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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.
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.
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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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.
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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….
The SSDI benefit itself isn't reduced - that's correct. But the additional amount she might get from her ex-spouse's record (the "excess spousal" benefit) WOULD be reduced if claimed before FRA. They're actually two separate calculations that SSA combines into one payment.
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.
Thank you! This is exactly the info I needed. I think I'll wait until FRA since it sounds like I might not get anything at all if I apply now. I appreciate everyone's help!
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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.
PREACH!!!! The whole system is designed to confuse us regular folks. My neighbor and I compared our SS statements and the numbers made NO sense based on what we each earned. Total mystery math!!
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.
Yuki Sato
I herd that Oregon PERS is different from some other states because Oregon never opted out of Social Security completley. Is that right? Some of my Oregon freinds pay into both systems I think??
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Zoe Alexopoulos
•That's partially correct. Oregon has multiple tiers in their PERS system, and some Oregon public employees are covered by Social Security while others aren't. It depends on when they were hired and what government entity they work for. Some local governments in Oregon have opted to participate in Social Security, while others haven't. If someone paid into both systems throughout their career, the WEP impact would be different than for someone who switched between covered and non-covered employment.
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Jamal Anderson
I thought Biden already signed something about this! Now I'm confused. My brother who retired from teaching in Illinois got a letter about his SS benefits going up but maybe that was just the regular COLA?
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Andre Lefebvre
•Your brother likely received notification about the 2023 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), which was 8.7% - one of the largest in decades due to inflation. This increase applies to all Social Security recipients. It wasn't specific to government employees and wasn't related to any changes in the WEP or GPO provisions. The 2024 COLA will be 3.2%, and those notices usually go out in December.
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