I'm so sorry for your loss, Dallas. What a difficult time to have to navigate all these administrative details. I'm glad you were able to get through to SSA and get clarity on returning that January payment. One thing I'd add - when you're ready to think about the survivor benefits decision, consider that at 62 you have several years before your full retirement age to make the best choice. If your husband had significantly higher earnings, taking reduced survivor benefits now and switching to your own benefits at 70 (when they max out) could be optimal. Conversely, if your earnings were similar or higher, you might take your own reduced retirement now and switch to full survivor benefits later. The SSA website has a retirement estimator that can show you both benefit amounts to help with the comparison. Also, many local senior centers offer free Social Security workshops that can be really helpful for understanding these complex decisions. Take care of yourself during this transition. You're handling everything with such strength.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Dallas. It sounds like you've gotten some excellent guidance from this community and I'm glad you were able to reach SSA to get definitive answers. Just wanted to add one practical tip: when you return that January payment, consider asking SSA about their preferred method (check vs. money order vs. online). Some offices have specific preferences that can help ensure faster processing. Also, if you're mailing it back, write your husband's SSN and "RETURN OF BENEFITS" clearly on the memo line or include a note explaining what the payment is for. Regarding the survivor benefits timing decision - you don't need to decide immediately. SSA should allow you to apply and then choose your start date within a reasonable window. This gives you time to run those calculations others mentioned and maybe speak with a financial advisor if needed. You're handling an incredibly difficult situation with such grace. Take things one step at a time and don't hesitate to lean on this community for support.

Since no one's mentioned it yet, there's also an actual formula you can use to get a rough idea. Your Social Security benefit is based on your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME). If you have several zero years in your 35-year calculation: 1. Every $1,200 in additional annual earnings translates to about $1 more per month in benefits for the rest of your life So if you're earning $72,000 per year as you mentioned, and replacing zeros, that's potentially adding about $60 monthly to your benefit for each year worked ($72,000 ÷ $1,200 = $60). Over a 20-year retirement, that's about $28,800 in additional benefits for each extra year you work (not counting cost of living adjustments). This is simplified, but gives you a ballpark figure to compare against your work satisfaction and other factors.

Another factor to consider is the delayed retirement credits if you're thinking about when to actually claim benefits. If you're planning to retire but wait until your Full Retirement Age to claim, you might also want to look into whether waiting even longer to claim (up to age 70) could make sense given your situation. Since you have those gaps in your work history, your benefit amount at FRA might be lower than someone with a full 35-year career. Delayed retirement credits give you an 8% increase per year for each year you delay claiming past your FRA up to age 70. So if your FRA benefit ends up being on the lower side due to those zero years, the delayed credits could be particularly valuable. You could potentially retire when you want, work part-time or consult if you need income, and still maximize your eventual Social Security benefit by waiting to claim. Just something else to factor into your overall retirement strategy!

One thing to consider is the tax implications too. If you're making $82K this year, you might be paying more in taxes on that income than you would on Social Security benefits (depending on your other retirement income). SS benefits are only partially taxable for most people, while your work income is fully taxable. So the net difference between working vs. collecting might be smaller than the gross numbers suggest. Just something to factor into your decision along with the benefit increase calculations everyone else mentioned.

I'm in a similar boat right now - considering working one more year past FRA. One thing that's helping me think through this is also considering whether I actually WANT to work another year versus just the financial benefit. Like others mentioned, the monthly increase might be $60-90, which is meaningful over time, but if you're burnt out or ready to retire, that extra year of your life might be worth more than the additional monthly benefit. On the flip side, if you enjoy your work and it gives you purpose/structure, then it's almost like getting paid twice - once through your salary and again through the higher lifetime SS benefits. Have you thought about the non-financial aspects of working another year?

Just wanted to chime in as someone who's been on SSDI for about 4 years and has received two of these work review letters. The first time I got one, I literally had a panic attack thinking they were going to cut my benefits! But after going through it twice now, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - they really are routine checks in most cases. Your situation with 10 hours of unpaid school volunteering is exactly the kind of community engagement that SSA expects to see from people who are still disabled but trying to stay involved within their limitations. The key is that you're being honest about it and emphasizing how your disability still affected you during those brief volunteer sessions. One thing that helped me feel more in control during my reviews was creating a simple timeline of my volunteer activities with dates, hours, and notes about any accommodations I needed or symptoms I experienced. It made filling out their forms much easier and showed SSA that I was being thoughtful and organized about tracking my activities. The waiting period after submitting your response is definitely the hardest part - I remember checking my mailbox obsessively both times! But try to remember that thousands of people go through these reviews every month, and the vast majority continue receiving their benefits without any issues. You're handling this exactly right by responding promptly and being transparent. Looking forward to hearing your positive update in a few weeks!

I can relate to that panic attack feeling when you first get one of these letters! I'm still pretty new to SSDI (just over a year now) and haven't gotten a work review letter yet, but reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly educational. It sounds like creating that timeline with dates, hours, and symptom notes is such a smart approach - I'm definitely going to start keeping track of any volunteer activities I do from the beginning, rather than trying to remember everything after the fact like the original poster had to do. Your point about thousands of people going through these reviews monthly with mostly positive outcomes really helps put the process in perspective. It's easy to feel like you're being singled out when you get that official letter, but it sounds like it's just part of the normal SSDI administration process. Thanks for sharing your experience with two reviews - knowing that even people who've been through it multiple times initially panicked helps normalize that reaction!

does anyone know what the 2025 COLA will actually be? heard rumors about 2.5% but not sure if thats real

Just to add another perspective - I've been helping seniors with Social Security questions for years, and this timing issue trips up EVERYONE at least once. The key thing to remember for budgeting purposes is that your first payment with the COLA increase will hit your bank account in January. So if you're planning for medical expenses, don't count on that extra money until then. Also, keep in mind that Medicare Part B premiums often increase too, so the net increase in your actual deposit might be less than the full COLA percentage. Always good to plan conservatively!