Does anyone know how this works if I change my mind about the start month after submitting my application? Let's say I apply now specifying September 2025, but later decide I want to start in October instead. Is that difficult to change?

One more important thing about the month selection: if you're filing BEFORE your Full Retirement Age, be extremely careful about which month you select. The earnings test could significantly reduce your benefits if you're still working. You need to calculate your projected earnings carefully against the annual limit ($22,750 in 2025 for those below FRA the entire year). This gets very complicated very quickly if you're still working!

Another thing to be aware of: if you're claiming at your Full Retirement Age in October (I'm assuming you're turning 67 which is FRA for those born in 1956-1957), you'll receive 100% of your benefit. If your child qualifies for benefits on your record, they'll receive up to 50% of your primary insurance amount. The process works like this: 1. You apply for your retirement benefits 2. Once approved, you then apply for benefits for your dependent child 3. Provide documentation proving your relationship to the child 4. SSA will determine who should be the representative payee (likely the mother) 5. Monthly payments will be sent to the representative payee on behalf of the child The benefits can continue until the child turns 18 (or 19 if still in high school).

i always thought you had to be married for the kid to get benefits thats interesting

Also - since your daughter has Down syndrome and is only 20, make sure they've properly coded her as DAC (Disabled Adult Child) for the survivor benefits. This affects how they treat her eligibility long-term and can protect her benefits if you're still working. Some SSA reps miss this important designation.

my nieghbor said if u wait long enuff sometimes they forget the overpayment lol but i wudnt count on it!!!

btw if he gets ssi he'll probably qualify for medicaid and snap too. auto enrollment in most states. at least that would help with food and medical care while waiting for everything else.

One more thing about SSI - make sure your brother understands they'll check his living situation. If he's living with family who provide food and shelter without charging him fair market value, SSA may reduce his SSI payment by up to 1/3 (this is called "in-kind support and maintenance"). Not saying he shouldn't apply, just be prepared to document any rental agreements or contributions he makes toward his living expenses.

Thank you all for such helpful responses! I've learned so much. I think my next steps are: 1. Use that Claimyr service to reach SSA without spending all day on hold 2. Ask specifically about Dad's earnings record to see if he had 30+ substantial years 3. Find out exactly how WEP affected his benefit and what Mom's survivor benefit would be without the WEP reduction 4. Keep an eye on the legislation progress It's so complicated, but your explanations have really helped clear things up. I appreciate this community so much!

One more important thing to check - if your mother has been collecting her own benefit all these years because it was higher, you should verify whether the SSA properly calculated the survivor benefit when your father passed away. Sometimes they miss applying exceptions or special rules. If your father had enough "substantial earnings" years or if his WEP reduction wasn't properly calculated, your mother might have been eligible for a higher survivor benefit all along. SSA can pay back benefits for up to 6 months if they discover an underpayment. Also, survivor benefits ignore any reduction your father might have taken for claiming early retirement. So even if he took benefits at 62½, your mother's survivor benefit would be based on his full retirement age amount (minus any applicable WEP reduction).

When I started receiving my SS retirement last year, my first payment was delayed similar to your situation. My approval came mid-month and payment didn't arrive until the following month. What others have said about the payment schedule is correct - it depends on your birth date. However, I want to clarify something important about your first payment: it SHOULD include any retroactive benefits you're entitled to from your eligibility date (usually your application month, unless you specified a later start date). If you're concerned about the timing or want confirmation about your payment amount, I'd recommend contacting SSA directly. I know their phone lines are notoriously difficult to get through. After struggling with long hold times myself, I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that waits on hold with SSA for you, then calls you once a representative is on the line. They have a video demonstration at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. This saved me hours of frustration when I needed to resolve issues with my benefits calculation.

To clear up some confusion in this thread: for Social Security retirement benefits, if you apply after your Full Retirement Age (which at 67, you have), you can receive up to 6 months of retroactive benefits. However, they don't automatically pay back to your eligibility date - only to your application date unless you specifically requested retroactive benefits during your application. Since you applied in August, your first payment should include August benefits (paid in October). There is no "waiting period" for retirement benefits like there is for disability. Also, to answer your question about payment dates: If you were born on the 15th, you'll receive payments on the 3rd Wednesday of each month going forward.

My sister had this exact issue last year! She got paid on January 2nd for work in December and went over the limit without realizing. They sent her a notice in May and reduced her benefits for like three months to get back the overpayment. Super annoying! Just take the time off - not worth the trouble!

Thanks for all the advice everyone! I've decided to take those last few days of December off. My manager was understanding once I explained the situation. Going over by even a little bit sounds like it creates a huge headache. I'll save the extra hours for January when I have a fresh earnings limit to work with. Really appreciate all the insights!

my aunt just went thru this!!! she got a HUGE backpay check cause her husband died 8 months before she finally got approved. they do pay you for the months you were eligible even if you didnt apply right away but theres a limit on how far back they go.

I remember being in your exact position when my husband passed. So confusing! One thing nobody mentioned yet - if you're under full retirement age and still working, your survivor benefits will be reduced if you earn above certain limits ($21,240 in 2025). For every $2 you earn above that limit, $1 is deducted from benefits. This earnings test no longer applies once you reach your full retirement age. Something important to factor into your decision about when to claim.

anyone else notice the ssa website is always down on weekends when people actually have time to deal with this stuff? so annoying!!

Update: I finally got through to someone at SSA after using that Claimyr service (which worked surprisingly well). The agent confirmed that since my benefits were suspended and not denied, I AM eligible for retroactive payments back to January 2024 when the GPO repeal took effect. They're reactivating my claim and said I should see payments within 3-4 weeks, including the backpay. She also mentioned they're getting thousands of similar cases right now, so they're quite backed up. Thank you everyone for your help and advice! I'll update again when I actually receive the payments.

Based on the discussion so far, here's a clear strategy for your situation: 1. Apply for your own retirement benefits now at 65 (understanding you'll receive about 93.3% of your full benefit due to early filing) 2. Gather your documentation for survivor benefits (death certificate, marriage certificate, his SSN) 3. At your Full Retirement Age (66+4 months), check with SSA to determine if the survivor benefit would be higher than your current retirement benefit 4. If survivor benefits would be higher, apply to switch at that time This approach ensures you don't delay current income while potentially maximizing your lifetime benefit. The fact that your husband worked in non-covered employment makes the calculation more complex (due to potential GPO/WEP adjustments), but this strategy gives you the best of both worlds.

When you apply for retirement benefits, the SSA will ask if you've ever been married and if any spouse has died. Be honest about this, but you can explain that you want to apply for your own benefits now and potentially survivor benefits later. They'll make a note in your record. Just be clear about your intention, and they'll process your retirement claim without waiting for the survivor documentation.