I'm so sorry for your loss, and I want to commend you for being proactive about securing these benefits for your mother's estate. Based on everything shared here, it sounds like you have a solid plan forming. Just wanted to add one more practical tip that helped me when I dealt with a similar situation with my father's VA benefits - consider making copies of EVERYTHING before you submit it to SSA. Keep the originals for your records and only give them copies, even if they ask for originals. Government agencies sometimes misplace documents, and you don't want to be scrambling to get new certified copies of death certificates or other important papers. Also, when you do get the SSA-1724 filed and receive a case number, consider setting a calendar reminder to follow up every 3-4 weeks if you haven't heard anything. Squeaky wheel gets the grease, especially with something this complex involving new legislation. Your mother was lucky to have someone like you looking out for her interests even after she's gone. These WEP/GPO affected families deserve every penny they're owed, and I hope SSA processes your claim quickly and without hassle. Best of luck with everything!

I'm sorry for your loss and can relate to your situation. My stepfather passed in January 2024 and had been receiving reduced benefits due to WEP for over a decade. We just received his retroactive payment check last week after filing in December - it took about 7 weeks total once we got all the paperwork submitted correctly. A few things that helped us get through the process faster: 1. We called ahead and scheduled an appointment at our local SSA office rather than just walking in. The scheduled appointments get you someone who has more time to work through complex cases. 2. Bring a simple one-page summary showing the math - what he received monthly vs what he should have received without WEP/GPO for each month from Dec 2023 forward. Having this ready saved a lot of time during the appointment. 3. We also brought his government pension award letter and his most recent SSA benefit statement to help them verify the reduction amounts. The final payment was almost exactly what we calculated it should be, so the math worked out correctly. Don't get discouraged if it takes longer than expected - there's definitely a backlog, but they are processing these claims. The key is just getting everything filed properly with all the right documentation. You're doing the right thing by pursuing this for her estate.

Just wondering... what happens if both your current husband AND your ex-husband pass away? Can you choose the higher of the two survivor benefits? Or does one cancel out the other?

I'm still relatively new to understanding Social Security rules, but I wanted to share what I learned when my mom went through something similar. She was also remarried and collecting her own benefits when her ex-husband passed away. The SSA did allow her to switch to his higher survivor benefits, but the process took several months and required multiple visits to the local office. One thing that really helped her was having all the paperwork organized beforehand - marriage certificate, divorce decree, and even some old tax returns that showed they filed jointly during their marriage. The SSA worker told her that having everything ready upfront made the approval process much smoother. Also, Jessica, since you mentioned your ex's benefits are estimated at $2,800, just remember that might change depending on when he actually passes away and whether he's already claimed his benefits or not. But either way, it sounds like you'd still come out ahead financially compared to your current situation.

Great point about Medicare, Andre! That's something a lot of people overlook. Another consideration is that if your wife does decide to wait until you file at 67, she should still create her my Social Security account online and check her earnings record now to make sure everything is accurate. Any corrections need to be made before she claims benefits. Also, even though the "file and suspend" strategy was eliminated in 2015, there are still some nuances around timing that could affect your overall household strategy. For instance, if you have significant age gaps or health differences, that might influence the optimal timing. The SSA's "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" publication has some good worksheets to help with these calculations.

As someone who recently went through the Social Security claiming process, I can confirm what others have said about the 2015 rule changes. The old "claim now, switch later" strategy is no longer available. However, I'd suggest one additional step that really helped me: consider meeting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security optimization. Yes, there's a cost, but given the permanent nature of these decisions and the potential dollar amounts involved over your lifetimes, it might be worth the investment. They can run multiple scenarios using software that accounts for inflation, life expectancy, and other factors that the basic SSA calculators don't always capture. Also, don't forget that if either of you has government pension benefits (like from teaching or other public service), the Windfall Elimination Provision or Government Pension Offset rules might further complicate your calculations. Good luck with your planning!

Since your husband had higher earnings and you worked part-time for 10 years, there's a good chance his benefit will be significantly higher than yours. Here's what I'd suggest: create accounts on SSA.gov for both of you to get your actual benefit estimates. You can run scenarios for different claiming ages and see the exact dollar amounts. One strategy to consider - if you need income at 62, you could claim your reduced benefit then switch to spousal benefits later. But if you can afford to wait, claiming at your FRA would give you the full 50% spousal benefit (assuming his is higher). The key is knowing your actual numbers before deciding. You might also want to factor in your health and family longevity when weighing early vs. delayed claiming.

I went through a similar situation a few years ago! One thing that really helped me was getting my actual Social Security Statement to see my projected benefits at different ages. You can access this on your my Social Security account at ssa.gov. Just to add to what others have said - the decision really depends on your financial needs and life expectancy expectations. If you need the income at 62 and can't wait, taking the reduced benefit might still be the right choice even with the permanent reduction. But if you can manage without it until your FRA, you'll get significantly more money over your lifetime. Also, don't forget that Social Security benefits are inflation-adjusted with COLAs, so that 30% reduction compounds over time. A smaller benefit today means smaller cost-of-living increases in the future too. It's definitely worth running the numbers on the SSA website before making your final decision!

I just wanted to update - I found my 1099 today! It wasn't there yesterday but showed up this morning. So I guess they're still uploading them. Anyway if anyone else is still waiting just keep checking.

Great to hear everyone's getting their forms! For those still having trouble accessing their MySocialSecurity accounts, another option is to call the SSA national number at 1-800-772-1213. They can mail you a replacement 1099 if you can't get online access working. The wait times can be long but they're usually helpful. Also, if you're doing your own taxes, most tax software will let you manually enter the Social Security income amounts even if you don't have the physical form yet - you just need to know your total benefits received for 2024.