To answer your follow-up questions: 1. For your office visit, bring copies rather than originals. Have the originals with you in case they need to see them, but they'll typically just make copies for their files. 2. The reconsideration deadline is 60 days from the date on the notice. If you're close to that deadline, you can file a basic reconsideration form immediately and then supplement with additional evidence later. 3. A simple signed statement is sufficient - no need for notarization. One more important tip: If the SSA representative at your local office isn't helpful, don't argue with them. Instead, politely ask to speak with a supervisor or office manager. Sometimes the front-line staff aren't familiar with the nuances of representative payee liability, especially in cases like yours where you were denied access to financial information. Keep us updated on how your appointment goes!

I went through something similar as a representative payee for my elderly mother. The key thing that saved me was documenting EVERYTHING. Since you have text messages showing you requested account access and were refused, that's going to be crucial evidence. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given - when you go to your appointment, bring a simple one-page timeline showing: - Date you became rep payee - Dates you requested account access (with proof) - Date you discovered the employment - Date you immediately began reporting wages Also, if your brother-in-law's new payee is cooperative, see if they can provide a statement acknowledging that he concealed his employment from you. Having the current payee confirm this adds credibility to your case. The system definitely has flaws, but there are protections for payees who act in good faith. Don't let anyone pressure you into accepting liability when you clearly tried to do the right thing. Best of luck with your appointment!

New community member here! This thread has been absolutely incredible - I'm about 6 months away from filing myself and had no idea there were such significant differences between SSA offices in terms of wait times. The Plano office consensus is really convincing with all these detailed firsthand accounts. I'm especially grateful for the tip about the online appointment scheduler at ssa.gov since I've been dreading trying to get through on that 800 number. Quick question for those who've been through this process - when you scheduled your appointment, were you able to specify that you wanted to discuss divorced spouse benefits, or do they just assign you to whoever is available? I want to make sure I get someone knowledgeable about that aspect like Raj mentioned about requesting a Technical Expert or Claims Specialist. Thanks to everyone for sharing such valuable real-world experiences!

As a newcomer to both this community and the Social Security process, I wanted to thank everyone for creating such an incredibly comprehensive resource! I'm about a year away from filing myself and stumbled across this thread while researching DFW area offices. The level of detail shared here - from specific office recommendations to practical tips about parking, phone chargers, and document organization - is exactly what someone new to this process needs. The Plano office consensus based on multiple recent positive experiences is really compelling. I'm particularly grateful for the insider knowledge from former SSA employees and the tip about congressional office assistance if the 800 number doesn't work. This thread should honestly be a pinned resource for anyone in North Texas approaching retirement! I'll definitely be referring back to all this wisdom when it's my time to file.

As someone who recently went through the SSA application process for early retirement benefits, I can confirm that getting consistent information from different representatives is unfortunately a common challenge. The family maximum benefit calculation is indeed complex and even some SSA staff seem to struggle with explaining it clearly. From what I've learned through my own experience and research, the key thing to understand is that the family maximum benefit (FMB) acts as a cap on the total benefits your family can receive. This maximum is typically calculated as a percentage of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - the benefit you would receive at full retirement age - and usually ranges from 150% to 188% of your PIA depending on your benefit level. Here's a simplified breakdown of how it works in practice: 1. Your individual early retirement benefit is calculated first (reduced from your PIA due to taking benefits before FRA) 2. The family maximum is calculated based on your PIA 3. Your individual benefit is subtracted from the family maximum 4. The remaining amount is divided among eligible family members 5. However, each family member is also limited to 50% of your PIA So in your case, if your PIA is $4,050, your family maximum might be around $7,290 (assuming 180% of PIA). Subtract your $2,700 early benefit, leaving $4,590 to be divided among your wife and two daughters - roughly $1,530 each. But this still needs to comply with the 50% individual limit rule. The second representative's calculation of around $1,010 each suggests your actual family maximum might be lower than my estimate, or there might be other factors affecting the calculation. I'd recommend requesting a detailed written breakdown of the calculation to understand exactly how they arrived at those numbers. Regarding your travel question - the 30-day reporting requirement does technically apply even for vacations, though enforcement varies. It's better to report and not need to than to risk any complications later. You can easily report through your mySocialSecurity online account. For tax withholding, yes, you'll need separate W-4V forms for each beneficiary, even though you file jointly. The children's benefits are considered their income, not yours, for tax purposes. Hope this helps clarify things! The system is definitely complex, but understanding these basic principles makes it more manageable.

As someone who's been following this discussion closely, I wanted to add some insight about the family maximum calculation that might help clarify the confusion you experienced with the two different SSA representatives. The family maximum benefit formula is actually quite complex and uses what's called "bend points" - similar to how your PIA is calculated, but with different percentages and dollar amounts. For 2024, the family maximum is calculated as: - 150% of the first $1,425 of your PIA - 272% of your PIA over $1,425 through $2,056 - 134% of your PIA over $2,056 through $2,682 - 175% of your PIA over $2,682 This explains why the percentage of your PIA that becomes the family maximum can vary significantly between individuals - it's not a flat 150-180% rate. Given your PIA of approximately $4,050, your family maximum would likely be around $7,200-$7,400. After subtracting your early retirement benefit of $2,700, that leaves roughly $4,500-$4,700 to split among your three family members, which would be about $1,500-$1,567 each. However, this is still subject to each person's individual 50% PIA limit ($2,025 in your case). The discrepancy between what the two reps told you probably comes from different assumptions about your exact PIA or family maximum calculation. The second rep's estimate of $1,010 each seems conservative but is probably closer to reality once all the various caps and limitations are applied. I'd definitely recommend getting that written breakdown as others have suggested - the calculations involve multiple steps and it's easy for things to get lost in translation over the phone.

As someone who's been on SSDI for about a year now, this entire thread has been such a huge relief to read! I had the exact same fears about asset limits and was actually avoiding putting money into savings because I thought it might affect my benefits somehow. The distinction between SSDI and SSI that everyone has explained so clearly here is something I wish I had understood from the beginning. I love how several people used the insurance analogy - it really drives home the point that SSDI is something we earned through years of working and paying into the system, not a charity program with strings attached. What really resonates with me is how many of us have been carrying this unnecessary stress. When you're already dealing with the challenges of a disability, the last thing you need is constant worry about accidentally violating rules that don't even apply to your situation. It's almost like we've been punishing ourselves for no reason! @Dominique Adams - I'm so happy you got the peace of mind you needed about your inheritance! This discussion has been incredibly educational for so many of us who were confused about the same thing. Your aunt's gift should bring you comfort and security, not anxiety. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and personal experiences here. This community really shows how powerful peer support can be when navigating these complex systems!

As someone who's been navigating SSDI for about 6 months now, this entire discussion has been absolutely invaluable! I came into this thread with the exact same fears that @Dominique Adams expressed, and I'm leaving with such clarity and peace of mind. The insurance analogy that so many people have used here really made everything click for me - we literally earned SSDI through years of working and paying Social Security taxes, just like any other insurance policy. It makes perfect sense that having money in savings wouldn't affect benefits we've already paid for through our work history. What strikes me most is how common this confusion seems to be among SSDI recipients. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that the fear of accidentally losing benefits has been causing so many of us to unnecessarily restrict ourselves financially. I've been afraid to even touch my small savings account from before I became disabled! The distinction between SSDI (insurance we earned) and SSI (needs-based with asset limits) is something I wish was explained more clearly during the application process. The psychological toll of living in constant fear about rules that don't even apply to us is exhausting when we're already managing the challenges of disability. @Dominique Adams - I hope you're feeling so much better about your situation now! Your question sparked such an important educational discussion that has clearly helped a whole community of people. Definitely enjoy that inheritance knowing your aunt would want it to provide you security and comfort, not stress. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge, experiences, and professional insights. This thread should be bookmarked by anyone navigating SSDI - the peer support and real-world clarity here is absolutely priceless!

UPDATE: The MySocialSecurity site is working for me again as of this morning. I just successfully logged in and was able to access my account. They've made some changes to the interface - you now have to verify your identity with a text code every time you log in, not just the first time. Try again today and see if it's working for you now.

I'm having the same issue! Been locked out since Monday and really need to download my 1099 for tax filing. Just tried again after reading Paolo's update but still getting the Bad Request error. Has anyone noticed if certain times of day work better than others? I'm wondering if they're doing a gradual rollout of the fix or if the servers are just overloaded with everyone trying to log back in at once.