I'm so sorry for your loss. Having just gone through this process myself when my father passed away six months ago, I can tell you that everyone here is giving you accurate information. The SSA forms are absolutely terrible at explaining what actually happens - they make it seem like everyone listed will get something when that's not the case. The $255 death benefit will come directly to you as the surviving spouse, usually within 2-3 weeks. It's processed automatically once they verify you were living together. The $1,925 is definitely your monthly survivor benefit estimate at age 63. One thing I wanted to add that might help with your decision about when to claim: if you have other retirement savings or income sources, it might make sense to wait until 67 to get the full survivor benefit amount. But if you need the income now, claiming at 63 is perfectly reasonable - you'll still get a substantial monthly payment. Also, that suggestion about using Claimyr to get through to SSA is spot-on. I used them and got connected to an agent in under 20 minutes after days of trying the regular phone system. Worth every penny when you're dealing with important decisions like this. You're handling a really difficult situation, and it's completely normal to feel confused by all this paperwork during such a stressful time.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I understand how overwhelming this whole process can be, especially when you're grieving and trying to navigate confusing government forms. From what I've learned through my own experience with SSA, everyone here is giving you correct information. The $255 lump-sum death benefit goes directly to you as the surviving spouse - it's not split among your children. That amount hasn't changed since 1954, which is honestly shameful given inflation. The $1,925 figure is almost certainly your estimated monthly survivor benefit if you claim at age 63. This is completely separate from the death benefit. You have the option to claim now at a reduced rate (about 83.5% of full benefit) or wait until your full retirement age of 67 to get 100%. The reason they collect your children's information is mainly for record-keeping and to check if any might qualify for survivor benefits (very unlikely for adult children unless they're disabled). The form design really is misleading about this. I'd recommend getting a written estimate from SSA showing your benefit amounts at different claiming ages before making a decision. This choice can significantly impact your long-term financial security, so it's worth taking time to understand your options even though everything feels urgent right now. Many people here have mentioned Claimyr as a way to actually get through to SSA - might be worth trying given how impossible their phone system has become. Take care of yourself during this difficult time.

My uncle said you can get a manager if you go to the actual office in person and say its a hardship. might be worth a try?

I forgot to mention, when I finally got approved after those 14 weeks, they actually had made a mistake in my PIA calculation! Double check EVERYTHING when you get your award letter. They calculated my AIME wrong and I had to call and get it fixed. Such a headache.

Smart choice waiting until FRA! I made the same decision last year and it was absolutely the right call. The peace of mind alone was worth it - no tracking earnings, no worrying about overpayments, no confusing letters from SSA. One tip for when you do apply in August: even though there are no earnings limits after FRA, SSA will still ask about your work plans on the application. Just be honest about continuing to work through October. They need this info for tax purposes and Medicare coordination, but it won't affect your benefits at all. Also, don't forget that your benefits will be subject to federal income tax if your combined income (including work earnings) exceeds certain thresholds. Might want to discuss tax withholding options with SSA when you apply, especially since you'll have work income through October.

Just want to add another perspective as someone who went through this decision process. I was in almost the exact same situation - turning FRA in July 2024 and debating whether to start benefits early while working part-time. I ended up starting benefits 3 months before my FRA, and honestly, it worked out fine for me. The key was being VERY conservative with my earnings estimates and staying well below the higher earnings limit ($56,520 in 2024 for those reaching FRA that year). I earned about $35,000 in those first 7 months and had no issues with benefit withholding. That said, I completely understand why you're choosing to wait until FRA - the peace of mind factor is huge! The earnings test rules are genuinely confusing even when you think you understand them. Plus, you'll avoid the permanent reduction factor that applies to early benefits. One thing I'd suggest: even though you're waiting until August, go ahead and create your my Social Security account online NOW if you haven't already. This will make the application process much smoother when the time comes, and you can use the benefit calculators to see exactly what your full benefit amount will be.

Thanks everyone for your helpful responses! This clears up so much for me before my appointment. I'll definitely keep detailed notes of my meeting with SSA and may try that Claimyr service if I need to call them afterward with questions. It's comforting to know what to expect now.

I'm sorry for your loss, StarStrider. Based on what others have shared here, I wanted to add one more consideration that might help with your decision timing. Since you're 63, you might want to calculate whether delaying survivor benefits until your FRA (which would eliminate that ~19% reduction) makes financial sense compared to claiming now. The break-even point is usually around 12-14 years, so if you expect to live past age 76-77, waiting could provide more lifetime benefits. Of course, this assumes you can manage financially without the benefits for the next few years. Also, if your own work record would provide a higher benefit than the survivor benefit, you might consider the "claim and switch" strategy others mentioned - take reduced survivor benefits now, then switch to your own (unreduced) retirement benefit at your FRA if it's higher. The SSA office should be able to run projections for you showing different scenarios. Don't hesitate to ask them to explain the numbers until you fully understand your options.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what happened with my aunt last year. She was in almost the exact same situation - my uncle passed away 4 years ago and she discovered he was owed about $4,200 in underpayments. She had also closed his bank account within months of his death. The whole process was actually much easier than we expected! SSA automatically sends payment to the surviving spouse - they don't even attempt to use the deceased person's old banking information. She received a Treasury check in her name about 7 weeks after submitting the SSA-1724 form. A few things that helped us: - We organized everything beforehand: death certificate copy, marriage certificate copy, her current photo ID, and a voided check from her personal account for direct deposit - Sent everything via certified mail with tracking - Made photocopies of the completed form and all supporting documents before mailing - Called SSA about 2 weeks later to confirm they received everything The 4-year delay wasn't an issue at all - the representative we spoke with confirmed that surviving spouses have no time limit to file for underpayments. Your mother-in-law shouldn't worry about the 5-year timeframe. That $4,800 is rightfully hers and will definitely come through. The hardest part is just being patient during the 6-8 week processing time, but the outcome is pretty much guaranteed with complete paperwork!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who works in estate administration - I see these SSA-1724 cases regularly and want to reinforce what others have said. Your mother-in-law is absolutely entitled to this money regardless of the 5-year gap. The Social Security Administration has specific procedures for exactly this situation. A few additional points that might help: - SSA will never attempt to deposit into a deceased person's closed account - they always issue payment directly to the surviving spouse - The form asks for the survivor's banking information, not the deceased person's, so the closed account is completely irrelevant - Processing times vary by region, but I typically see 6-10 weeks for straightforward cases like this - Keep copies of everything and consider hand-delivering to your local SSA office if possible to avoid mail delays The $4,800 underpayment is significant and will definitely help her finances. Don't let the horror stories discourage you - most SSA-1724 claims for surviving spouses go smoothly when the paperwork is complete. The key is just being thorough with documentation and patient with the processing time. She's got every right to this money and SSA processes thousands of these claims successfully every year!