Just curious - did you or your wife pay into Social Security? If your wife didn't have enough work credits that could be another issue. For survivor benefits the deceased needs 40 credits (10 years work) OR if they died young sometimes fewer credits. But SOMEONE needs to have paid in for benefits to be available.

Based on everything you've shared, I believe you have a case worth pursuing. The fact that: 1. You both had legal custody before your wife passed 2. You were actively in the adoption process 3. You were providing support and care for the child 4. Your wife had sufficient work credits All point to a potential approval with proper representation. I'd suggest: 1. Contact the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR) to find a qualified attorney 2. Gather ALL documentation showing the timeline of custody, adoption process, and your wife's involvement 3. Request a formal reconsideration rather than just calling again 4. Reference your previous inquiry to maintain the retroactive date I've seen cases like yours succeed, but they typically require persistence and proper legal representation.

I'm sorry about your ex-husband's passing. When my brother died, we learned that Social Security won't automatically pay these benefits - you MUST apply. And the 2-year deadline is strict. I'd recommend calling your local SSA office directly rather than the national number - sometimes it's easier to get through. Also, bring your children's birth certificates and Social Security cards when you go in, along with your ID and his death certificate.

Definitely make an appointment if possible - the walk-in wait times can be terrible. Some offices are still requiring appointments anyway. Check the SSA website for your local office's phone number. And remember to ask about survivor benefits for your children when you go in - that's the really important part that could help financially for years to come.

Since you mentioned cancer recovery - don't forget that the SSA has compassionate allowances and expedited processing for serious medical conditions. If your condition worsens or you need to apply for disability, make sure to mention your cancer diagnosis as it might qualify you for faster processing. Sending healing thoughts your way.

its so confusing my sister got more from her ex husband than her second husband when he died but they told me different rules when i called????????

Wait I'm confused...I thought SSI and Social Security were the same thing? Which calculator should I use if I'm on disability but turning 65 next year?

Thanks everyone for the great suggestions! I downloaded ANYPIA but it's pretty complicated. I'm going to try MaximizeMySocialSecurity.com since it seems more user-friendly and the price is reasonable. I'm also realizing that because I only have 31 years of earnings, even my reduced-income years will help fill in those missing years in my top 35. That's something I didn't fully understand before.

my mom works part time after starting SS and she gets to keep all her money. they only reduce benefits if ur younger than full retirement age i think? but be careful about taxes cause they might tax more of ur SS if u make too much money from working

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - your continued work might increase your benefit at 70, but not in the way you might be thinking. There's no special increase at 70 based on work. However, if between 67-70 your new earnings replace a lower year in your calculation, you'd see some increase. This happens whenever SSA does their annual recomputation, not specifically at age 70. There's also delayed retirement credits if you had suspended your benefits (8% per year), but since you're already collecting, that's not applicable here.