To directly address your question one more time to be super clear: 1. Apply in February 2027 2. Select April 2027 as your benefit start month on the application 3. Your benefit amount will be $2,725 (including DRCs through March) After you apply, you'll receive a confirmation letter from SSA showing your elected start month. Review this carefully. You can also check your MySocialSecurity account online, which should show your benefit start date. One final tip: If you apply online, at the end there's a confirmation page with all your selections. Take a screenshot of this page showing your selected start month as evidence in case there's any confusion later.

My friend applied for SS last month but then read that waiting even ONE more month would increase her payment. She called SSA immediately to change her start date but they told her it was too late! She had to withdraw her ENTIRE application (there's a special form) and then reapply with the later date. So just be super careful when you submit!

One more important point: make sure your sister requests a complete copy of her file through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. This should include all notes from SSA representatives, all reported earnings information, and all documentation related to her case. Often in these situations, you'll find evidence that SSA actually did receive the earnings reports but failed to process them correctly internally. This documentation can be crucial for the Appeals Council review or any further legal action. Additionally, the fact that this happened in 2023-2025 means she should definitely be eligible for a full refund if SSA was in error. Administrative Finality typically only prevents corrections going back more than 4 years, and sometimes only 1 year for certain types of corrections. Her case is still very current.

@casualcommenter You can file a FOIA request by submitting a written request to your local SSA office or through their online portal. But honestly, it's much faster to just call and request your file - they're required to provide it to you. Again, getting through to someone is the hard part. That's why I used Claimyr to get past the phone maze. And @OriginalPoster - yes, I did have to go through about 3 different people before finding someone who actually understood the rules. Ask specifically for a "Technical Expert" or someone who handles Appeals Council cases. They have much more knowledge about these complex situations than the frontline representatives.

This is standard procedure for SSA appointments. I work with Social Security cases regularly, and they implemented the automated reminder system to reduce no-shows. The 410-965-1234 number is legitimate (from their Baltimore headquarters). However, I always recommend calling your local office directly to confirm if you have any doubts. Use the office locator on ssa.gov to find your local office's direct number rather than calling the main line, which often has extremely long wait times. The message cutting off is a common technical issue with their system and doesn't indicate a cancellation. Unless you receive explicit notification of cancellation (typically by mail), your appointment remains scheduled.

just dont miss the appointment whatever u do!! i missed mine back in october and had to wait 3 more months to get rescheduled!!

To follow up on your tax question - yes, you can estimate how much of your benefits might be taxable. For joint filers, if your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of SS benefits) is: - Below $32,000: No tax on SS benefits - Between $32,000-$44,000: Up to 50% of benefits taxable - Above $44,000: Up to 85% of benefits taxable With your consulting income plus your wife's salary, you'd likely be in the 85% range.

Regarding reporting income changes - the easiest way is through your my Social Security account online. You can update your earnings estimate there. If your situation is more complex, that's when talking to an agent can really help sort things out.

Did you work at all last year? Even part time? Because if you're under FRA and earn over the earnings limit ($22,320 for 2025), they do take $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit from survivor benefits. Just another possibility.

Just to give you peace of mind for tax filing: This doesn't change how you report your SS benefits on your tax return. You'll use the amount in Box 5 of your SSA-1099 ("Net Benefits"), which is already reduced by these deductions. Box 3 shows total benefits before deductions, and Box 4 shows what was deducted (your Medicare premiums). The only real tax impact is that those Medicare premiums might be deductible as medical expenses if you itemize deductions on Schedule A and your total medical expenses exceed 7.5% of your AGI.

My friend just went thru this. Her benefit went up when hubby filed but not by as much as she thought. They take your wifes FRA benefit subtract it from half of your FRA benefit. If thats a positive number she gets an addition. If its negative she just keeps hers. Thats my understanding anyways.

I appreciate all the responses. This is much more complicated than I thought! So basically, since my wife took her benefit early at 62, she'll always have some kind of reduction applied, and the best we can hope for is that she might get some additional amount on top of her current benefit if half of my FRA amount (reduced for her early filing) is more than what she gets now. I think I'll need to talk directly with SSA to get exact numbers. Really wish they made this clearer on their website.

My own theory is that someone at SSA is finally getting around to processing a backlog of adjustments. I've noticed several people in my retirement group mentioning unexpected deposits in the last week or so. Most turned out to be legitimate payments - either underpayments being corrected or adjustments based on earnings records being updated. But DEFINITELY call to confirm what yours is for.

UPDATE: I FINALLY got through to SS after 2.5 HOURS on hold!!! They said many people are getting deposits because of an ERROR in the COLAs calculated for 2024!!! They under-calculated many people's increases and are now fixing it with back payments to January. CHECK YOUR AMOUNTS carefully!! The agent said if you got more than you should have they WILL take it back eventually!!!

wait im confused about somethin else. if ur turning 63 why not wait til FRA? ur getting a permanent reduction filing early right?

One more thing! Make sure you know about the earnings limit if you're planning to work at all while collecting benefits before your FRA. In 2025, you can only earn up to around $24,000 (they adjust it every year) without having benefits withheld. If you go over, they withhold $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit.

To clarify about how the math actually works for the OP: Let's say your PIA is $4,350 and your wife's PIA is $1,425. If she claims at 62 (48 months early), her own benefit will be reduced to about $995 (70% of her PIA). For spousal benefits, the maximum she could get is 50% of your PIA, which is $2,175. However, because she filed 48 months early, her spousal benefit will be reduced to approximately 65% of that amount, or about $1,414. The SSA then compares her reduced retirement benefit ($995) to her reduced spousal benefit ($1,414) and pays the higher amount. In this case, she would receive $1,414, not $995 + $2,175. The exact formula is complex, but this gives you a rough idea. Her early filing will result in a permanent reduction to both benefits.

Just wondering, have u guys looked into file and suspend strategies? I heard that changed a few years ago but not sure if theres still ways to maximize?

I think everyone is making this more complicated than it needs to be. Just go to your local SS office with your ID and marriage certificate and tell them you want to apply for spousal. Took me like 45 minutes when I did it. No big deal.

To address your question about the benefit amount: Generally, your CIC spousal benefit is 50% of your husband's full retirement amount. When you switch to early spousal benefits at 62, you'll receive approximately 35% of your husband's full benefit amount (this is the 50% spousal benefit reduced by 30% for claiming at 62 instead of FRA). So yes, you should expect the monthly amount to decrease somewhat. This is why it's so important to evaluate whether your own retirement benefit might be higher, as you might be able to claim your own now and switch to spousal later when you reach FRA.