has any additional support programs for kinship caregivers. Some states offer financial assistance or services specifically for grandparents raising grandchildren, separate from Social Security benefits. Also, when you do talk to SSA (whether through Claimyr or other means), ask specifically about the "dependency" requirement and what documentation they'll need to prove the children were dependent on your household before your husband's death. Since you've had custody for 8 years and your husband was alive for 5 of those years, you should have tax returns showing them as dependents during that time, which is key evidence. The potential monthly benefit for both kids could really make a difference in your situation. Even if it's a hassle now, it could provide financial stability through their remaining school years.

Based on what you've shared, I think you have a strong case for pursuing adoption and getting survivor benefits for your grandchildren. The fact that you've had legal custody for 8 years and your husband was supporting them for 5 of those years before his death is crucial - that establishes the dependency requirement SSA looks for. A few additional thoughts to consider: 1. **Timeline matters**: Since your oldest is 15, you'll want to move quickly. Benefits stop at 18 (or 19 if still in high school), so every month counts. 2. **Retroactive benefits**: Once approved, SSA can pay benefits retroactively to when your husband died if you can prove the children qualified then. This could mean a significant lump sum payment. 3. **Family maximum**: With your survivor benefit of $1,375 and potentially two children's benefits, you'll likely hit the family maximum cap. But even with the cap, the total household benefit should increase substantially. 4. **Documentation strategy**: Start gathering everything now - tax returns showing the kids as dependents during your husband's lifetime, medical records showing you as guardian, school enrollment records, any court documents. The stronger your paper trail, the smoother the process. Given your husband's construction work history and potential PIA of $2,400, this is definitely worth pursuing despite the paperwork hassle. Contact legal aid first thing tomorrow - many have experience with exactly this type of case.

One more thing to add - make sure you understand exactly how much you'll get after GPO. The calculation is: 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount MINUS (2/3 × your teacher's pension). So if your husband's PIA is $2,300, half of that is $1,150. Then if your pension is $1,875, two-thirds of that is $1,250. So $1,150 - $1,250 would mean zero benefit. But if his PIA is higher than what he receives, you might get something. The SSA can calculate this precisely for your situation.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this process recently. I was a school librarian for 35 years and applied for spousal benefits last fall at age 78. The good news is that yes, you can absolutely get retroactive benefits for up to 6 months if you were eligible during that period, which you definitely were. When I applied, I specifically asked for retroactive benefits back to my eligibility date, and they approved it. The SSA worker was very clear that I needed to request it - it's not automatic. After the GPO reduction (2/3 of my pension), I ended up with about $180/month, which was more than I expected because my husband had delayed his benefits past FRA so his PIA was higher. My advice: apply in person if possible, bring all your documents, and don't let them discourage you about the GPO until they run the actual numbers. Sometimes the calculation works out better than you think, especially if your husband's PIA is higher than his current benefit amount. Good luck!

One more important reason to maintain access: fraud prevention. By regularly checking your account, you can make sure no one has attempted to change your payment information. Unfortunately, Social Security fraud targeting seniors is increasingly common. The online account lets you verify that everything is still set up correctly and no unauthorized changes have been made.

As someone who works with seniors on tech issues, I'd strongly recommend restoring his access. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that having online access becomes crucial if he ever needs to appeal a decision or report changes in circumstances. The portal also lets you track the status of any requests or applications in real-time. For the recovery process, I'd suggest calling SSA early in the morning (around 8 AM) when wait times are typically shorter. If that doesn't work, the in-person office visit is definitely your best bet. Bring multiple forms of ID and any documentation related to his benefits. They can usually reset everything on the spot and help set up new security questions he'll actually remember. The peace of mind alone is worth it - especially given how difficult it can be to resolve issues without account access!