As someone who's 67 and had been planning to wait until 71 to file (thinking I was being smart about maximizing benefits), this entire thread has been a massive wake-up call! I honestly had no idea that Social Security benefits don't start automatically or that there's such a strict 6-month limit on retroactive payments after age 70. Reading about people permanently losing $30,000+ in benefits they'll never recover is absolutely terrifying - and infuriating that the SSA doesn't make this crystal clear to everyone approaching retirement. I was completely under the impression that delaying past 70 would continue to increase my benefits somehow, but now I understand I would have been throwing money away every single month past my 70th birthday. The real experiences shared here - like KaiEsmeralda's husband getting only 6 months back despite waiting until 70.5, and Millie's client losing over $30K by waiting until 73 - are worth more than any official government pamphlet. I'm immediately revising my retirement timeline to file right at 70 and will be applying online 3 months beforehand as recommended. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - you've literally saved me from making what could have been a $50,000+ mistake over the years I was planning to delay! I'll definitely be sharing this thread with my retirement planning group because this information is too important to keep to ourselves.

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening for someone like me who's just starting to research Social Security! I'm 61 and honestly had no idea that benefits don't automatically start or that there's such a strict 6-month retroactive limit after age 70. Reading all these real experiences about people permanently losing $30,000+ is both shocking and really important information that clearly isn't being communicated well by the SSA. I was actually considering waiting until 71 or 72 to maximize my benefits, but now I understand that would be a huge financial mistake! The practical tips shared here - like applying online 3 months before turning 70, saving the application confirmation, and the recommendation about Claimyr for getting through to SSA - are incredibly valuable. It's really concerning that so many people are discovering these critical details through community discussions rather than clear government outreach. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - you're potentially saving newcomers like me from making very costly errors. I'll definitely be setting calendar reminders to file right at 70 and sharing this information with my spouse and friends approaching retirement!

I'm also in the same boat - filed my retirement application in early November and still waiting for any word from SSA! It's been almost 8 weeks now and my MySocialSecurity account still just says "processing" with no additional details. I was really starting to worry that something went wrong, but reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. It sounds like 6-8 weeks is just the new reality despite their misleading 30-day estimate on the website. I'm also planning to start benefits in January, so I'm crossing my fingers that the processing delay won't affect my payment timeline. The worst part is the complete lack of communication - you'd think they could at least send an email acknowledging they received the application or giving a more realistic timeframe. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories - it really helps to know we're all going through this together!

I'm also going through this exact same situation! Filed my retirement application in mid-November and still haven't received any updates. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I was starting to think something went wrong with my application, but it's clear that 6-8 weeks is just the new normal despite what their website claims. Like others mentioned, my MySocialSecurity account just shows "processing" with no helpful details whatsoever. I'm also hoping to start benefits in January, so it's really reassuring to hear from people like Evan and Amy that the processing delay shouldn't affect the actual benefit start date as long as we filed before January. The waiting is definitely anxiety-inducing, especially with such poor communication from SSA, but this community discussion has been invaluable for peace of mind. Hopefully we'll all hear something soon!

As someone who just went through this exact situation 6 months ago, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - your high income years will NOT reduce your Social Security benefits! I had similar anxiety about filing after having my best earning years right before retirement. What I learned is that Social Security uses a completely different calculation than Medicare IRMAA. Your SS benefit is based on your highest 35 years of indexed earnings, so those $185K years will likely INCREASE your monthly payment by replacing lower-earning years from earlier in your career. The confusion is totally understandable since both programs look at your income, but they use it very differently. IRMAA is just a surcharge on your Medicare premiums based on recent tax returns, while your SS benefit calculation looks at your entire work history. Since you're filing at your FRA and not working anymore, you're in the best possible position - no earnings test, no reduction in benefits, and those high-income years working in your favor. Go ahead and file with confidence!

I completely understand your confusion - this is one of the most common misconceptions about Social Security! The key thing to remember is that your pre-retirement income actually HELPS your Social Security benefit calculation, not hurts it. Social Security uses your highest 35 years of earnings (adjusted for inflation) to calculate your benefit. Those $185,000 years will likely replace some of your lower-earning years from earlier in your career, potentially giving you a higher monthly payment than you would have received otherwise. The IRMAA surcharges you mentioned are completely separate - they only affect your Medicare Part B and Part D premiums, not your actual Social Security benefit amount. It's an unfortunate naming similarity that causes a lot of confusion. Since you're filing at your Full Retirement Age (66) and you've stopped working, there's absolutely no reason to delay. You won't face any earnings test restrictions, and your benefit amount is locked in based on your work history. Those high-income consulting years were actually a gift to your future Social Security payments! I'd recommend going ahead and filing - you've earned those benefits and there's no penalty for having done well financially in your final working years.

I'm dealing with a very similar situation and wanted to thank everyone for sharing their experiences - this thread has been incredibly valuable! My husband is 63 and we're trying to decide whether he should file for early retirement benefits or wait, given that we have a disabled adult daughter who would qualify for DAC benefits. Reading through all these responses, it's clear that the timing of the primary worker's filing has a huge impact on total family benefits due to the family maximum rules. The fact that the reduced early retirement benefit counts against the maximum (leaving less for auxiliary beneficiaries) is something I never would have understood without this discussion. @Eleanor Foster - I'm curious about one thing from your experience: when you spoke with SSA and got that breakdown showing the 175% family maximum, did they provide that information in writing, or was it just verbal? I'm wondering if I should specifically request written documentation of these calculations before my husband files, so we have a clear understanding of what to expect. Also, has anyone here found that different SSA field offices provide more helpful explanations than others? I'm wondering if it's worth visiting multiple offices or if the quality of information is generally consistent across locations. This whole situation really highlights how important it is to understand these complex interactions before making irreversible filing decisions!

I'm a newcomer to this community but unfortunately not new to dealing with Social Security's complex benefit calculations. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both enlightening and frustrating - it's clear that so many families are blindsided by how the Family Maximum Benefit rules actually work in practice. What strikes me most is how the system seems designed to be opaque rather than transparent. The fact that multiple SSA representatives give different explanations for the same situation suggests either inadequate training or intentionally confusing policies. Either way, it places an unfair burden on families who are already dealing with significant care responsibilities. I wanted to add one resource that hasn't been mentioned yet: the National Organization of Social Security Claimants' Representatives (NOSSCR) maintains a directory of attorneys who specialize in Social Security issues. While most people think of SS attorneys only for disability denials, some also provide consultations for complex benefit calculations like family maximum situations. Given that these filing decisions are irreversible and can cost families thousands of dollars over time, a one-time consultation fee might be worth it for the peace of mind and accurate calculations. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so openly - it's helping families like mine make more informed decisions about our own timing strategies.

I'm currently going through the Medicare enrollment process myself and found this thread really helpful! One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my benefits counselor - if you're currently on an employer health plan, make sure you understand how the timing works with dropping that coverage versus when your Medicare kicks in. My HR department told me that some people accidentally create a gap in coverage by dropping their employer plan too early, or they end up with overlapping coverage and pay double premiums for a month or two. Since your Medicare coverage starts the first day of your birth month regardless of when the card arrives, you want to coordinate the timing carefully. Also, I second what others said about calling early in the morning - I got through in about 15 minutes when I called right at 8 AM, versus over an hour wait when I tried calling in the afternoon. Good luck with everything, and it sounds like you're well ahead of the timeline!

I just wanted to share my recent experience since I went through this exact same process about 3 months ago! I mailed my Social Security and Medicare application in late November and received my Medicare card in early January - so about 6 weeks total. Here's what helped me during the waiting period: 1. I set up my Social Security online account about 2 weeks after mailing, and my application showed up in the system around the 3-week mark 2. Called the 1-800-772-1213 number at exactly 8 AM on a Tuesday and only waited about 10 minutes (versus the hour+ waits I experienced calling later in the day) 3. They were able to confirm receipt and give me a timeline over the phone The most stressful part was just the uncertainty, but once I could see the application in my online account, I felt much better. Your timeline sounds perfect with 2.5 months to go - I had much less time and everything worked out fine! One tip: if your doctor needs Medicare info before your card arrives, Social Security can give you your Medicare number over the phone once your application is approved. That was a lifesaver for me since I had a scheduled appointment. Don't worry too much about the mailed application - the vast majority get processed without issues. You should be all set well before your 65th birthday!