One more important point regarding your husband's situation: Since he has a CSRS pension, he's significantly impacted by WEP. However, had he been under FERS (Federal Employees Retirement System), which began in 1987, the impact would have been less since FERS employees pay into Social Security. If he has exactly 27 years of substantial earnings under Social Security, his WEP reduction should be 65% of the full WEP penalty (rather than 100%). For 2025, with the maximum WEP reduction being approximately $621 per month, his actual reduction should be around $403 per month (65% of $621). If he's seeing a larger reduction, it's definitely worth requesting a recalculation. Also, keep in mind that as of January 2025, the substantial earnings threshold is $33,750.

my dad just gave up trying to fight this... said its not worth the stress at his age. sucks that they can just take money he earned!

this happened to my aunt last year! the ssa people told her different things every time she called! one said she would get her husbands full amount, another said it would be reduced cause she was only 62. so frustrating! she ended up getting most of his benefit but not all of it. the whole process took like 3 months.

Thank you everyone for your helpful advice. I called the local office this morning and explained my situation. They were able to move my appointment up to next week after I mentioned I was recently widowed. I'm going to bring all the documents suggested and have made a list of questions based on your comments. I'm also going to try that phone service if I need to call again before my appointment. This is all so overwhelming on top of the grief, but I feel more prepared now. I'll update after my appointment in case it helps someone else in the future.

I just want to add one more important piece of advice: when your benefits are finally approved, double-check the retroactive payment carefully. Processing center delays often result in calculation errors for the back payments. Make sure they've properly calculated benefits from your initial filing date in September, not just from when they finally process the claim. Also, verify that both your widow's benefits and your daughter's benefits are calculated correctly. Many people don't realize that a surviving spouse caring for a minor child under 16 is entitled to benefits equal to 75% of the deceased worker's PIA, while the child is entitled to 75% as well (subject to family maximum limits). Likewise, ensure you've received the $255 lump sum death payment. It's small but often overlooked during problematic claims processing.

I want to thank everyone for the helpful advice. I called my Congressional Representative this morning and spoke with a caseworker who was incredibly helpful. She took all my information and said she'd submit an official inquiry to SSA today. She also gave me her direct number for follow-up. I'm also going to try that Claimyr service to reach someone at SSA directly so I can request the "critical case" flag and ask to speak with a Technical Expert or District Manager. I'll keep you all posted on what happens. It helps to know I'm not alone in this frustrating process.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I've scheduled an appointment at my local SSA office for next week. I'm bringing all the documents suggested (marriage certificate, his death certificate, birth certificate, etc.). Based on everyone's advice, I think I'll apply for survivor benefits now even though some might be withheld due to my earnings. I'm really grateful to learn about the strategy of taking survivor benefits now and switching to my own retirement benefit later. That was never on my radar!If anyone has recommendations about specific questions I should ask during my appointment, I'd appreciate the advice. I want to make sure I don't miss anything important.

Great decision! Here are key questions to ask at your appointment:1. Ask for a benefit estimate printout showing both your survivor benefit amount AND your own retirement benefit projected to ages 67 and 702. Confirm that you're filing a \

Your February payment should arrive on a specific schedule based on either your birth date or your late husband's birth date (whichever the claim is based on). The payment schedule for 2025 is: - Birth dates 1st-10th: Second Wednesday of month - Birth dates 11th-20th: Third Wednesday of month - Birth dates 21st-31st: Fourth Wednesday of month If benefits started before May 1997, payment comes on the 3rd of the month. Mark your calendar for the appropriate Wednesday in February to expect your full survivor benefit payment.

One more thing about survivor benefits nobody told me - they're taxable if your combined income exceeds certain thresholds. For 2025, if you file as an individual and your combined income is between $25,000 and $34,000, up to 50% of your benefits may be taxable. Above $34,000, up to 85% may be taxable. Caught me by surprise at tax time!