One thing I forgot to mention - if you created a my Social Security account online (ssa.gov/myaccount), you might get updates there before you receive anything by mail. Also, make sure your mailing address is current with SSA, as they often send requests for additional information by mail without calling or emailing. I've seen people's applications delayed for months because they missed a letter requesting one simple document.

I'm going through something similar right now - applied in mid-February and it's been radio silence since then. The lack of communication is honestly the most stressful part. I keep checking the website hoping for ANY update but nothing changes. It's good to see from everyone's experiences that this seems to be normal, even though it's frustrating. I'm trying to stay patient but it's hard when you're planning your finances around this income. Thanks for posting this question - it's reassuring to know others are dealing with the same waiting game!

Thank you all for the advice! I've decided I'm going to: 1. Contact a WIPA counselor first before making any decisions 2. Keep detailed records of everything if I do start working 3. Stay well under the SSDI TWP threshold at first (maybe $800/month max) 4. Report any income immediately both online and by calling 5. Save 30% of anything I earn in case there are any issues later I'm still nervous but feel much better informed now. Will update how it goes when I meet with the WIPA person.

One thing I didn't see mentioned - make sure to understand how your work affects any other benefits you might have. I'm also in California and learned the hard way that working can impact: - CalFresh (food stamps) - they have their own income reporting requirements - Medi-Cal (if you have it) - might switch you to a different category - Section 8 housing assistance - they want to know about ALL income changes - Utility assistance programs like LIHEAP Each program has different rules and timelines for reporting. Some want immediate notification, others monthly. I made the mistake of only focusing on SSA reporting and got in trouble with my housing authority for not reporting quickly enough. Also, if you're getting any state disability benefits (SDI) in addition to federal, those have completely separate rules too. Just wanted to add this since navigating multiple benefit programs while working gets really complicated fast. Your WIPA counselor should be able to help with this too, but it's worth asking specifically about ALL your benefits, not just SSDI/SSI.

Update us when you finally get this resolved! These bureaucrats need to be held accountable for making grieving families jump through hoops for money they're owed!!!

I'm sorry for your loss. This is unfortunately a common issue that many families face. The good news is that you're absolutely entitled to that March payment since your husband was alive for the entire month. A few suggestions that might help speed things up: 1. Try calling SSA early in the morning (8am EST) when wait times are typically shorter 2. When you do get through, ask specifically if there are any "alerts" or holds on the claim 3. Request a supervisor if the first representative can't give you detailed information 4. Ask for a case number or tracking number for your underpayment claim if you don't already have one I went through something similar with my father's estate last year. What finally got movement was when I called and discovered they needed an additional form that nobody had mentioned. Sometimes there's a missing piece of documentation that's not obvious. The 4-6 month timeline others mentioned is accurate, but don't be afraid to advocate for yourself. You've already waited longer than most cases should take.

After reading all the responses, I think your best strategy would be: 1. Wait until your FRA (67) to claim widow benefits based on your husband's record including his delayed retirement credits. This avoids the earnings test completely. 2. Contact SSA to get exact benefit amounts. To access information about your husband's benefit, you'll need his SSN, your marriage certificate, and his death certificate. 3. If desired, you could even wait until 70 to claim if your own benefit would be higher (though from what you've said, your husband's benefit with his delayed credits will likely be higher). The most important thing is to get actual numbers from SSA so you can make an informed decision. Widow benefits have very specific rules that differ from regular retirement benefits.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Hannah. Losing a spouse is incredibly difficult, and dealing with Social Security on top of grief is overwhelming. From what I understand about widow benefits, you're in a tough spot with the earnings test at 62. Since you're making $53K, you'll likely lose most or all of your widow benefit to the earnings test (the 2025 limit is around $23,040, and they reduce benefits $1 for every $2 over that limit). The silver lining is that your husband's benefit at 69 would include all his delayed retirement credits from age 66 to 69 - that's about 24% more than his full retirement age benefit! That's a significant amount. Given your situation, I'd strongly consider waiting until your FRA at 67 to claim widow benefits. You'll avoid the earnings test completely and get 100% of what your husband was entitled to. Plus, you can keep working without penalty. One thing to consider: if you think you might want to retire before 67, you could always reassess closer to that time. But with your current income, waiting seems like the financially smart move. Take care of yourself during this difficult time.

Back to your original question - there is NO specific hours limit for any type of employment when collecting retirement benefits. The only thing that matters is the earnings limit before FRA. After FRA, you have no restrictions whatsoever - you can work 100 hours a week and earn millions if you want, with no impact on your Social Security retirement benefits. For those 3 months (Jan-Mar 2025), just keep your earnings under $1,850/month and you'll be fine. Or consider changing your filing date to April as someone suggested.

Great decision Paolo! Just wanted to add that you typically have up to 12 months from your benefit start date to withdraw your application if you change your mind. You'd need to pay back any benefits received, but it's an option if you decide later that waiting until FRA would have been better. Also, if you do stick with the January start date, remember that the earnings test is applied on an annual basis too. So even if you go over $1,850 in one of those months, SSA will also do a yearly calculation that might work in your favor. But honestly, starting in April sounds like the cleaner approach given your work situation!