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Thank you all for the helpful responses! I checked my MySocialSecurity account and you were right - it was labeled as my September benefit payment. It's slightly less than my regular monthly amount because I started benefits mid-month. Mystery solved! I appreciate everyone taking the time to explain this.
wait i dont get it…if ur already on SSDI does that mean ur already getting ur full amount? why would they reduce ANYTHING?? makes no sense….
One more important point - if your disability benefit is $1,100 and 50% of your ex's PIA is $1,200, then at FRA you would receive your $1,100 disability (which converts to retirement) PLUS an additional $100 as the excess spousal amount. So waiting until FRA in your case would mean an extra $100/month for life, plus any COLAs applied to that amount. Just something to keep in mind as you're making your decision.
Is anyone else confused by how Social Security calculates EVERYTHING? I swear it's like they purposely make it complicated so we don't understand what we're entitled to. My sister and I both went on disability around the same time with similar work histories and her payment is almost $300 more than mine every month!!! When I asked SSA why they just gave me some mumbo jumbo about "computation years" and "indexed earnings" that made zero sense.
Regarding the part-time work your brother-in-law did while on disability - that $10,000 might actually make a difference. Disability benefits are calculated using a "freeze period" that excludes years of low/no earnings due to disability. When converting to retirement, sometimes additional earnings during the disability period can be included in the calculation. I recommend he create an account at my.ssa.gov (if he hasn't already) where he can view his earnings history and benefit verification. Then, about 3 months before reaching FRA, he should contact SSA specifically requesting a recalculation that includes those earnings during his disability period. He should be prepared with documentation of those earnings just in case.
Thank you! He does have a my.ssa.gov account, so I'll help him check his earnings record. Appreciate everyone's input - sounds like I was mostly wrong but there might be a small possibility of an increase with his part-time work situation. I'll make sure he requests that recalculation when the time comes.
After struggling with similar SSA phone issues, I finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in under 10 minutes! It basically navigates the SSA phone system for you and calls you back when it reaches an agent. Saved me hours of frustration when I needed answers about my application status. There's a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - definitely worth checking out if you're desperate to speak with someone about your case. Getting answers directly from SSA is critical with these GPO implementation questions.
UPDATE: My mom finally got through to someone and they told her the GPO repeal benefits start paying out in JULY 2025! So even though the law passed, they're still denying applications until then. Did anyone else hear this???
This is correct. While the Social Security Fairness Act was signed into law, the actual implementation date for benefit payments is July 2025. SSA is currently working on updating their systems and procedures. You should still apply (or have your reconsideration on file) so you're in the system when the payments begin, but actual payments affected by the GPO repeal won't start until July 2025.
Freya Andersen
Off topic but does anyone know if widow benefits increase every year with cost of living like regular retirement does? My aunt is thinking about applying soon.
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Omar Zaki
•Yes, widow/survivor benefits do receive the annual COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment) increases, just like retirement benefits. The 2026 COLA hasn't been announced yet, but all Social Security benefits including widow benefits will increase by that percentage when it takes effect in January.
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Diego Flores
I went through something similar last year when I needed to replace my furnace. I was so scared of messing up my benefits that I initially put it on credit cards instead of getting a proper loan! Big mistake - the interest was killing me. After talking with an SSA rep (finally got through after multiple attempts), I learned that loans don't count as income. I got a proper home improvement loan with much better terms and have had absolutely no issues with my widow benefits. One thing to watch out for though - if you withdraw money from retirement accounts for your bathroom, THAT could potentially affect benefits if you're under FRA. But a standard loan is completely fine.
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