Social Security rep sending application to 'auditors' for combining benefits at FRA - is this normal?

Those aren't "auditors" - they're likely referring to the Processing Center in Birmingham that handles complex claims. And yes, they typically have more specialized training than the average field office employees, especially for complicated scenarios involving family maximum benefit calculations and disabled adult child benefits. Many field office reps don't fully understand the nuances of how the family maximum formula changes when you have both retirement and disability benefits in play. What your wife was trying to do is absolutely correct - at FRA she can receive both her own retirement (if she's eligible) plus a spousal supplement if your benefit creates a higher amount. I've seen several cases where the Processing Center corrected field office mistakes with family maximum calculations. Your wife should eventually receive a detailed breakdown showing both benefits. The wait can be frustrating, but having specialists review it is actually a good sign.

omg the SAME THING happened to me last year!! the local ss people had NO CLUE about combining benefits at FRA. they kept telling me i had to pick one or the other. took like 3 appointments before i got someone who knew what they were talking about!!! so frustrating

The SS rep is partially right but explaining it poorly. At FRA, your wife isn't literally receiving "both benefits" simultaneously - she's receiving her own retirement benefit PLUS a spousal supplement that brings her total up to the higher amount. The system automatically calculates the difference. Birmingham is one of the 8 Regional Processing Centers that handle complex cases. They do have more specialized training for family maximum calculations especially with DAC benefits involved. I worked on similar cases when I was at SSA. The family maximum formula gets extremely complicated when you have multiple beneficiaries. The good news is that the specialists will likely get it right, but the bad news is it could take 4-8 weeks for processing. Make sure your wife continues receiving her current benefits while this is processed.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!!! I spent TWO YEARS trying to get my benefits right after my husband died. Every single rep told me something different. I finally got it sorted when I reached FRA but they STILL couldn't explain how they calculated it!!! And don't get me started on the hours spent on hold just trying to talk to someone.....they DELIBERATELY make it hard to reach them hoping people will just give up!!!!!

When I was dealing with a similarly complex situation (widower benefits + my own retirement + children), I found it helpful to request an appointment specifically with a Technical Expert at my local office, not just any claims representative. These are the more experienced SSA employees who handle unusual or complex cases. Also, for what it's worth, my experience with the Birmingham Processing Center was positive. They did take about 6 weeks to review everything, but their calculations were correct and they provided a detailed explanation of how the family maximum was applied. They're definitely more knowledgeable about the complex interplay of multiple benefits than most field office staff.

My sister went through something kinda similar last year. The local office people kept telling her different things and eventually they sent her case somewhere else (might have been birmingham too, not sure). She did end up getting both benefits calculated right but it took like 3 months and she had to call them like every week to check on it. The worst part is they never contacted her when it was done - she only found out when the larger payment showed up in her account!

Update: I just got off the phone with our local office after a 2-hour wait. The supervisor I spoke with confirmed they sent my wife's application to the Birmingham Processing Center because it involves recalculating the family maximum with multiple benefit types. She said it's standard procedure for complex cases and we should expect to hear something in 4-6 weeks. She also mentioned that my wife will continue receiving her current benefits while they process the application, and any increase will be retroactive to her application date. I feel a bit better now, but I'm still nervous about whether they'll calculate everything correctly.

Not to hijack your thread but this reminds me of when I tried to apply for spousal benefits a few years ago. I went around in circles with THREE different reps who all said different things! One told me I couldn't apply at 62, another said I could but would get less, and the third one said something completely different about restricted applications that I didn't even understand. It's crazy how even THEY don't understand their own rules sometimes!

This is a good reminder for everyone dealing with complex SS situations: the POMS (Program Operations Manual System) is the actual rulebook SSA employees use, and it's available online. For family maximum calculations with disabled adult children, you'd want to look at sections RS 00615 and DI 10115. Having the exact POMS reference can be incredibly helpful when speaking with representatives who might not be familiar with unusual situations. You can say "According to POMS section X, this is how the calculation should work..." For the original poster: The Birmingham Processing Center handling your case is actually a good thing. They have specialists who work on complicated family maximum calculations all day, every day.