i remember my uncle had to deal with this when he retired he told me its always better to just wait til FRA then u dont have to worry about any earninsg limit at all. but i get it if u need the money now, just be super careful cuz SS doesnt mess around with overpayments!!

Just wanted to add something that might help with your planning - you can actually request that SSA withhold additional benefits throughout the year if you know you're going to exceed the earnings limit. This way you avoid the overpayment situation that others mentioned. When you file your application, there's a form (SSA-777) where you can estimate your yearly earnings and request voluntary withholding. This is especially useful in your situation since you already know you've earned $7,800 and plan to keep working. It's much easier to deal with this upfront than to get surprised with an overpayment notice later! Also, keep detailed records of all your earnings - pay stubs, 1099s, everything. SSA will eventually match your reported earnings with what they receive from IRS, so having your own records helps if there are any discrepancies.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - turning 62 next year and trying to decide when to claim. One thing I'd add is that SSA has a retirement estimator tool on their website (ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html) where you can model different claiming strategies and see how working income affects your benefits. Also, for anyone still confused about this topic, I found SSA's Publication 05-10069 "How Work Affects Your Benefits" to be much clearer than the general website explanations. You can download it as a PDF and it walks through several examples with actual numbers. The key takeaway seems to be: if you're going to keep working at a high income level, it might make more sense to just wait until FRA to claim rather than dealing with the earnings test and partial benefit recovery. But if your work income will be variable or you can structure it as non-wage income, claiming early might work out better.

This is such valuable information - thank you all for sharing your experiences! As someone new to navigating Social Security, I had no idea about the earnings test adjustment at FRA. One question that came up for me reading through this thread: does the timing of when you earn the income during the year matter? For example, if someone earns $30,000 but most of it comes in the first half of the year versus spread evenly throughout the year, does that affect how many months of benefits get withheld? Also, I noticed several people mentioned calling SSA directly. For those who successfully got through, what time of day or day of the week seemed to work best? I'm trying to get some answers about my own situation but like Lena mentioned, the wait times have been brutal lately. The retirement estimator tool recommendation is gold - I'm definitely going to try that out. It sounds like the key is really running your own specific numbers rather than trying to apply general rules.

oh and btw dont feel bad about not reaching 70!! i tried to wait too but had to file at 67 and a half. life happens!!! the 8% per year thing sounds great but when you actually NEED the money its a different story. hope you get answers on the calculation thing!

I'm sorry you're dealing with this frustrating situation! A $650 discrepancy is absolutely significant and you deserve a clear explanation. One thing that might help while you're waiting for the detailed calculation - did you happen to save any screenshots or documentation from when you used the online calculator? Having that evidence could be useful when you speak with SSA again. Also, I'd recommend documenting everything from your calls - dates, times, representative names if they give them, and exactly what they tell you. If there was indeed a calculation error, having a paper trail will be important. The fact that you were never contacted for an interview after filing online is concerning too. That interview is supposed to verify information and catch potential issues before your benefit amount is finalized. You might want to ask specifically about whether missing that interview affected your calculation. Keep pushing for answers - you have every right to understand how your benefit was calculated, especially with such a large difference from the estimate!

I'm currently at day 46 waiting for my retirement application to process, and this thread has been incredibly helpful for understanding what's really happening with these delays. Like many others here, I submitted what should be a straightforward retirement claim at my FRA, but I'm now well beyond SSA's promised 30-day timeline. What really stands out from reading everyone's experiences is how many specific issues (pension verifications, address mix-ups, missing documentation) only get discovered when people finally manage to speak with an agent. The "processing" status we all see online is essentially useless without getting a human to actually look at what's happening with our individual cases. I'm going to try the early morning calling strategy that worked for Lincoln and several others - calling right at 8am when they open tomorrow. I'll specifically ask about "development holds" and verify that all my contact information is current across their systems. If I can't get through or get satisfactory answers, I'll definitely look into the Claimyr service or start the process of contacting my congressional representative. It's really concerning how SSA continues to advertise 30-day processing when so many of us are experiencing 60-90+ day delays with zero proactive communication. For people who've already retired and are counting on these benefits to start, this uncertainty is genuinely stressful. Thank you all for sharing your strategies and experiences - knowing we're not alone in this broken system helps, even though it's disturbing how widespread these delays have become.

I'm currently at day 41 waiting for my retirement application to process, and this thread has been absolutely invaluable in understanding what's really happening with SSA delays. Like so many others here, I applied for straightforward retirement benefits at my FRA, expecting the advertised 30-day processing time, but here I am well past that timeline with no communication whatsoever. What strikes me most from reading everyone's experiences is how the online "processing" status is essentially meaningless - so many people discovered specific issues like pension verification letters going to wrong addresses, missing documentation, or applications stuck in review queues only after finally reaching an agent. It's clear the system is designed to let applications sit rather than proactively communicate problems. I'm going to follow the successful strategies shared here: try calling first thing tomorrow morning right at 8am when they open, specifically ask about "development holds" and any pending requests for information, and verify that all my contact information is current across their systems. The early morning calling approach seems to be the most reliable way to actually get through based on multiple success stories here. If I can't get satisfactory answers or continue hitting roadblocks, I'll definitely look into the Claimyr service Noah mentioned or consider contacting my congressional representative. At 41+ days for what should be a routine retirement claim, this has moved beyond normal processing into "something needs investigation" territory. It's deeply frustrating that SSA continues advertising 30-day processing times when 60-90+ day delays seem to be the new normal. For those of us already retired and depending on these benefits to start, the uncertainty and complete lack of transparency is genuinely stressful. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and proven strategies - it's both comforting and concerning to know how widespread this problem has become.

Thanks for the reality check. I'm starting to realize I need to be prepared for a lengthy process with possible complications. I'll definitely stay persistent with follow-up calls.

I'm dealing with a similar situation with my adult daughter who has autism. One thing I learned that might help - when you apply for DAC benefits, ask SSA to do a "protective filing" which basically holds your place in line while they process everything. This can help prevent any gaps in benefits during the transition. Also, I'd strongly recommend getting a written statement from your local Medicaid office BEFORE making the switch confirming they'll honor the Section 1634(c) continuation. Some offices are more familiar with this than others, and having it in writing ahead of time saved me a lot of headaches. The income difference really is significant - going from $943 to $1800 would be life-changing for your son's independence. Just document everything and don't let them rush you through the process. You've got this!