I'm so sorry to hear about your sister's diagnosis. As someone who works in disability advocacy, I want to emphasize what others have said - apply for SSDI immediately. Pancreatic cancer does qualify for the Compassionate Allowance program, but even expedited cases take 3-4 months minimum. A few additional tips that might help: - When filling out the application, be very detailed about how her symptoms affect her daily activities and work capacity - Consider having a family member help her complete the forms since treatment can be exhausting - If she has any mental health impacts from the diagnosis (anxiety, depression), make sure those are documented too as they can affect her claim The LTD coordination is standard - most policies require SSDI applications within 90-180 days. The good news is that while LTD will offset payments once SSDI is approved, she'll receive retroactive SSDI payments back to her application date (minus the 5-month waiting period). Stay organized with all paperwork and don't hesitate to follow up with SSA if you don't hear back within reasonable timeframes. Wishing your family strength during this difficult time.

I'm so sorry about your sister's diagnosis. My father went through something similar with pancreatic cancer two years ago, so I understand how overwhelming this all feels. Everyone here has given excellent advice about applying for SSDI immediately. I want to add one thing that really helped us - consider reaching out to a social worker at the hospital or cancer center where she's receiving treatment. Many have specialists who help patients navigate disability applications and can provide letters of support for the SSDI claim. Also, regarding the life insurance - most group life insurance policies have a "waiver of premium" benefit that keeps the coverage active during disability without having to pay premiums. Ask HR about this specifically when discussing the LTD benefits. One more practical tip: if possible, set up online accounts for both SSA (my.ssa.gov) and her employer's benefits portal now while she's feeling relatively well. It makes tracking applications and managing benefits much easier when treatment gets more intensive. You're being a wonderful advocate for your sister during this difficult time. Take care of yourself too.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now! My ex-husband also has a government pension and I've been putting off looking into ex-spousal benefits because I thought his pension would drastically reduce what I could get. Reading through all these responses has been really eye-opening - I had no idea that HIS pension doesn't directly affect MY ex-spousal benefits. I think a lot of us get confused about how WEP and GPO actually work. It sounds like the key thing is whether YOU have a government pension, not your ex-spouse. I'm definitely going to call SSA now to get my situation reviewed. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it's so helpful to hear from people who've actually been through this process!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm new to this community but I'm dealing with a very similar situation with my ex-husband who has both a federal pension and Social Security. I've been hesitant to apply for ex-spousal benefits because I assumed his government pension would drastically reduce what I could receive. After reading through everyone's experiences, I realize I may have been completely wrong about how this works. It sounds like his WEP reduction doesn't affect my potential ex-spousal benefits at all - only whether I have my own government pension would trigger GPO for me. I'm definitely going to contact SSA to have my case reviewed. Has anyone had success getting through to SSA recently, or should I try that Claimyr service that was mentioned? I'm 68 and have been collecting my own benefits for 2 years, but now I'm wondering if I've been leaving money on the table this whole time!

I'm in a similar boat and just wanted to share what I learned from my local SSA office visit last week. The representative confirmed that while they can accept spousal applications before the primary worker's benefits begin, they recommend applying about 4-6 weeks before the first payment is scheduled. This gives them time to process the paperwork and have everything ready to go. She also mentioned something that might be helpful - if your wife applies online and doesn't hear anything for a few weeks, she should call to confirm they received it. Apparently their online system sometimes has glitches where applications don't get properly submitted, but you won't know unless you follow up. One more tip: when she fills out the online application, there's a question about "when do you want benefits to start" - she should put the same month as your first payment (January 2025 in your case). If she puts an earlier date, it could cause processing delays since spousal benefits can't actually start before the primary worker's benefits begin.

As someone who's been helping family members navigate Social Security for years, I wanted to add a few points that might save you some headaches. First, when your wife applies online, make sure she has all her documents ready beforehand - her Social Security card, birth certificate, and marriage certificate. The online system will ask for this info and having it handy speeds things up. Second, I've noticed that SSA processing times can vary dramatically by region. Some areas are much faster than others. If you're in a busy metropolitan area, expect longer delays. Rural offices often process things quicker but may have limited appointment availability. Third, and this is important - once your wife's spousal benefit starts, keep an eye on the first few payments to make sure the amount is correct. I've seen cases where the initial calculation was wrong and it took months to get corrected. If the amount seems off, don't wait - call immediately. Finally, for anyone else reading this thread who's in a similar situation: if you're close to Medicare enrollment age, coordinate that timing too. Sometimes people get so focused on the Social Security timing that they forget about Medicare deadlines, which can create expensive problems later. Good luck with everything - it sounds like you've got a solid plan based on all the great advice in this thread!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Yuki. Losing a parent is heartbreaking, and please don't feel guilty about not immediately handling government paperwork during such a traumatic time - that's completely normal and understandable. You've received excellent advice here, and I just wanted to add one small tip that helped me when my mother passed away last year. When you do get through to SSA (whether by phone or in person), ask them to email or mail you a summary of what was discussed and what steps they're taking. Having that written confirmation gave me such peace of mind that everything was properly documented. Also, if you're the executor of your father's estate or handling his affairs, you might want to ask SSA about getting a "no benefits due" letter once everything is resolved. Some financial institutions and other agencies ask for this documentation when closing accounts or transferring assets. You're handling this with such care and responsibility during an incredibly difficult time. Your father would be proud of how thoughtfully you're managing everything. Take care of yourself, and remember that this administrative piece is temporary - it will get resolved so you can focus on healing and remembering the wonderful memories you shared with your dad.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Yuki. Losing a parent is one of life's most profound losses, and please know that not thinking about government paperwork immediately is completely understandable - you were focused on what truly mattered during an incredibly difficult time. Reading through all the responses here, it's clear you've received excellent guidance from this community. You now have a solid plan: call SSA Monday at 8 AM, visit in person if phone calls don't work, bring certified copies of the death certificate, get everything documented in writing, and notify your bank about the upcoming reclamation. I wanted to add one small thing that helped me when my father passed - consider setting up a simple folder (physical or digital) to keep all the documentation related to this process together: copies of death certificates, confirmation numbers from SSA, bank records showing the reclamation, etc. When you're grieving, it's easy to misplace important paperwork, and having everything in one place can save stress later. You're handling this with such thoughtfulness and care. Your proactive approach shows tremendous responsibility during one of life's most challenging times. This administrative matter will be resolved properly, and then you can focus your energy on honoring your father's memory and taking care of yourself. The support you've received here really shows how this community comes together during difficult times. Wishing you peace as you navigate this process.

One more thing i learned the hard way - make sure you specificlly tell them you want your benefits to START in January. Don't just say you're applying for benefts AT age 70. If your birthday is in Jan. but you file in Dec. be VERY CLEAR about this!!!

As someone who just went through this process myself (turned 70 last month), I can confirm what others have said about the timing. I applied in November for December benefits and received my full DRCs, though it took about 2 months for the final adjustment to show up correctly. One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned - when you apply online or at the office, there's actually a specific question asking what month you want your benefits to BEGIN. Make sure you select January 2025, not December 2024. This prevents any confusion about whether you're trying to claim benefits before your 70th birthday. Also, keep copies of everything and take screenshots of your online application if you file that way. Having documentation makes it much easier to resolve any issues if they come up later.