Social Security reduced my widow's benefit by $500/month claiming 'prior amount incorrect' - can I appeal?

this happened to me too but mine was only reduced by about $120. i think its because of the government pension offset (GPO) where they reduce survivor benefits if you get a pension from work not covered by social security. did your husband work for government without paying into ss?

Yes, he did work for the county for 28 years, but I thought they already factored that in with the original calculation? Why would they suddenly change it after 18 months? And my understanding was that GPO affects MY benefits if I had a non-covered pension, not my survivor benefits from his pension. This is so confusing!

Your situation involves something called the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) or Government Pension Offset (GPO), but it's confusing which one applies here. Since your husband worked for the town, his pension might have triggered this recalculation. WEP/GPO rules are extremely complicated even for SSA employees!I strongly suggest you schedule a meeting with a local SSA office and bring ALL the paperwork - both recent letters, original benefit statements, death certificate, anything about his pension. They need to explain exactly why this reduction happened after 18+ months.If you're having trouble reaching SSA (which is common lately), I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) last month when dealing with my own widow benefits issue. They got me connected to a live agent in 20 minutes after I spent days trying to get through. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU

Thank you - I didn't realize WEP/GPO could affect benefits that were already being paid! I'll try to schedule an in-person appointment. I've been calling for 3 days with no luck getting through. I'll check out that Claimyr service if I can't get through soon. I really need to understand exactly what changed in their calculation.

There's likely a recalculation happening due to one of several possible factors:1. The initial calculation may have been provisional and now they've finalized it2. There could be an adjustment related to your husband's government pension (WEP/GPO)3. There might have been an error in how they calculated the combined benefitsAbsolutely file an appeal within the 60-day window! This preserves your rights even while you're gathering information. The appeal form is SSA-561-U2.When you appeal, request a detailed explanation of how both calculations were made (original and revised). Ask specifically about any GPO/WEP adjustments and whether they're applying the \

Thank you for the form number! I'll definitely appeal right away while I continue investigating. The \

i had something similar happen with my disability benefits and it turned out they just made a mistake on their end. they kept telling me different things every time i called. KEEP APPEALING!!! dont let them push you around. they told me i was getting overpaid then they said i wasnt then they said i was again. its all a mess over there.

THIS! The SSA is a NIGHTMARE to deal with when they make mistakes! I spent 9 months fighting a similar issue with my husband's benefits. They reduced his payment saying it was

This situation likely involves the Government Pension Offset (GPO) which reduces survivor benefits when the survivor receives a pension from work not covered by Social Security. However, what's unusual is the timing - GPO should have been calculated from the beginning.Here's what you need to know:1. If your husband worked for a government entity where he didn't pay Social Security taxes, your survivor benefit can be reduced by two-thirds of your government pension amount.2. The fact that this is happening 18 months later suggests either: - An administrative error in the original calculation - A delayed discovery of the pension information - A change in how they're applying the offset3. For your appeal, gather: - All SSA benefit statements (original and current) - Details of your husband's pension (especially whether it was from employment where SS taxes were withheld) - Your original benefit application - Any communication about the calculation of your benefitsYou should request a detailed breakdown of both calculations (original and revised) during your appeal. Also ask specifically if this is related to the Government Pension Offset and why it wasn't applied initially.

Thank you for this detailed explanation. The pension is from the town where my husband worked for 28 years, and he did NOT pay into Social Security during that time. But they knew this from the start - it was all documented in our initial applications. I'll get all the paperwork together for the appeal. Do you think I should also get a statement from his former employer confirming the pension details?

My sister went through something very similar when her husband died. The SSA kept changing their minds about her benefit amount! She finally got it resolved by going to her congressman's office and having them inquire on her behalf. Something to consider if your appeal doesn't work.

That's a great suggestion I hadn't thought of! I'll try the regular appeal process first, but it's good to know there are other options if that doesn't work. Did your sister end up getting her full benefit amount restored?

To answer your follow-up question about the \

This is incredibly helpful! My husband did work in the private sector for about 12 years before his government job, so he did have some Social Security covered employment, but not 30 years. I'll definitely follow your advice on the documentation to request and gather. I really appreciate the detailed guidance!

good luck with your appeal!! let us know how it goes im curious since mine got reduced too and i just accepted it cause i didnt know we could appeal

Thank you! I will definitely update when I know more. You might want to check if you're still within your 60-day window to appeal too!

I'm a newcomer here but have been dealing with SSA issues myself. Your situation sounds incredibly frustrating - getting different amounts and explanations over 18 months is unacceptable. A few thoughts that might help: 1. Document EVERYTHING - screenshot your online account showing "no overpayments" before they potentially change it 2. When you call or visit SSA, get the representative's name and ask for everything in writing 3. Consider requesting your complete claims file under the Freedom of Information Act - this will show you exactly what information they used for each calculation The timing of this reduction seems suspicious. If they truly made an error, why did it take 18+ months to discover? That suggests either incompetence or they're applying rules retroactively that should have been calculated from day one. Don't let them intimidate you - you deserve clear explanations for these calculation changes. The fact that your online account shows no overpayments suggests they might be trying to avoid the legal complications of demanding repayment for their own mistakes. Keep fighting this and definitely appeal within that 60-day window!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really sorry to hear about your situation. What strikes me most is how the SSA kept giving you different benefit amounts and explanations over such a long period - that's not how a competent system should work. A few suggestions that might help with your appeal: 1. **Get everything in writing** - When you finally reach someone at SSA, don't just rely on phone conversations. Ask them to mail you a detailed explanation of the calculation change. 2. **Request a technical review** - Beyond the standard appeal, you can request that SSA's technical staff review the calculation. Sometimes the front-line workers make errors that the technical team can catch. 3. **Consider contacting your state's SSA advocacy office** - Many states have offices that help people navigate SSA issues. They're often more knowledgeable about complex situations like yours. The fact that you received consistent payments for 18+ months and your online account shows no overpayments suggests this might be SSA trying to "correct" something that wasn't actually wrong. Don't let them bully you into accepting this reduction without a fight. Document everything, appeal immediately, and keep pushing for clear explanations. You've got this!

As someone new to this community, I'm really disturbed by your story. The fact that SSA kept you on the same benefit amount for 18+ months and then suddenly claimed it was "incorrect" raises serious red flags about their internal processes. Here are some specific steps I'd recommend for your appeal: 1. **Request a "reconsideration interview"** - This is different from just filing paperwork. You can speak directly with a decision-maker about your case and ask pointed questions about why this took 18 months to discover. 2. **Get your Master Beneficiary Record (MBR)** - This is the complete electronic file SSA keeps on you. You can request it through FOIA and it will show every calculation and adjustment they've made, including dates and reasons. 3. **Challenge the timing** - In your appeal, specifically question why an "error" of this magnitude wasn't caught by their quality control systems earlier. Ask for documentation of when exactly they discovered this supposed mistake and what triggered the review. 4. **Protect against future overpayment claims** - Even though your account shows no overpayments now, they might try to claim you owe money later. In your appeal, specifically request confirmation that you won't be held responsible for any "overpayments" resulting from their own calculation errors. The inconsistent benefit letters you received (first $1454+$841, then $2145) suggest their systems were confused from the start. This isn't your fault - it's their responsibility to get it right the first time. Don't let them make you pay for their mistakes!