I went through this exact same situation last year! Like others mentioned, it's completely normal for there to be a delay. What helped ease my anxiety was setting a calendar reminder for mid-April to check again. That way I wasn't constantly worrying about it but also wouldn't forget to follow up if needed. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking when you're used to seeing your earnings update promptly, but the system just needs time to process everything from millions of employers across the country.

I'm new to checking my Social Security earnings record and just had the same exact worry! My 2024 earnings are also showing as $0 even though I worked all year. Reading through everyone's responses here is so helpful - I had no idea this was such a common concern or that there's always this 2-3 month delay. It makes perfect sense when you think about how many W-2s need to be processed nationwide. I'm going to follow the advice about setting a calendar reminder for April and checking with my HR department first if nothing shows up by then. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this exact situation about 2 years ago. Your understanding about the retroactive timeline looks correct - you'll get June through November 2024 as your 6-month lookback, plus December 2024 forward. One thing I wish someone had told me: bring a calculator to your appointment! The SSA representative will walk you through the GPO calculation, but it's helpful to verify their math on the spot. They take 2/3 of your GROSS monthly government pension (before any deductions) and subtract that from your potential survivor benefit. Also, ask them specifically about when you can expect to receive your first payment versus the retroactive lump sum - they sometimes come separately. In my case, the retroactive payment took about 8 weeks to arrive after approval, while my regular monthly benefits started the following month. Good luck with your appointment!

One thing I'd add about your appointment preparation - make sure you have documentation showing the exact start date of your government pension payments. SSA needs to know when your government pension began because GPO only applies to months when you're actually receiving the pension. If there was any gap between when you became eligible and when payments started, that could affect the calculation. Also, since you mentioned you're 3 years past FRA, double-check that you understand how your survivor benefit amount was calculated. At FRA and beyond, you should be getting 100% of your husband's benefit amount (before GPO reduction), but sometimes people get confused about whether they're looking at his benefit at his death versus what it would be at your current age. The SSA rep should clarify this, but it's good to go in knowing what to expect. Finally, ask about the appeals process during your appointment. Even though you've done your math and think you'll receive about $1,050/month after GPO, if their calculation seems way off, you'll want to know your options for challenging it right away rather than discovering issues later.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really sorry to hear about your situation. What strikes me most is how the SSA kept giving you different benefit amounts and explanations over such a long period - that's not how a competent system should work. A few suggestions that might help with your appeal: 1. **Get everything in writing** - When you finally reach someone at SSA, don't just rely on phone conversations. Ask them to mail you a detailed explanation of the calculation change. 2. **Request a technical review** - Beyond the standard appeal, you can request that SSA's technical staff review the calculation. Sometimes the front-line workers make errors that the technical team can catch. 3. **Consider contacting your state's SSA advocacy office** - Many states have offices that help people navigate SSA issues. They're often more knowledgeable about complex situations like yours. The fact that you received consistent payments for 18+ months and your online account shows no overpayments suggests this might be SSA trying to "correct" something that wasn't actually wrong. Don't let them bully you into accepting this reduction without a fight. Document everything, appeal immediately, and keep pushing for clear explanations. You've got this!

As someone new to this community, I'm really disturbed by your story. The fact that SSA kept you on the same benefit amount for 18+ months and then suddenly claimed it was "incorrect" raises serious red flags about their internal processes. Here are some specific steps I'd recommend for your appeal: 1. **Request a "reconsideration interview"** - This is different from just filing paperwork. You can speak directly with a decision-maker about your case and ask pointed questions about why this took 18 months to discover. 2. **Get your Master Beneficiary Record (MBR)** - This is the complete electronic file SSA keeps on you. You can request it through FOIA and it will show every calculation and adjustment they've made, including dates and reasons. 3. **Challenge the timing** - In your appeal, specifically question why an "error" of this magnitude wasn't caught by their quality control systems earlier. Ask for documentation of when exactly they discovered this supposed mistake and what triggered the review. 4. **Protect against future overpayment claims** - Even though your account shows no overpayments now, they might try to claim you owe money later. In your appeal, specifically request confirmation that you won't be held responsible for any "overpayments" resulting from their own calculation errors. The inconsistent benefit letters you received (first $1454+$841, then $2145) suggest their systems were confused from the start. This isn't your fault - it's their responsibility to get it right the first time. Don't let them make you pay for their mistakes!

As someone who navigated a similar situation, I'd strongly recommend contacting a WIPA counselor before making any decisions. They can run personalized scenarios based on your specific benefits and earnings projections. One thing to consider that hasn't been mentioned - if you do start working and find you can't sustain it, there's something called "Unsuccessful Work Attempt" (UWA) provisions that can protect you if you have to stop working due to your disability within 6 months. Given your unpredictable condition, this could be relevant. Also, since you're so close to FRA, you might want to calculate whether the potential earnings during TWP months plus any reduced benefits during EPE would actually exceed just waiting 14 months. Sometimes the math doesn't work out as well as it initially appears, especially when you factor in taxes and potential impacts on other benefits.

I'm in a very similar situation - 64 and on SSDI with about 18 months until my FRA. What really helped me was creating a spreadsheet to track everything before I even started considering work. I included columns for TWP months used, earnings, benefit amounts, and estimated taxes. One thing I learned from my research is that you can actually check how many TWP months you've already used (if any) by calling SSA or checking online - many people don't realize they might have used some in the past without knowing it. Also, if you do decide to move forward, consider starting with just a few hours per week to test both your physical capacity and how well you can manage the reporting requirements. The documentation advice from others here is spot-on. I keep a simple monthly log with dates worked, hours, gross pay, and copies of all communications with SSA. It's tedious but gives peace of mind. Have you looked into whether your profession offers any flexible arrangements that might make the work more sustainable for your health condition?

That's a good point. She did work for about 25 years as a teacher in a private school, but I think her own benefit calculation was quite a bit lower than even the 50% she gets from Uncle Frank's record. Still worth checking though!

I'm so sorry for your family's loss. This is definitely a stressful time to be dealing with benefit questions, but you're being such a good advocate for your aunt. Just wanted to add that when she calls SSA, she should also ask about any potential lump-sum death benefit ($255) that she might be eligible for as the divorced spouse. It's not a huge amount, but every bit helps during this transition period. Also, if she's feeling overwhelmed by the phone process, many local SSA offices allow walk-ins for urgent matters like survivor benefit applications - sometimes that can be faster than trying to get through on the phone, especially given the current wait times people are experiencing.