Update: I finally got through to SSA this morning after trying for days! They confirmed that yes, my February payment (for January) WILL include the 2025 COLA. The representative explained that what I'm seeing online is my base amount before the COLA adjustment. She said the online portal won't display the updated amount until my claim is fully processed in January. Mystery solved! Thanks everyone for your help.

That's fantastic that you got confirmation directly from SSA! This is such a common source of confusion for new retirees. Your experience really highlights why it's worth the effort to call and get official confirmation rather than relying on the online estimates during the transition period. Hopefully your post helps other people in similar situations understand that the COLA will automatically be included in their 2025 payments, even if they're just starting benefits. Enjoy your retirement!

my condolenses. i just want to add that when my mom was trying to get my dads benefits the funeral home actually helped her with some of the paperwork. they dealt with ss stuff all the time so maybe ask them if they have any advice?

I'm so sorry for your loss, Anastasia. Losing someone suddenly is incredibly difficult, and having to navigate bureaucracy during grief makes it even harder. Based on what others have shared, I'd strongly recommend calling SSA as soon as possible to schedule an appointment, even without the death certificate in hand. The wait times can be significant, so getting on their calendar now while you're waiting for the death certificate makes sense. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - you might want to contact your local SSA office directly in addition to the 1-800 number. Sometimes local offices have different availability or can provide more personalized guidance about their specific procedures and current wait times. Also, consider asking a trusted friend or family member to help you organize all the documents and maybe even accompany you to the appointment if possible. Having emotional support during this process can be invaluable, and an extra set of eyes can help ensure nothing gets missed. Take care of yourself during this difficult time. The financial aspects will get sorted out, but your wellbeing matters most right now.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with my mom (she's 65). Her husband passed away last month and we're trying to figure out her survivor benefits too. One thing I learned from the SSA office is that they sometimes quote percentages differently than we expect. When they told my mom she'd get "90% of his benefit," what they actually meant was 90% of what he was receiving at the time of death, but since he had delayed retirement credits from waiting until 70, that 90% was still more than his full retirement age amount would have been. Also, make sure your sister-in-law understands that if she switches to survivor benefits, she gives up her own retirement benefit. It's not additive - it's whichever is higher. The SSA rep should have explained this to her, but sometimes they assume people already know. Has she received her first survivor benefit payment yet, or is she just going off what the SSA rep told her during the application? Sometimes there's a difference between the initial estimate and the actual payment amount.

I work for a nonprofit that helps seniors navigate Social Security benefits, and this type of confusion comes up frequently. The 94% figure your sister-in-law mentioned is almost certainly not her actual reduction percentage for claiming survivor benefits early. Here's what likely happened: Since her husband waited until age 70 to claim, his benefit included delayed retirement credits that boosted it to about 132% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). When she claims survivor benefits at 63 and 2 months, she gets roughly 82% of his PIA due to the early claiming reduction. But 82% of his PIA might equal around 94% of what he was actually receiving monthly (since his actual benefit was inflated by delayed credits). So she's probably getting about $2,665 per month (82% of his PIA), which happens to be roughly 94% of his $3,250 monthly payment. The percentage she quoted refers to his actual payment, not the standard survivor benefit calculation. She should definitely review her MySocialSecurity account or award letter to see the exact calculation. Also confirm she understands that switching to survivor benefits means giving up her $1,100 retirement benefit - it's not both benefits combined.

I'm a Social Security claims specialist and can confirm that the representative you spoke with was completely incorrect. As a widow, you absolutely retain the right to choose between your own retirement benefit and your survivor benefit, and you can switch between them at any time to maximize your total lifetime benefits. The confusion likely stems from the 2015 changes to spousal benefits (for married couples), but those changes did NOT affect survivor benefits. The "deemed filing" rule that eliminates choice only applies to spousal benefits, not survivor benefits. Your proposed strategy - taking your own benefit now and switching to survivor benefits at FRA - is a legitimate and often recommended approach. However, before proceeding, I'd suggest getting exact benefit calculations for both scenarios: 1. Your current reduced retirement benefit vs. your full survivor benefit at FRA 2. Your current reduced survivor benefit vs. your delayed retirement benefit at age 70 When you call back, ask specifically for the "survivor benefits unit" and reference Section 404.335 of their regulations regarding benefit switching for survivors. Also request a written benefit estimate for both options. Don't accept verbal estimates - get everything in writing to avoid future confusion. I've seen this misinformation happen far too often, and it's concerning how many widows are getting incorrect guidance on such an important financial decision.

I'm so sorry you had to deal with that incorrect information during an already stressful time! As someone who recently went through the Social Security maze myself, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - you absolutely CAN take your own retirement benefit now and switch to survivor benefits at your FRA. The representative you spoke with was definitely wrong, and unfortunately this seems to happen way too often. I had to call three different times before getting someone who actually understood the survivor benefit rules correctly. What really helped me was calling early in the morning (around 8 AM) and specifically asking to be transferred to someone who specializes in survivor benefits. One thing I'd also suggest is logging into your MySocialSecurity account online before you call back - you can see estimates there for both your retirement benefit and survivor benefit amounts, which will help you ask better questions and verify that the representative is giving you accurate calculations. Don't give up! The rules are definitely on your side here, you just need to find someone at SSA who actually knows them. Wishing you the best of luck getting this sorted out properly.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to: 1. Gather documentation about when my vacation time was earned 2. Fill out that SSA-131 form to report it as a special payment 3. Try using Claimyr to actually reach someone at SSA (thanks for that tip!) 4. Continue tracking my monthly earnings carefully for the rest of 2025 It's such a relief to know the vacation pay likely won't count against me. This community has been more helpful than hours of reading the SSA website!

Great plan, Aaliyah! You're taking all the right steps. Just wanted to add one more tip - when you do connect with SSA, ask them to make a note in your file about the vacation pay discussion so there's a record of it. That way if any questions come up later, they'll have documentation of the conversation. Also, don't be discouraged if the first person you talk to isn't sure about the special payment rules - sometimes it takes speaking with a supervisor or someone more experienced with earnings test issues. The key is that you're being proactive about reporting everything correctly. You've got this! It sounds like you're handling a complicated situation really well.