I'm new to this community but found this thread while searching for answers about my own SSA application delay. Applied online in mid-January for April 2025 benefits and like everyone else here, I've had zero communication beyond the initial confirmation email. My mySocialSecurity account just shows "processing" with no status updates. Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly reassuring - I was starting to panic that something had gone wrong with my application! The information about the December systems issues really explains what so many of us are experiencing. It sounds like 8-10 weeks of complete silence is unfortunately the new normal with SSA processing. I'm going to try the early morning phone call strategy that several people mentioned, and I'll also check out that Claimyr service Jamal recommended. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines - it's so helpful to know we're not alone in this frustrating waiting period!

I'm new to this community but dealing with a very similar situation! Applied online in early January for March 2025 benefits and haven't heard anything beyond the initial confirmation email. My mySocialSecurity account just shows "processing" with no updates whatsoever. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been such a relief - I was convinced my application had somehow been lost or rejected! The information about the December systems issues is particularly eye-opening and explains why so many of us are experiencing this communication blackout. It's frustrating that 8-10 weeks of complete silence has become the norm, but at least knowing that benefits still get processed and backdated correctly gives me some peace of mind. I'm definitely going to try the early morning phone call strategy and maybe check out that Claimyr service that was mentioned. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines - it's incredibly helpful to know we're all in the same boat with these processing delays!

Hi Isaac! As a new member here, I just wanted to say congratulations on your upcoming retirement and thank you for asking this question! I'm about 2 years away from retirement myself and had been wondering about this exact same thing. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational - it's amazing to see such a supportive community with so many people sharing their real experiences rather than just guessing. The consistent advice about calling your bank first really stands out, and it's encouraging to see successful examples from so many different financial institutions. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread for when I need to set up my own benefits! Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like savings accounts work perfectly fine with SSA as long as you do that upfront communication with your bank. Thanks again for starting such a helpful discussion, and best of luck with your setup!

Hi Isaac! Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! As someone who's been receiving Social Security benefits in my savings account for the past year and a half, I can absolutely confirm that it works perfectly fine! The SSA rep you spoke with was unfortunately giving you incomplete information - this seems to happen more often than it should, and I think it's because most reps are just more familiar with checking account setups since that's what the majority of people choose. I've had my monthly benefits deposited into my high-yield savings account at Marcus by Goldman Sachs without a single issue. The setup process was straightforward - I just needed my account number and routing number when I applied online through the SSA portal. The most important advice I can give you (and this echoes what everyone else has said) is to call your bank FIRST before setting up the direct deposit. Let them know you'll be receiving regular monthly government deposits. This prevents any potential fraud alerts or payment holds that could cause delays or headaches later. I'm earning about $4-6 per month in interest, which adds up to roughly $60-70 per year. While that might not seem like a lot, every dollar counts when you're on a fixed income! Just keep in mind the federal transaction limits on savings accounts (typically 6 withdrawals per month), but if you're planning to let the money accumulate like I do, it's perfect. Don't let that rep's uncertainty discourage you from using your preferred account type. You've gotten excellent advice from this community - this thread has been incredibly helpful to read through! Best of luck with your setup, and happy early 67th birthday! 🎉

As someone who just joined this community while frantically searching for SSA callback advice, this thread has been an absolute lifesaver! I'm currently on day 2 of waiting for my own callback after finally getting through at exactly 8am (thanks to all the advice I found here), and reading your success story gives me so much hope that persistence really does pay off. I'm dealing with a question about my late father's Social Security record that's affecting my survivor benefits calculation, and I was starting to panic that I'd never get through to anyone who could help. But seeing that you not only got your callback but actually had your underpayment resolved with a clear 30-day timeline is incredibly reassuring. The tip about calling right at 8am really seems to be the magic formula - I tried calling randomly for weeks before that with no luck. It's also helpful to know that callbacks do roll over to the next business day when they can't get through everyone before closing. Thank you so much for taking the time to come back and update everyone with your positive outcome. Stories like yours are exactly what newcomers like me need to hear when this whole process feels so overwhelming and impossible!

As someone who just discovered this community while dealing with my own SSA frustrations, this entire thread has been incredibly helpful and encouraging! I've been putting off calling about a question regarding my Medicare Part B enrollment for weeks because everything I read online made it sound absolutely hopeless. But seeing your success story and all the practical advice shared here gives me the confidence to finally try the callback system. The consistent advice about calling exactly at 8am seems to be the golden strategy that everyone who succeeded used. I'm also taking notes on all the other tips shared - having someone trustworthy ready to answer if needed, watching for those 800/866/877 callback numbers, and understanding that callbacks do roll over to the next business day. It's so reassuring to see that despite all the frustrations with wait times and understaffing, when people do finally get through, SSA representatives are generally helpful and can resolve issues efficiently. Your underpayment getting fixed with a clear 30-day timeline is exactly the kind of positive outcome that gives hope to the rest of us still navigating this system. Thanks for taking the time to update everyone with your success - it really makes all the difference for newcomers like me who were starting to feel like the system was designed to make us give up!

This thread has been absolutely incredible! I'm a newcomer here but found this discussion while researching my own situation. I'm 64 and divorced after 22 years of marriage, with my ex being 3 years younger. I've been so confused about the timing requirements, but reading everyone's real experiences has cleared up so much uncertainty. The consistent message that you can file at YOUR FRA regardless of your ex's age or filing status is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips about document preparation, early morning calls to SSA, and asking specifically about "restricted applications." It's reassuring to see a community where people share actual experiences rather than just speculation. I'm feeling much more confident about moving forward with my application when I reach my FRA next year. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their stories - this kind of peer support is invaluable when navigating such a complex system!

As someone who just went through this process successfully, I wanted to add my experience to this incredibly helpful thread! I was in almost the exact same situation - divorced after 29 years, I'm 3 years older than my ex-husband. I filed for ex-spouse benefits when I reached my FRA (66 and 8 months) while my ex was still 63. The SSA representative confirmed immediately that I didn't need to wait for him to file or reach his FRA. The whole process took about 5 weeks from application to first payment. One thing I'd recommend is when you call SSA, specifically mention "divorced spouse benefits" rather than just "spousal benefits" - the terminology seems to help them understand your situation faster. Also, I found it helpful to have my ex-husband's Social Security number ready, which was on our old tax returns. The relief of having that steady income has been life-changing after the uncertainty of divorce. You're absolutely on the right track, and this community's advice is spot-on!

As someone completely new to this system, I'm finding this thread incredibly helpful! I'm still many years away from needing to navigate Social Security and Medicare myself, but seeing all these real experiences has already taught me so much about what to expect. What's really striking is how the official government resources seem to miss so many of these practical details that everyone's sharing. Like the fact that you can coordinate both applications together, or how important it is to be super specific about your timing in the remarks section. These are exactly the kinds of insider tips that make all the difference! I'm definitely going to bookmark this discussion and start educating myself early rather than waiting until I'm scrambling to figure everything out at the last minute. The pattern I'm seeing is that people who were thorough with documentation and followed up proactively had much smoother experiences. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - both the successes and the cautionary tales - it's giving newcomers like me a much clearer picture of how to prepare for this process!

As someone who's also new to navigating these government systems, this entire thread has been incredibly educational! I'm still several years away from needing to deal with Social Security and Medicare myself, but reading through everyone's real-world experiences has already given me so much insight that I never would have found in the official government resources. What really stands out to me is how crucial the timing coordination between Social Security and Medicare applications can be, and how much attention to detail matters - especially being very specific in that remarks section about your preferred start dates. The contrast between the success stories (where people got exactly what they requested) and the more challenging experiences (where lack of specificity led to complications) really drives home the importance of being thorough and proactive. I'm definitely going to start a reference file now with all these practical tips for when I eventually need them. The advice about documenting everything, following up to confirm your requests were processed correctly, and being as detailed as possible in your application seems invaluable. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - it's given newcomers like me such a clearer understanding of how to approach this process when the time comes!