I went through something very similar when my spouse passed two years ago. I was also on SSDI and receiving reduced survivor benefits. The good news is that yes, your benefits should automatically increase to 100% when you reach your FRA at 67, and since your husband hadn't started collecting yet, you'll get his full PIA amount. However, I'd strongly recommend following @Aria Khan's advice about contacting them 2-3 months before you turn 67 - not all the automatic systems work perfectly. I actually had to call twice because there was a delay in my adjustment. Also, regarding your struggle with medical costs, you might want to look into whether you qualify for any state assistance programs or Medicare Savings Programs that could help with your premiums and out-of-pocket costs. The increase you'll see at 67 should help significantly with your financial situation.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Ezra. I went through a very similar situation when my husband passed three years ago. I was 61, on SSDI for fibromyalgia, and really struggling to understand how the survivor benefits would work at my FRA. From my experience, the benefits should automatically adjust when you reach 67, but I'd echo what others have said about following up proactively. What helped me was creating a my Social Security account online (if you don't have one already) - you can send secure messages through there which sometimes gets faster responses than calling. I found it especially helpful for getting written confirmation of what would happen with my benefits. One thing that really caught me off guard was that the increase was more substantial than I expected since my husband hadn't started collecting yet. The jump from reduced survivor benefits to 100% of his PIA made a real difference in being able to manage my medical expenses and daily living costs. Also, regarding getting help from SSA - I had good luck calling right at 8 AM when they open. The wait times seemed shorter first thing in the morning. And definitely bring someone with you to the office if you can - having an advocate there when you're dealing with chronic pain makes such a difference. Hang in there - you're asking all the right questions and planning ahead, which is exactly what you should be doing.

Just wanted to add something that might help with your budgeting - when Social Security starts deducting your Part B premium, they'll also send you a "Notice of Change in Payment Amount" (usually arrives within a few weeks after the deduction starts). This notice will show your new monthly benefit amount after the Medicare deduction, so you'll have official documentation of the change for your records. Also, since you mentioned the higher premium due to income, keep in mind that IRMAA determinations are based on your tax return from 2 years prior, so if your income has changed significantly since then, it might be worth looking into an appeal or reconsideration once you get everything sorted out.

I'm also approaching 65 and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add - if you're still working and have employer health insurance, you might be able to delay Part B enrollment without penalty. But if you're already retired and receiving Social Security like the original poster, you'll definitely want Part B to start right when you turn 65 to avoid late enrollment penalties. The coordination between Social Security and Medicare can be confusing, but it sounds like you're on the right track by enrolling on time. Make sure to keep all your Medicare enrollment paperwork together with your Social Security documents - you'll probably need to reference them later!

I'm so glad you asked this question because I was wondering the exact same thing! I've been on SSDI for about a year now and have been too scared to even look into better savings options because I didn't want to risk my benefits. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational - I had no idea about the distinction between earned and unearned income, and honestly the similar names (SSDI vs SSI) have been confusing me too. It's such a relief to know that we can actually try to make our savings work a little harder without jeopardizing our disability benefits. I think I'm going to start researching some high-yield savings accounts myself now. Thanks for being brave enough to ask what so many of us were probably thinking!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said and add my own experience - I've been on SSDI for 5 years and have had money in CDs and high-yield savings the entire time with zero issues. The interest income has never been questioned or counted against my benefits. What really helped me was calling SSA directly early on to confirm this (though I know getting through can be a nightmare). The representative explained that SSDI only looks at "substantial gainful activity" which specifically means work income, not passive income from investments or savings. I've gone through two routine reviews since then and my interest-earning accounts have never even been mentioned. It's such a relief to know we can at least try to keep up with inflation a little bit instead of watching our money lose value sitting in checking accounts!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm both shocked and grateful to have found this discussion. I'm currently going through the SSI application process for my disabled foster daughter, and our caseworker gave us the exact same response about property taxes and homeowner's insurance - that they "weren't necessary for the application." Reading through everyone's experiences here has been eye-opening. The fact that multiple families across different field offices are being told identical incorrect information really does point to a widespread training problem rather than isolated mistakes. It's deeply concerning that representatives are consistently dismissing legitimate housing expenses that should be included in deeming calculations. Emma Wilson's insider perspective confirming that ALL housing costs should be counted has given me the confidence I needed to challenge this. Like many of you, I had that gut feeling something wasn't right when our rep rushed through those questions, but I didn't have the policy knowledge to push back effectively at the time. I'm planning to call this week and specifically ask for a Technical Expert who handles childhood SSI claims - I had no idea these specialists existed until reading this thread. Having the POMS reference number (SI 01320.175) and knowing to request documentation of my previous attempts to provide complete information will be crucial. Thank you to everyone who has shared their stories and advice. It's unfortunate that families caring for disabled children have to become SSA policy experts just to ensure proper benefit calculations, but this community support is invaluable. Rachel, I'm definitely interested in hearing how your call went - your experience will help guide many of us dealing with this same issue!

I'm new to this community and going through a very similar situation with my disabled daughter's SSI application. Our representative also told us that property taxes and homeowners insurance weren't needed, which immediately seemed wrong to me since these are major housing expenses. Reading through all of your experiences has been incredibly helpful and confirms my suspicions that this is a widespread training issue across SSA offices. The consistency of representatives giving identical incorrect information is really concerning, especially when it affects benefit calculations for our most vulnerable children. Emma Wilson's insider perspective has been invaluable - having confirmation from someone who actually worked in the system that ALL housing expenses should be included gives me the confidence I need to call back and advocate properly. I had no idea Technical Experts who specialize in childhood SSI claims even existed, but I'm definitely going to ask for one when I call. It's frustrating that we have to become SSA policy experts just to ensure our disabled children get the benefits they're entitled to, but I'm grateful for this community support. The advice about documentation, POMS references, and being persistent but polite is exactly what I needed to hear. Rachel, I hope your call went well! Please update us when you can - your experience will definitely help guide the rest of us who are dealing with this same issue.

I'm going through this exact same issue right now! Applied for my retirement benefits about 8 weeks ago, then withdrew the application about 5 weeks ago when I realized I'd be better off waiting until my full retirement age. My MySocialSecurity account has been completely inaccessible ever since - just shows that same "benefits may be suspended" message and won't let me view any of my previous information like earnings history or benefit estimates. It's incredibly frustrating because I used to check those regularly for retirement planning. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief though! I had no idea this was such a widespread issue after withdrawals. I was genuinely worried I had somehow permanently damaged my account. The timeline variation is wild - some people get access back in days while others wait months. I'm definitely going to try that form SSA-7004 for a paper statement that several people mentioned. At least that gives us a way to get our information while waiting for SSA's systems to sort themselves out. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's so reassuring to know this is a known glitch that eventually resolves itself!

I'm going through the exact same thing! Filed my application about 7 weeks ago, withdrew it 3 weeks ago, and my MySocialSecurity account is still showing that "benefits may be suspended" message. I can't access any of my earnings history or benefit estimates that I used to check regularly. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful - I had no idea this was such a common issue! I was starting to worry that I had somehow permanently messed up my account. The timeline really does seem to vary wildly from person to person. I'm definitely going to request that paper statement using form SSA-7004 that several people mentioned while waiting for the online system to sort itself out. It's frustrating that SSA's systems get so confused by withdrawals, but at least now I know this is normal and will eventually resolve. Thanks for posting about this - it's such a relief to know we're all dealing with the same glitch!