Thank you all for the helpful information! I just submitted my application online and made sure to request retroactive benefits starting from the month I reached FRA. The system estimates I'll receive approximately $2,750 monthly. I've set a reminder to follow up if I don't see any updates in my mysocialsecurity account within the next 3 weeks. I'll update this thread once I receive my first payment for anyone who might be in a similar situation.

Just a technical clarification: Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month for which they are due. So if you apply today with benefits starting this month (April 2025), your April benefit would be paid in May, May's benefit in June, and so on. Regarding processing time, the SSA's current average is approximately 3-4 weeks for straightforward retirement benefit applications. However, if there are any issues requiring manual review, it can take longer. Once approved, your payment date is determined by your birth date, as others have explained. The retroactive benefits provision at FRA is important - you can request up to 6 months of retroactive benefits, but you must specifically request this during application or within 6 months of filing. The retroactive payments are typically included in your first regular payment.

One more thing to add - if you're concerned about work income affecting your benefits, you can use the anonymous calculators on ssa.gov to see how the earnings limit might impact you. The Retirement Earnings Test Calculator doesn't require any personal information. For 2025, if you're under FRA, you lose $1 in benefits for every $2 earned above $24,150. Different rules apply in the year you reach FRA.

Based on what you're describing (concerns about back payments and work income), it sounds like you might be dealing with a potential overpayment situation or the earnings test for early retirement benefits. These are complex areas where getting accurate, personalized advice is crucial. While you can get general information anonymously, at some point, you'll need to discuss your specific case with SSA. When you do, remember that being proactive about reporting changes or concerns almost always leads to better outcomes than waiting for SSA to discover issues later.

After reading through all the responses, I wanted to clarify something important: The earnings test withholding and subsequent adjustment at FRA is NOT the same as DRCs from suspension. They're calculated differently. If you're working enough that most of your benefits would be withheld anyway, voluntary suspension might not make much practical difference to your cash flow, but would still provide additional DRCs on top of the earnings test adjustment. It's complicated enough that I'd recommend getting an official calculation from SSA based on your specific birth date, claiming date, and earnings. The precise numbers matter a lot.

Just curious, have u considered working more hours now to intentionally go over the earnings limit by a lot? If ur gonna get most benefits withheld anyway, might as well earn more $$ now, right?

One more important thing: when your father-in-law goes to his appointment, he should bring his and your mother-in-law's: - Birth certificates - Marriage certificate - Her death certificate - Most recent tax return - His Social Security card Also, he should be prepared to provide information about any previous marriages either of them had, including dates and documentation if available. And absolutely have him use the exact phrase "I want to file a restricted application for survivor benefits only while delaying my retirement benefit until age 70." Being very specific with this language helps ensure he gets the correct outcome.

my uncle did this i think. he got my aunts benifits after she died but then swtiched to his own later when he turned 70. he said it was confusing but worked out good in the end. hope your father in law gets what he deserves!!

One more thing to consider: if you do apply for retirement while waiting for SSDI, make sure to tell SSA that you want the disability onset date preserved. This technical detail ensures you get the maximum possible retroactive benefits if your disability claim is approved. There's a specific way they need to note this in your file. Also, since you mentioned being an amputee, your condition might qualify under the Compassionate Allowance program, which could speed up your disability decision significantly. Did your disability examiner mention this possibility to you?

They should evaluate your case for Compassionate Allowance automatically based on your medical records, but it never hurts to specifically mention it. Certain amputations do qualify, though it depends on the specifics of your condition. When you speak with SSA, just ask if your case is being considered under the Compassionate Allowance program. If it is, that could reduce your wait time from months to weeks. Regarding preserving your onset date while receiving retirement - this is something you should explicitly request when applying for retirement benefits. Just tell them: "I want to file for retirement while my disability application is pending, but I want to preserve my disability onset date." They'll know what to do, but having it noted properly in your file can make a big difference in potential back payments.

I want to add one more important piece of information: once you reach FRA, you can apply for your retirement benefits without worry because you have what's called "protected filing status." This means that even if there are processing delays or confusion, SSA must preserve your filing date and pay you any back payments you're entitled to. Also, your son's benefits as a disabled adult child on your husband's record are completely protected by law and cannot be reduced or eliminated based on your benefit choices. You're making a smart decision to look into this now, as many people leave money on the table by not checking all their options at FRA.

My brother is disabled and gets SS benefits. When my mom switched her benefits it didn't affect him at all so I think you're worrying too much. But the system is SO BROKEN you should expect problems anyway!!! It took them FOREVER to process my disability claim!!!

just wondering but is anyone else here worried about ss running out of money? my nephew told me the trust fund will be broke in 2034 and we'll only get like 75% of our benefits

Update: I called SSA this morning (took forever to get through!) and have an appointment next week to apply for the survivor benefits. The representative confirmed that since we were married over 10 years and I haven't remarried, I'm eligible even though we were divorced. She also verified I can take these benefits now while letting my own retirement benefit grow until 70. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!

To address your original question about the COLA: The 2025 COLA would be announced in October 2024 and take effect with December 2024 benefits (paid in January 2025). Since your benefits begin with January 2025 (paid in February), your initial benefit amount will already include the 2025 COLA adjustment. For future reference, COLAs work like this: - Announced in October of each year (based on the CPI-W from Q3) - Applied to December benefits (which are paid in January) - All beneficiaries receiving payments for January or later in that year get the increased amount Since you're starting in January 2025 (with payment in February), you'll receive the full 2025 COLA from the beginning.

Thank you all so much for the helpful responses! To summarize what I've learned: 1. My January 2025 benefit (paid in February) will automatically include the 2025 COLA 2. The delay to February is just the normal payment cycle (January entitlement paid in February) 3. I should double-check my MySocialSecurity account when the award letter arrives to confirm everything This community has been incredibly helpful - I was really worried about losing out on the COLA increase for my budget planning. I appreciate everyone taking the time to explain how this works!

One additional point: if you do need confirmation of your application status for financial planning purposes, you can request a "Benefit Verification Letter" once your application is processed. This official document confirms your benefit amount and start date, and many financial institutions accept it as proof of income for loans, housing applications, etc. You may be able to get this even before your first payment is issued. If your application isn't showing progress within 30 days of your intended start date (so by early February), that would be a good time to make a more concerted effort to speak with an SSA representative.

btw i think FRA is 67 not 65 now so r u taking early benefits at 65? that might be why its taking longer cuz they have to calculate the reduction

To clarify for everyone: According to SSA's official payment schedule, the 4th Wednesday group will receive their December 2025 payment on Wednesday, December 24th. If you're concerned about banking delays (which are common during the holiday season), I recommend: 1) Check with your specific bank about their holiday processing times, 2) Set up account alerts to know exactly when the deposit posts, and 3) Try to keep a small financial buffer if possible to account for potential delays.

Thank you so much for this clear information! I'll call my bank next week to ask about their holiday processing schedule. This helps a lot with my holiday budgeting plans.