my moms payment went up but my dads didnt change either! they told him its because his medicare premium also went up by almost the same amount as the cola so it looked like no change in the final deposit. maybe check if ur husbands medicare premium changed?

Just to follow up on some of the great suggestions here: 1. Definitely check both your and your husband's Medicare premiums, as premium increases can offset COLA increases. 2. If your husband receives SSDI and you receive retirement benefits, they may process on different schedules. SSDI COLA adjustments sometimes process separately from retirement benefit adjustments. 3. The $120 payment could be: - A retroactive COLA adjustment - An underpayment correction - Your husband's COLA being paid separately - An adjustment related to earnings record updates If this doesn't resolve by next month's payment, or if you need clarity sooner, contacting SSA directly is your best option. Your MySocialSecurity account should eventually show an explanation in the message center, but these notices can be delayed by 1-2 weeks after payments are made.

Update: I went ahead and submitted my Request for Reconsideration today with copies of all my pay stubs. The representative at the field office initially gave me a hard time about having a waiver already pending, but when I explained I was disputing the calculation itself, she finally accepted it. Now I'm just anxiously waiting. Thank you all for your advice!

I went thru something like this but with Medicare premiums that they said I owed from 3 years ago?? I found out that if you request reconsideration they are supposed to pause collecting the overpayment until they make a decision. You might need to specifically ask for this though, they don't volunteer it!

One more thing to consider: if you can't qualify for survivor benefits based on this marriage, check if you might qualify based on your previous marriage if it lasted at least 10 years. If you were married to your ex for 10+ years, you could potentially claim survivor benefits on his record when he passes (or even spousal benefits if he's still living and you're both old enough). Also, when you apply, bring any evidence that you held yourselves out as married to the community - joint bank accounts, insurance policies listing each other as spouses, deeds or leases showing both names, even holiday cards addressed to you as a married couple. SSA looks at the totality of circumstances in cases like yours.

BTW dont forget you have to apply for the $255 death benefit too! Its not much but every bit helps when dealing with funeral costs

For your specific situation with a 12-year age gap, here's what you should consider: 1. Your husband should coordinate Medicare enrollment at 65 regardless of when he takes Social Security 2. Since you're only 52, you have 10+ years before you reach your own eligibility for retirement benefits 3. Given your age difference, maximizing your husband's benefit has long-term advantages: - Higher survivor benefits for you if he passes away first - Increased household income when you're both in your 70s and 80s - Protection against longevity risk (outliving your money) 4. For self-employed individuals with historically low reported income: - Yes, working a W-2 job with higher reported income for even 3-5 years can significantly increase benefits - Consider restructuring your business to pay yourselves higher W-2 wages if possible - Look into voluntary increased contributions to Social Security (there are limitations) The book recommendation from another commenter is excellent. I'd also suggest scheduling a consultation with an SSA claims specialist to review your specific earnings record and options. Their expertise is free and they can model different claiming strategies based on your exact situation.

just wanted to add that the medicare part is totally different from ss benefits! my husband signed up for medicare right at 65 but waited till 68 for his ss checks to start. you can do them separate

my cousin waited til last week of deadline to file reconsideration and then his internet went out! ended up having to drive 2 hours to nearest SSA office that had appointments! dont wait!

One more thing I forgot to mention - make sure you're seeing doctors who are willing to fill out an RFC (Residual Functional Capacity) form for you. That carries a lot more weight than just regular medical records. Your neurosurgeon might be willing to complete one after your consultation. This was a game-changer for my case after my initial denial.