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I'm in a similar situation but a few months behind you - turning FRA in June. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful! It sounds like the consensus is that calling SSA with your W-2 or tax documents is the way to go if you want an immediate calculation. I'm curious though - for those who have successfully gotten through to SSA by phone, what time of day did you call? And did you have better luck calling on certain days of the week? I want to be strategic about when I make my attempts since it sounds like getting through can be challenging. Also, has anyone tried scheduling an in-person appointment at their local SSA office instead of calling? Wondering if that might be more reliable than playing phone tag.
Great question about timing! I had the best luck calling SSA around 10-11 AM on Tuesdays and Wednesdays - seemed to be less busy than Mondays or Fridays. I avoided calling first thing in the morning (8-9 AM) when everyone else was probably trying too. As for in-person appointments, I actually tried that route first but my local office was booking appointments 6-8 weeks out, which defeated the purpose of getting quick answers. The phone route ended up being faster once I got through. One tip that helped me - when you do get connected, have all your documents ready (W-2, previous year's tax return, your SSA account login info) because they can walk through everything in one call. Good luck with your decision in June!
I just went through this process myself a few months ago and wanted to share another option that worked well for me. Instead of waiting months for 2024 earnings to appear or struggling to get through on the phone, I created a my Social Security account online and used their benefit calculator tool. While it doesn't include your most recent year automatically, you can manually input your 2024 earnings estimate to see how it would affect your benefit amount. It's not as precise as having SSA do the official calculation, but it gave me a pretty good ballpark figure to work with. The calculator lets you compare different scenarios - like filing now versus waiting - which really helped me visualize the trade-offs. Plus you can access it 24/7 without dealing with hold times. Just make sure you have your 2024 W-2 or final pay stub handy when you run the numbers. Worth trying this approach first before spending hours on the phone!
This is really helpful - I didn't know you could manually input earnings estimates in the online calculator! That sounds like a much easier first step than trying to get through on the phone. I'm going to try this approach tonight when I get home. Quick question though - when you say "manually input your 2024 earnings estimate," do you mean just typing in your total wages for the year, or do you need to break it down by quarters or something more detailed? I want to make sure I'm doing it correctly to get an accurate comparison of my options.
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As a newcomer to this community, I'm so thankful I found this incredibly detailed discussion about the AERO process! I'm 62 and just started collecting Social Security about 2 months ago while working part-time as a retail manager. My current earnings are definitely higher than several years in my 30s when I was going through a divorce and had to take lower-paying jobs just to get by. I honestly had no clue that Social Security would automatically recalculate benefits based on continued earnings - like so many others here, I thought once you started collecting, that amount was locked in forever! Reading everyone's experiences about the October-December timing and knowing it's completely automatic has been such a huge relief. I was actually dreading having to call SSA after all the horror stories about endless hold times. I'll absolutely be checking my earnings record on my.ssa.gov to make sure everything is being reported properly. Since I'm not quite at full retirement age yet, I'm being careful to stay under the earnings limit, but it's encouraging to know that my part-time work can still potentially increase my future benefits. Even if the increase turns out to be modest like many of the examples shared, every little bit helps with rising costs. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and informative discussion - this is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's impossible to find in official government materials!
Welcome to the community, Isabella! Your retail management situation sounds like it could really benefit from the AERO process - those kinds of supervisory roles often pay significantly more than entry-level positions, so you're likely looking at replacing some of those difficult divorce-era years with much higher earnings. It's smart that you're being mindful of the earnings limit at 62 - that shows you're already thinking strategically about maximizing your benefits. Your experience with having to take whatever work you could find during tough personal times is unfortunately very common, but it's wonderful how the Social Security system can actually work in your favor later by allowing those better-earning years to improve your benefit calculation. Retail management also gives you valuable skills and flexibility that many employers appreciate. Keep us posted on how things go - it'll be interesting to see how your AERO adjustment works out, especially since you're starting the process relatively early in your Social Security collecting journey!
As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion about the AERO process! I'm 71 and have been collecting Social Security for about 18 months while working part-time as a substitute teacher. My current earnings are higher than several years in my 20s when I was just starting my teaching career at much lower salary levels. Like many others here, I had no idea that Social Security would automatically recalculate benefits - I genuinely thought my monthly amount was permanently fixed once I started collecting! Learning about the October-December timing for adjustments and that it's completely automatic has been such a relief. I was considering calling SSA to ask about this, but after reading about those awful wait times, I'm so grateful I found this discussion instead. I'll definitely check my earnings record on my.ssa.gov to ensure my substitute teaching income is being reported correctly. Being well past full retirement age means I don't have to worry about earnings limits, which is wonderful. Even if my eventual increase is modest like many examples shared here, it's encouraging to know that staying active in education can still positively impact my benefits. This community discussion has provided exactly the kind of practical, real-world insight that's impossible to find elsewhere - thank you all for sharing your experiences so generously!
Welcome to the community, Omar! Your substitute teaching situation is fascinating from an AERO perspective - it's wonderful that you're still contributing to education at 71! Those early teaching years often had much lower salaries compared to what substitute teachers can earn today, especially with the current teacher shortage driving up sub pay rates. Since you're well past FRA, you have complete flexibility to work as much as you want without any benefit reductions. Substitute teaching is also perfect for retirement - you get to stay engaged with meaningful work while maintaining total control over your schedule. I'd definitely recommend keeping track of your earnings on my.ssa.gov since substitute income sometimes gets reported differently than regular employment. It's so great to see educators represented in this discussion! The fact that you can potentially improve your Social Security benefits while still making a difference in students' lives is really the best of both worlds.
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As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly thorough discussion! I've been lurking here while researching this exact issue, and this thread has been more helpful than hours of trying to navigate the SSA website. I'm in a very similar situation - living about 20 minutes from an out-of-state SSA office versus a 75-minute drive to my in-state office. I need to handle some paperwork related to my spouse's survivor benefits, and I've been dreading the long drive. Reading all these real-world experiences from community members who have successfully used cross-state offices has given me the confidence to call the closer location. It's really eye-opening how many people in border areas deal with this same confusion! The confirmation from the federal benefits administration professional was especially reassuring. I'm calling the nearby office tomorrow to schedule an appointment. This community is such a great resource for navigating these bureaucratic challenges!
Welcome to the community! I'm so sorry for your loss and glad you found this discussion while dealing with survivor benefits paperwork. That's definitely something that's important to handle properly, and the 20-minute drive versus 75 minutes makes such a huge difference when you're already dealing with difficult circumstances. I've been really impressed by how supportive and knowledgeable this community is - it's amazing how everyone's shared experiences have created such a comprehensive resource on this topic. The survivor benefits process can be complex, so having the convenience of the closer office will hopefully make things a little easier for you. I hope your appointment goes smoothly and you're able to get everything sorted out without any hassles. Thanks for adding your voice to this discussion - it just reinforces how common this cross-state situation really is for those of us in border areas!
This has been such an informative thread! As someone new to this community, I'm amazed by how comprehensive everyone's responses have been. I'm actually facing this exact same dilemma - I live about 30 minutes from an SSA office in the neighboring state, but it's over 2 hours to reach my in-state office. I need to resolve some issues with my disability benefits application, and I've been putting it off because of the distance to "my" office. Reading through all these real-world experiences from community members who've successfully used out-of-state offices for everything from routine updates to complex benefit issues has been incredibly reassuring. The professional insight from Connor about SSA operating as a unified federal system really helped clarify the policy reasoning behind this. It's frustrating that this basic information isn't more prominently displayed on the SSA website, given how many people in border areas seem to face this confusion. I'm definitely going to call the closer office this week to schedule my appointment. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is going to save so many people unnecessary stress and travel time!
Welcome to the community! Your situation with disability benefits is exactly the kind of case where having access to the closer office makes such a difference. Disability applications and appeals can be quite complex and often require multiple visits, so being able to use an office that's 30 minutes away instead of 2+ hours is going to be a huge help throughout your process. I've been really impressed by how this thread has evolved into such a comprehensive resource - it's clear that cross-state SSA office confusion is way more common than any of us initially realized! The fact that we've heard from people who've been successfully doing this for years, plus professional confirmation, really puts all the uncertainty to rest. I hope your disability benefits appointment goes well and you're able to get your application issues resolved quickly. Thanks for adding your experience to this growing collection of real-world examples!
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What an incredibly comprehensive and valuable discussion thread! As someone who's currently navigating pre-retirement planning with multiple deferred compensation arrangements, this has been absolutely enlightening. The journey from three contradictory phone responses to a clear written determination really demonstrates the critical importance of persistence when dealing with complex Social Security issues. I'm particularly struck by how the local office specialist was able to provide definitive guidance based on the specific factors in your agreement - something the phone representatives clearly weren't equipped to handle. Your systematic approach has given me a perfect roadmap for my own situation: gather complete documentation, visit the local office in person, request a "formal determination regarding deferred compensation and earnings test applicability," and most importantly, get everything in writing. The key factors the specialist identified - payments continuing regardless of minimal services, compensation for past work, and no correlation between current services and payment amounts - provide an excellent framework for evaluating any deferred compensation arrangement. This thread should definitely be preserved as a resource for anyone facing similar situations. The collective knowledge shared here, from the HR perspective on documentation to the professional insights on timing, creates a comprehensive guide that's far more valuable than any individual consultation. Thank you to everyone who contributed their experiences and expertise - you've created something truly helpful for the community!
Thank you so much for this thoughtful summary! You've really captured all the key elements that made this such a valuable learning experience. As someone new to navigating these complex Social Security issues, I found this entire discussion incredibly educational. What really stands out to me is how this thread demonstrates the power of community knowledge. The original poster's persistence in seeking clarity, combined with insights from people who've had similar experiences, HR professionals, and retirement planning experts, created such a comprehensive resource. Your point about the framework for evaluating deferred compensation arrangements is spot-on. Having those specific criteria - whether payments continue regardless of services, if it's compensation for past work, and whether there's correlation between current services and payments - gives people a way to assess their own situations before even contacting SSA. I'm bookmarking this entire thread as a reference, not just for deferred compensation questions but as a model for how to approach any complex Social Security determination. The step-by-step process of documentation, in-person visits, specific terminology, and getting written confirmation seems like it could apply to many different situations. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge here - this is exactly why online communities are so valuable for navigating complex life transitions like retirement!
This thread is absolutely incredible - what a masterclass in how to handle complex Social Security determinations! As someone who's been lurking in this community for a while but never posted, I felt compelled to contribute because this discussion has been so valuable. I'm currently 61 and have been putting off early retirement specifically because of uncertainty around how my deferred compensation would interact with Social Security earnings limits. Reading through everyone's experiences, especially the original poster's journey from confusion to clarity, has given me the confidence to move forward with getting my own formal determination. The contrast between the inconsistent phone advice and the expertise of the local office specialist really highlights a gap in SSA's phone support system for complex issues. It's concerning that people could make major financial decisions based on incorrect phone guidance, but it's also reassuring to know there's a reliable path to accurate information through the local offices. I'm particularly grateful for the HR professional's advice about what documentation to request from employers. I never would have thought to ask specifically about Box 1 vs Box 11 reporting, but that could make all the difference in how SSA treats these payments. This thread should definitely be featured as a community resource - it's the most comprehensive guide I've seen anywhere on navigating deferred compensation and Social Security earnings test issues. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences!
Amina Diallo
One thing I'd add is to check your Social Security Statement (available at ssa.gov/myaccount) to see what your current top 35 earning years look like. This can help you estimate how much impact your 2025 earnings might have on the recalculation. If your 2025 projected income would replace one of your lower earning years, you can get a rough idea of the potential benefit increase. The statement shows your earnings history year by year, so you can see if there are any particularly low years (maybe from early in your career or years with unemployment) that would be replaced. It's also worth noting that earnings are indexed for inflation in the benefit calculation, so a $30,000 year from 1995 might actually count as more than a $30,000 year from 2020 in the calculation. The online calculators on SSA's website can help you run different scenarios too.
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A Man D Mortal
•This is excellent advice! I never thought to look at my actual earnings history to estimate the impact. I just logged into my SSA account and can see my year-by-year earnings. You're absolutely right about those early career years being much lower - I had several years in the late 90s and early 2000s where I was making under $25,000. My projected 2025 income would definitely replace one of those years. The inflation indexing aspect is confusing though - do you know if there's an easy way to see what those older earnings translate to in today's calculation, or do I need to dig into the technical formulas?
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Dmitry Popov
•The SSA actually does the inflation indexing calculations automatically - you don't need to figure it out yourself! When you use their online benefit calculators or look at your projected benefits, they've already applied the indexing factors to your historical earnings. However, if you're curious about the specifics, SSA publishes the "Average Wage Index" tables each year that show the indexing factors. For example, earnings from 1995 are multiplied by about 2.4 to bring them to current wage levels for the calculation. But honestly, the easiest approach is just to use their online retirement estimator tool - plug in your expected 2025 earnings and it will show you how your estimated benefit changes. Much simpler than trying to do the math manually!
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Dominic Green
This has been such an informative thread! As someone approaching a similar decision, I wanted to share a resource that might help with the planning process. The SSA has a "Retirement Estimator" tool on their website that lets you input different claiming ages and earnings scenarios to see how they affect your benefits. You can model claiming at 64 vs waiting until FRA, and even factor in continued earnings. It's been really helpful for me to visualize the trade-offs between getting benefits earlier (but reduced) versus waiting for the full amount. The tool also shows you the break-even point - basically how long you'd need to live to make waiting worthwhile financially. Of course, everyone's situation is different and there are factors beyond just the math (like needing the income now, health considerations, etc.), but it's nice to have the numbers to work with when making such an important decision.
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