Update: I went back to the closer office (in the neighboring county) today, and guess what? They helped me with no problem! The rep even apologized for the misinformation I was given last time. They accepted my SSA-44 form and all my documentation showing our income drop after retirement. She said I should receive a decision letter in about 2-3 weeks. Thank you all for giving me the confidence to go back and try again!

Fantastic update! This is exactly why persistence pays off with Social Security issues. Your experience perfectly illustrates what many of us have been saying - the first person you talk to isn't always the most knowledgeable, and policies can be misunderstood or misapplied. For anyone else reading this thread who might face similar IRMAA issues: Mason's success story shows that retirement-related income drops ARE valid life-changing events, ANY Social Security office can help you (not just your county), and sometimes you just need to try again if you get incorrect information the first time. Hoping your appeal gets approved quickly and you get those surcharges removed retroactively. Thanks for coming back to update us - it really helps future folks who might search this community for IRMAA advice!

I'm really glad to see how this community came together to help you navigate such a complex situation, Oliver. Your plan sounds excellent based on all the detailed advice you've received here. One small additional tip that might save you some time: if you do end up visiting a local SSA office instead of calling, try to go early in the morning right when they open, or consider scheduling an appointment online if your local office offers that option. Walk-ins can sometimes wait hours, especially at the end of the month when benefit payments are processed. Also, when you do get your husband's PIA documentation, double-check that it includes any delayed retirement credits or special provisions that might have applied to his case. Sometimes these details can get overlooked but could affect your final survivor benefit amount. You've got a really solid strategy laid out, and it's clear you're approaching this thoughtfully despite dealing with such difficult circumstances. Best of luck with everything!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Oliver. What a difficult situation to navigate while you're still grieving. I wanted to add one more consideration to all the excellent advice you've received: since you mentioned living mostly on savings right now, you might want to factor in the impact of early withdrawal penalties or taxes on those savings when comparing the timing of your Social Security claiming strategies. If taking your reduced retirement benefit at 63 means you can preserve more of your savings (and avoid potential penalties), that could outweigh some of the reduction in monthly benefits. Conversely, if you can comfortably live on savings until your FRA without significant tax consequences, waiting might be better. Also, don't forget that once you start receiving Social Security benefits, up to 85% of those benefits could be taxable depending on your total income (including your part-time work). This is another factor to discuss with SSA when they run your scenarios. You're handling this incredibly well given the circumstances. The strategy you've outlined based on everyone's input sounds very sensible. I hope you're able to get through to SSA soon and get the exact numbers you need to make the final decision with confidence.

btw my aunt did get survivor benefits after my uncle died in prison. took almost 3 months to process tho so dont expect it right away if it happens. and she said they made her fill out extra forms but it worked out in the end

I want to add something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - if your husband does pass away while incarcerated, you'll need to apply for survivor benefits as soon as possible. There's no automatic conversion from your current retirement benefit to the higher survivor benefit. You'll need to contact SSA and specifically apply for widow's benefits. Also, make sure the prison has your current contact information so they can reach you if anything happens. The sooner you apply after a death, the sooner you can start receiving the higher benefit amount. Some people wait months or even years before applying, not realizing they need to take action. Don't let bureaucratic delays cost you money you're entitled to.

I'm so sorry for your loss and the financial stress you've been dealing with. As someone who went through a similar situation when my wife passed away, I completely understand your frustration about not knowing these rules earlier. Unfortunately, everyone here is correct about the 6-month retroactive limit - it's one of the most inflexible rules SSA has. Even if you have a compelling reason for not applying earlier (like not knowing you were eligible), they won't make exceptions. I tried everything when I was in your shoes, including getting my congressman's office involved, but the law is very clear on this point. That said, don't let this discourage you from applying immediately. At 62, even the reduced survivor benefit can provide significant financial relief, especially given what you've described about your current situation. And if your own retirement benefit would be higher at age 70, you can always switch strategies later. One tip: if you do decide to apply online, make sure you have a recent copy of your husband's Social Security statement if possible. It can help speed up the process. If you don't have it, SSA can look up his earnings record, but having documentation ready always helps. You've made it through three incredibly difficult years - you're stronger than you know. Getting these benefits will hopefully give you some breathing room while you plan your next steps.

I'm really sorry for your loss and what you've been going through financially. Unfortunately, as others have confirmed, the 6-month retroactive rule is absolute - even cases where people genuinely didn't know they were eligible don't get exceptions. I learned this when helping my sister navigate survivor benefits after her husband passed. Since you're 62 now and eligible for survivor benefits (even though reduced), I'd strongly encourage you to apply this week. Every month you delay is money you can't recover. The online application at ssa.gov is actually pretty straightforward - you'll need your marriage certificate, his death certificate, and his SSN. One thing to consider: run the numbers on taking survivor benefits now versus waiting until your FRA. If your own retirement benefit at 70 would be significantly higher than your survivor benefit, the "claim now, switch later" strategy might work well for your situation. You can create a my Social Security account to see your projected benefits. Given your current financial stress and the fact that you're earning under the limit, getting some monthly income flowing seems like the priority right now. You've already shown incredible resilience managing on your own for three years - this benefit can give you some breathing room while you plan your longer-term financial strategy.

I just helped my mom with this exact situation last month! She was applying for divorced spouse benefits after a 28-year marriage. We tried to argue that her REAL ID should be sufficient, but the SSA representative was very clear that they needed either a birth certificate OR a current passport for age verification. Since getting her birth certificate from out of state was going to take forever, we ended up ordering a certified copy online from her birth state's vital records website. Most states have online ordering now - it cost about $20-30 and took 10-14 business days. Way faster and less stressful than trying to coordinate with relatives! The online application let us upload the documents once we had them, which made the whole process much smoother. Don't let the birth certificate requirement delay your application - just order a fresh certified copy and you'll be all set!

Just wanted to add my recent experience - I applied for divorced spouse benefits 3 months ago and yes, they absolutely required a birth certificate. I tried to use my passport initially, but the SSA office said it was expired by just 2 months so they wouldn't accept it. Had to get a certified birth certificate copy from my state's vital records office online. The whole process took about 3 weeks from ordering to getting my benefits approved. One tip - when you order online, make sure to get the "long form" birth certificate if your state offers different versions, as SSA sometimes rejects the shorter abstract versions. Also, if you're planning to file online through my.ssa.gov, have all your documents ready to scan/upload because the system times out if you take too long between pages. Good luck with your application!