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when my husband died last year i got a one time death payment of only $255 dollars?????? like what is that supposed to cover? not even one month's rent. the whole system needs to be fixed its ridiculous.
yep that $255 death benefit hasnt changed in like 50 years... crazy that they think thats enough for anything these days.
Let me clarify the sequence for you since there's some confusion in this thread: 1. YES, you can claim reduced spousal benefits now at age 66 (roughly 35% reduction from what you'd get at your FRA) 2. When your husband passes, you CAN switch to survivor benefits. These will also be reduced because you're claiming before FRA (reduction of about 15-18% depending on exact age) 3. At age 70, you CAN switch to your own retirement benefit if it would be higher than your survivor benefit The key calculation: Your FRA benefit of $2,700 with delayed retirement credits to age 70 would be approximately $3,350-$3,400. Compare this to the reduced survivor benefit (about 82-85% of your husband's $3,150, so around $2,600). In this case, switching to your own at 70 makes mathematical sense. This strategy is completely permitted under current Social Security rules. The "deemed filing" restrictions from the 2015 law specifically exempted survivor benefits.
Thank you for laying this out so clearly. This is exactly what I needed to know. The numbers you provided help me visualize the strategy better. I think this approach makes the most sense for my situation - take reduced spousal now, survivor when the time comes, and then my own maximized benefit at 70. I appreciate everyone's help so much during this difficult time.
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wait do we need to print it? cant we just save the pdf? my printer is always out of ink lol
Saving the PDF is perfectly fine too! The key is having documentation of what your account showed before you applied. A digital copy with the date clearly shown works well. Just make sure you store it somewhere you can easily access later if needed.
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I printed out my full statement (all 5 pages) and found one year where my earnings seemed lower than I remembered. Going to dig up my W-2 from that year to compare. So glad I asked this question before applying!
That's exactly why printing/saving it is so important! If you find a discrepancy, contact SSA right away with your documentation. And when you do apply, bring both your statement and any correction documentation to your appointment or have it ready if applying online. Good luck!
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One more thing to consider: if you do apply for retirement while waiting for SSDI, make sure to tell SSA that you want the disability onset date preserved. This technical detail ensures you get the maximum possible retroactive benefits if your disability claim is approved. There's a specific way they need to note this in your file. Also, since you mentioned being an amputee, your condition might qualify under the Compassionate Allowance program, which could speed up your disability decision significantly. Did your disability examiner mention this possibility to you?
Thank you for that important detail about preserving the onset date! No, nobody mentioned anything about a Compassionate Allowance program to me. I'll definitely ask about this when I contact SSA. Is this something I need to specifically request, or should they automatically consider it based on my medical condition?
They should evaluate your case for Compassionate Allowance automatically based on your medical records, but it never hurts to specifically mention it. Certain amputations do qualify, though it depends on the specifics of your condition. When you speak with SSA, just ask if your case is being considered under the Compassionate Allowance program. If it is, that could reduce your wait time from months to weeks. Regarding preserving your onset date while receiving retirement - this is something you should explicitly request when applying for retirement benefits. Just tell them: "I want to file for retirement while my disability application is pending, but I want to preserve my disability onset date." They'll know what to do, but having it noted properly in your file can make a big difference in potential back payments.
This is extremely helpful information - thank you! I'll make sure to use those exact words about preserving the onset date. I really appreciate everyone's advice here. I'm going to contact SSA tomorrow and apply for my retirement benefits while continuing with the disability process. At least that will give me some income while I wait for the final SSDI decision.
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Thank you all SO MUCH for the helpful responses! I feel much better now knowing that her SSDI won't be affected. I'll definitely keep detailed records of the inheritance and mention it in my rep payee report, but it's such a relief to know her monthly benefits are safe. If we need to consider Medicaid in the future, we'll look into the special needs trust option too. This community has been incredibly helpful!
quick question sorta related - does anyone know if the same rules apply to life insurance payouts? my mom named me as beneficiary on her policy and im on ssdi too
Yes, the same rules apply to life insurance payouts as inheritances for SSDI recipients. Life insurance proceeds don't affect SSDI benefits at all. But if someone receives SSI (Supplemental Security Income), then life insurance proceeds would count as a resource and could affect those benefits if they exceed the resource limit ($2,000 for individuals).
Logan Stewart
not sure if this helps but I had same issue last year. what finally worked was sending a fax (yes a fax in 2025 lol) to the IRMAA processing center with my SSA-44 form and all my docs. got fixed in 2 weeks after months of calling.
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Maya Diaz
•Do you happen to remember the fax number you used? I might try this approach too - I'll try anything at this point!
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Tami Morgan
One more tip that might help others reading this thread: If you're planning to retire or expect a significant income drop, you can be proactive about IRMAA. File the SSA-44 form as soon as the life-changing event occurs rather than waiting for the IRMAA notice. This often prevents the higher premium from ever being applied in the first place. For those already dealing with an IRMAA issue, persistence is key. Document every contact with SSA (date, time, representative name if possible) and keep copies of everything you submit. If visiting your local office, arrive at least 30 minutes before opening to minimize wait times.
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Diego Castillo
•wish i knew this before!! i waited til i got the notice and now im stuck in this mess
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