I just went through this exact situation a few months ago! My SS retirement application was delayed for almost 10 weeks due to earnings verification, and I had to pay Medicare Part B premiums out of pocket during that time. Here's what I learned: definitely pay your Medicare bill right away! I was hesitant at first because I didn't want to pay twice, but several people warned me about the risk of losing coverage. When my SS benefits finally started, I got automatically reimbursed for all the premiums I had paid directly - it showed up as an adjustment in my first Social Security payment with a clear explanation. The reimbursement process was completely automatic - no forms to fill out, no phone calls needed. The system tracked everything and sorted it out once my benefits began. Since you mentioned part-time work, that's probably what's slowing your application down. Mine was delayed because they had to verify some old contract work I had reported. I'd recommend setting up automatic payments on medicare.gov so you don't have to worry about remembering to pay each month while waiting. Keep your payment confirmations just in case, but the reimbursement system works really well. Hang in there - the processing is slow but it does get resolved!

I'm in almost exactly the same situation! Filed for my SS retirement benefits in early January 2025, and I'm still waiting for approval while Medicare Part B bills keep arriving. Reading through all these responses has been so helpful - I was really stressed about whether to pay the premiums or wait for SS to handle it. The experiences everyone has shared here make it clear that paying the Medicare bill is definitely the safe choice. I was particularly reassured by hearing from people like Anna and Lilly who went through this recently and got automatic reimbursements once their SS benefits started. The fact that the system tracks your direct payments and adjusts your first SS payment accordingly sounds like it works pretty smoothly. I also have some freelance work from last year that I reported on my application, so that's probably why mine is taking longer too. It's frustrating to be in this limbo, but at least now I understand it's a common issue with earnings verification. I'm going to pay my Medicare bill today and set up automatic payments on medicare.gov like several people suggested. Thanks to everyone for sharing your real experiences - this community has been incredibly valuable for navigating this confusing process!

I'm going through this exact same transition this year (turning 70 in June) and have been researching this extensively. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also check your Medicare.gov account online about 2-3 weeks after your first SS payment to verify the billing transition happened correctly. In my case, I called Medicare's customer service line (1-800-MEDICARE) and they were able to put a note in my account about the upcoming transition to SS deductions. They said this helps prevent any confusion on their end when SSA notifies them to stop direct billing. Also, if you have Medicare Supplement insurance (Medigap), make sure to notify them about the payment method change too. Some Medigap insurers have automatic payment setups that sync with your Medicare premium billing, so they may need to adjust their systems as well. The whole process seems intimidating but from what I've researched, most people get through it without major issues. The key is just staying on top of the documentation and checking your accounts regularly during the transition period.

I'm going through this transition right now (turned 70 in December) and wanted to share what actually happened in my case since there's been some conflicting experiences shared here. I followed the advice to pay my quarterly Medicare bill as usual and applied for SS benefits 3 months early. However, what surprised me was that SSA started deducting Medicare premiums from my very first payment WITHOUT any advance notice, even though I had already paid for that quarter. The good news is that Medicare did eventually send me a refund check for the overlap period, but it took almost 4 months to arrive. During that time, I was definitely worried I'd lost that money. My advice based on actual experience: 1) Definitely pay your quarterly bill as normal 2) When you apply for SS, be very specific about requesting a delayed start for Medicare deductions if you want to avoid overlap 3) Set up online accounts for both SSA and Medicare so you can monitor the transition in real-time 4) Keep detailed records of every payment - both what you pay directly and what gets deducted The process does work out in the end, but there can be some bumpy months during the transition. Don't panic if things seem confusing at first - just stay organized and persistent in following up.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I've gone ahead and applied online, requesting benefits to start in the month I reach FRA. I'm relieved to know I'll get the full month's benefit even though my birthday is on the 23rd. This forum has been more helpful than hours of trying to get through to SSA!

Welcome to the community! Great to see you got your application submitted successfully. You made the right choice requesting benefits to start in your FRA month. Just a heads up - after you submit your online application, you should receive a confirmation receipt number. Keep that handy in case you need to follow up on your application status. The processing time can vary, but most straightforward FRA applications are processed within a few weeks. You can check your application status online using your my Social Security account. Best of luck with your retirement!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation and want to add some practical advice based on my experience. I retired from banking at 62 and started substitute teaching in Texas, which also doesn't participate in Social Security for teachers. Here's what I learned after spending months worried about this exact issue: 1. Kentucky's Teacher Retirement System requires 5 years of service credit to vest. As a substitute working 2-3 days per week, you're probably earning about 0.4-0.5 years of service credit per school year. You'd need to work well over a decade to vest. 2. I called SSA multiple times and they confirmed that WEP only applies if you actually receive a monthly pension from the non-covered employment. Just paying into the system doesn't trigger it. 3. Your my.ssa.gov account won't show potential WEP reductions unless you're actually receiving a non-SS pension. The system assumes normal benefit calculations until there's an actual pension to factor in. 4. With 35+ years of substantial SS earnings, even if WEP somehow applied later, your reduction would be minimal due to the substantial earnings exception. The bottom line: enjoy your substitute teaching without worry. You're extremely unlikely to work long enough to earn a Kentucky pension, and your SS benefits should calculate normally based on your corporate career. I've been subbing for two years now and love the flexibility and purpose it provides in retirement!

As someone who recently navigated this exact situation, I can share some reassurance! I retired from IT management at 62 and started substitute teaching in Ohio (also a non-SS state for teachers). I was initially terrified about WEP implications until I did deep research and spoke with SSA. The key insight that gave me peace of mind: WEP is triggered by receiving an actual pension, not just contributing to a non-SS system. Most state teacher retirement systems require 5+ years to vest, and as a part-time substitute, you're earning fractional service credit each year. I've been subbing for 18 months now at about the same frequency as you (2-3 days/week) and according to my district's HR, I'm earning roughly 0.4 years of service credit per school year. At that rate, I'd need to substitute until I'm about 75 to even qualify for a minimal pension - which definitely isn't my plan! Your 35+ years of substantial SS earnings actually work strongly in your favor. Even in the unlikely scenario that you eventually earned a small teacher pension, the WEP reduction would be minimal due to your extensive SS-covered work history. I'd still recommend calling SSA for official confirmation (I used that Claimyr service another poster mentioned to skip the hold times), but mathematically, your situation looks very safe. Enjoy the substitute teaching - it's been one of the most rewarding parts of my retirement!

One additional thing I should mention - when your application is approved, you'll receive an official award letter by mail detailing your benefit amount and payment schedule. This typically arrives about a week after the online status changes to approved. Make sure your mailing address is current in your MySocialSecurity profile. Also, I highly recommend setting up direct deposit through your online account if you haven't already. Even if your application is still processing, you can set this up now to ensure your payments arrive promptly once approved.

As someone who went through this process last year, I can share that 6 weeks is actually pretty standard timing. Mine took about 7 weeks total, and like others mentioned, it stayed on "processing" the entire time until suddenly it switched to approved. One thing that helped me stay sane during the wait was remembering that your benefit amount is calculated from when you filed (November 7th), not when they finish processing it. So you're not losing any money by waiting. Since you're turning 66 in February, you actually filed at a good time - gives them plenty of runway to process before your FRA. I'd say if you hit the 8-week mark with no updates, then maybe consider other options like contacting your representative's office, but for now you're still well within normal timeframes. Hang in there - the wait is frustrating but it sounds like everything is progressing normally!