To address your specific questions: 1. Yes, earnings from employment can affect survivor benefits, regardless of age. However, the 2025 annual earnings limit is $23,400, which a 16-year-old working part-time is unlikely to exceed. 2. If your son's benefits are reduced due to his earnings, that money is NOT redistributed to your other children. Each child's benefit is calculated independently based on the deceased parent's record. 3. You should report significant changes in earnings to SSA. For a teenager with a part-time job, you can typically report this at your annual review or if you anticipate earnings approaching the limit. 4. As mentioned by another commenter, be aware of the monthly earnings limit too (approximately $1,950 for 2025). Summer jobs with full-time hours could potentially trigger this even if annual earnings remain below the yearly limit. Encouraging your son to work is generally positive for his development, and at typical part-time teenage wages, the impact on benefits should be minimal or none.

One thing I want to add that might be helpful - when your son does start working, make sure he saves his pay stubs and W-2 forms. If SSA ever does a review (which they do periodically), having all the documentation organized will make the process much smoother. Also, since he's 16, this is actually a great opportunity to teach him about taxes and benefits - he'll need to understand how his earnings might affect things as he gets older and potentially transitions off survivor benefits. The work experience will be valuable for him regardless of any minor impact on benefits!

wait so if im understanding right as long as ur making less than the yearly limit ur totally fine? im making like 15k a year after retirement and havent reported anything

As someone who just went through this process myself, I'd recommend calling SSA even if you're under the limit. I was earning about $16,000 annually from freelance work after retirement and initially didn't report it since I was under the $22,320 threshold. However, when I finally called SSA (took several tries to get through), the representative was really helpful and put a note in my file documenting my work activity and estimated earnings. She explained that while reporting isn't required if you're under the limit, having it documented protects you if there are any questions later. She also mentioned that if my income increases unexpectedly during the year, I should call back to update my estimate. The peace of mind was worth the hassle of getting through to them!

One more important thing to understand: if they do withhold some of your benefits because you exceed the earnings limit, it's not lost forever. They'll recalculate and increase your monthly benefit when you reach your Full Retirement Age to account for the months they withheld benefits. And remember, the earnings limit only applies to wages or self-employment income. It doesn't apply to investment income, pension payments, or other non-work income. Good luck with your seasonal work pattern - sounds like you've got a good handle on it now!

Just wanted to add one more clarification that might help others reading this thread. The SSA actually uses your reported wages from your W-2 or Schedule SE (for self-employment) to determine if you've exceeded the earnings limit, not your gross pay from individual paychecks. So if you have pre-tax deductions like health insurance premiums or 401k contributions, those reduce your "countable" earnings for the earnings test. This can be helpful if you're close to the limit. Also, Grace, since you mentioned landscaping work - if any of that is self-employment income, make sure you're keeping good records and paying quarterly estimated taxes. The earnings test applies to net self-employment earnings after business expenses. The seasonal income pattern you described is actually pretty common, and as long as you track your annual total, you should be fine!

I went through this exact same process about 8 months ago! Here's what I learned: the timeline can really vary depending on your local SSA office's workload. Mine took about 5 weeks total - 3 weeks to process and then another 2 weeks for the Medicare card to arrive in the mail. One tip that really helped me: about 2 weeks after mailing, I called the main SSA number (1-800-772-1213) early in the morning around 8 AM when they first open. The wait times were much shorter then compared to calling later in the day. They were able to confirm they received my application and give me a rough timeline. Also, don't panic if your Medicare card doesn't arrive exactly on time - your coverage still starts on the first day of your birthday month regardless. I actually used my temporary Medicare number (which they can give you over the phone) for a doctor's appointment before my physical card arrived. Good luck with everything, and congratulations on your upcoming retirement!

I'm currently helping my elderly neighbor navigate this same process, and based on what I've learned from her experience and this thread, you're definitely on the right track! She mailed her application about 7 weeks ago and just received her Medicare card last week, so her total timeline was right in that 5-7 week range everyone's mentioning. A couple of additional tips I picked up while helping her: 1. **Keep copies of everything**: Make sure you have copies of all the forms you mailed in case you need to reference them later or if (worst case scenario) you need to resubmit 2. **Document your mailing date**: Since you mailed it last Tuesday, write that date down somewhere safe - it'll be helpful if you need to call and reference when you submitted everything 3. **Medicare.gov is your friend**: Once your Medicare enrollment is processed, you can also check your coverage details and find Part D plans on the official Medicare website The fact that you're asking these questions and staying proactive about the timeline shows you're well-prepared. With 2.5 months until your 65th birthday, you have plenty of buffer time even if there are any unexpected delays. Based on everyone's experiences here, it sounds like the system is working pretty consistently in that 4-6 week timeframe. You should be receiving your card well before you need it!

After reading through this thread, I think you're still well within normal processing times, but here's what I'd suggest as a next step: call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 during non-peak hours (try Wednesday-Friday in the afternoon) and simply ask for a status update. The representative can verify that: 1) Your application is actually in the system and processing (for peace of mind) 2) There are no outstanding issues requiring additional documentation 3) Everything is on track for your March payment If you've provided a phone number on your application, make sure to answer all calls, even from unknown numbers, as SSA representatives often call from blocked numbers when they need additional information. Missing their call could further delay processing.

I went through this exact same situation last year! Filed in early January and didn't get approved until mid-March. The waiting was torture because I had already given my employer notice and was counting on those benefits. A couple things that helped me stay sane during the wait: 1) I called once at the 6-week mark just to confirm they had everything they needed (they did) and the rep assured me it was just in the normal queue. 2) I kept detailed records of my application - confirmation numbers, dates, etc. - just in case I needed them later. 3) The backpay was automatic once approved, so I didn't lose any money, just had to wait longer for it. The hardest part is not knowing what's happening behind the scenes, but from everything I've read here and experienced myself, you're still in the normal range. Hang in there!