How am I doing so far? what could be improved?

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

Good luck to your Mom starting work in what I presume is her old age. I hope she has plenty of stamina. Now make sure her Social Security taxes get paid to help her qualify for SS.

I believe one must have 40 quarters to be eligible for Social Security, normally. Patient Saver was probably thinking of the fact that the surviving spouse of a Social Security recipient can collect SS based on the dead spouse's eligibility. However, both partners cannot collect on the same account while both are still living. Neither can the surviving spouse collect on both their own and the dead spouse's account.

Does Social Security have your father's work record correct? His check is very low for someone who was able to help put you (and your siblings?) through college. But perhaps he had other earnings in his lifetime that were not part of the Social Security program's record. If you think there is any chance Social Security has made a mistake, please see if your Dad has records of his work life. Have him review the records SS has. Perhaps they are missing something.

My own father was turned down for SS, with the explanation that he had not worked enough quarters in jobs where he paid SS tax. However, an alert SS worker found a decades old note in his file wherein it was documented that an employer had criminally neglected to submit the taxes. My father was actually given credit for those extra quarters, which made him eligible for Social Security. So mistakes do get made, but can be rectified.