The SSA website is TERRIBLE!! I've been locked out 3 times this year alone. They make it so hard for seniors to access our OWN information! And then they wonder why their phone lines are jammed!!! Maybe if their website actually WORKED people wouldn't need to call so much!!! My daughter had to help me set up a new account and I STILL can't access my statements half the time.

One additional point regarding your question about claiming at 65 - remember that your Medicare enrollment starts at 65 regardless of your Social Security Full Retirement Age. So even if you delay Social Security benefits, you should still sign up for Medicare during your Initial Enrollment Period (which begins 3 months before your 65th birthday). Missing this window can result in permanent premium penalties. This is a common source of confusion since the Full Retirement Age for Social Security and Medicare eligibility age are different.

I see several people mentioning that you might have incorrect information in your SSA record. This is extremely common and often requires speaking with an agent to resolve. A few specific things to check when you do get through to someone: 1. Verify the exact spelling of your name in their system 2. Confirm your date of birth is correct (as another user mentioned, transposed numbers are common) 3. Make sure your address is formatted exactly as they have it (Ave vs Avenue can cause failures) 4. Check if you have any identity verification flags on your account from failed login attempts If you've moved recently or changed your name, these verification issues become even more likely. Unfortunately, SSA's identity verification is very rigid - if something doesn't match exactly, it fails with no helpful error messages.

After I finally got my account fixed, the agent told me they're having TONS of problems with their verification system right now. Apparently they implemented new security measures after some data breaches last year, and it's causing chaos with legitimate users trying to access their accounts. The agent actually apologized to me about it! She said they're aware of the issues but it'll take months to fix all the problems. Government efficiency at its finest! 🙄

One more thing to consider: check if your application might be affected by the Annual Earnings Test if you're still working. If you're applying before FRA and have earnings above the limit ($21,240 for 2025), there will be additional verification steps. Since you mentioned reaching FRA in January, this could be a factor if you applied for benefits to start before your FRA.

Congrats on retirement! Sorry about the delay tho. Sometimes these things just take time. My dad always said dealing with SS is like watching paint dry. You'll get there eventually!

This is kind of off topic but make sure ur husband checks if hes eligible for any pensions from those early jobs. My husband found out he qualified for a small pension from a job he had 30 years ago! Only $320/month but better than nothing!

One important warning that nobody has mentioned: if any of his early lower-paying jobs were with employers not covered by Social Security (like some government or education positions), he might be subject to the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) which could actually REDUCE his Social Security benefit. This happens if he's receiving a pension from non-covered work. Similarly, if you're collecting a government pension from non-SS-covered work, your spousal benefits could be reduced by the Government Pension Offset (GPO) provision. Might be worth checking if these apply to your situation.

To answer your question definitively: Yes, you are thinking correctly. The MySocialSecurity portal currently does not display survivor benefit application status or payment information. This is a known limitation of their system. For survivor benefits, you will receive all official communications through postal mail, including: - Application receipt confirmation - Requests for additional documentation - Benefit amount determination - Payment start notification - Annual COLA adjustments If you're concerned about mail delivery, I recommend: 1. Setting up direct deposit for payments 2. Calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 for status updates (though wait times are substantial) 3. Considering an in-person appointment for critical issues The SSA has acknowledged this limitation but has not announced any timeline for adding survivor benefit tracking to their online portal.

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! I've set up USPS Informed Delivery as suggested and will try using Claimyr to reach SSA by phone. It's disappointing that the online system doesn't show survivor benefits in 2025, but at least I know what to expect now. I'll make sure to watch my mail carefully and follow up if I don't hear anything in the next couple weeks.

my friend got a big surprise when his disability switched over cuz he had a worker comp settlement years ago and they had been offsetting his ssdi but when it went to retirement the offset went away and his check got bigger. not sure if thats a thing for everyone but worth asking about

Does anyone know if Medicare changes when you switch from disability to retirement??? That's what I'm worried about!!!

To clarify about the death certificate - you may not need it. SSA often has death information in their system already, especially if your ex was receiving Social Security benefits. When you schedule your appointment, ask if they already have this information. Regarding your claiming strategy, since your work record isn't strong, taking survivor benefits now likely makes sense. However, I'd recommend you request a calculation of both benefits during your appointment so you can see the actual numbers. Even a seemingly small work record can grow with delayed retirement credits if you wait until 70. One thing to remember - survivor benefits don't grow after your full retirement age, so there's no advantage to waiting beyond that point for the survivor benefit.

When I went through this process, the SSA office told me they prefer appointments for survivor benefit applications because they're more complex. I tried to apply online and ended up having to go in person anyway. Just a heads up - their website says 60 days for processing but mine took almost 4 months before I saw the first payment! And they were backdated to my application date, so it was a big lump sum. Make sure you have enough savings to tide you over while waiting.

my uncle gets over $4000 but he was some big shot executive and waited till 70. most regular people get way less trust me

One important detail that hasn't been mentioned: the maximum benefit amounts we're discussing assume you're claiming benefits based solely on your own work record. Spousal benefits and survivor benefits have different maximums. Also, remember that Medicare premiums will be deducted from your Social Security payment if you enroll in both, so your actual deposit will be lower than the gross benefit amount. For 2025, standard Medicare Part B premiums are projected to be around $185/month.

Just to clarify something important: With your current SSDI, you're likely receiving your own disability benefit, possibly with an added amount if the survivor benefit is higher than your SSDI amount. If you were to lose SSDI eligibility and switch to widow-only benefits, the calculation would be different. As others mentioned, taking widow benefits before your Full Retirement Age reduces the amount. At exactly age 60, it would be about 71.5% of your deceased ex-spouse's full benefit amount. One strategy to consider: If you do lose SSDI eligibility after marriage, you might want to delay claiming widow benefits until closer to your FRA to receive a higher amount, if you have other income sources in the meantime. This is especially true if your ex-spouse had a substantial earnings record.

just wondering did ur ex know u were getting his benefits? my uncle remarried 3 times and his last wife gets his ss now even tho they were only married 10 yrs and 1 day lol she planned it

Just want to say sending prayers to you and your wife. This stuff is so hard to deal with on top of everything else.

Has anyone mentioned the fact that you might have choices about WHEN to take survivor benefits? Like if you have your own work record, sometimes it's better to take your own retirement at 62 and then switch to survivor benefits at FRA, or vice versa. The rules changed in 2015 but some options still exist. My financial advisor helped me figure this out and it meant about $45,000 more over my lifetime!