As a newcomer to this community, I'm so thankful to have stumbled upon this thread! I'm about 18 months away from applying for my Social Security benefits and honestly had never heard about these children's benefit notices before reading this discussion. It's such a relief to learn that they're completely routine and not something to stress about. Zainab, I'm so glad you asked this question because I'm sure I would have had the exact same reaction if I received one of those letters unexpectedly! The explanations from everyone about why SSA sends these notices broadly - to make sure no eligible family members are missed - makes complete sense now that it's been explained. This is exactly why I joined this community - getting real insights from people who've actually been through these processes is so much more valuable than trying to decipher official government websites. Thank you all for creating such a supportive space where newcomers like me can learn from your experiences and feel more confident about navigating Social Security!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to add my voice to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm currently about 2 years out from retirement and have been trying to educate myself about the Social Security process. Like so many others who've commented, I had absolutely no idea that SSA sends these children's benefit notices as standard practice. Reading through everyone's experiences - especially seeing how Zainab's initial worry turned into relief once she understood it was routine - has been so reassuring. The detailed explanations about the different scenarios where children might qualify (minors, students, disabled adult children, grandchildren in care) really help paint a complete picture of why SSA casts such a wide net with these notices. It's clear they'd rather send too many notices than risk someone missing benefits they're entitled to. This thread is a perfect example of why I'm so grateful to have found this community - having access to real experiences from people who've actually navigated these processes takes so much of the mystery and anxiety out of preparing for retirement. Thank you all for being so generous with your knowledge and creating such a welcoming space for those of us still learning our way around Social Security!

I went through this exact same worry when I sold my home last year at age 69. Like many others have shared, I can confirm that selling your primary residence will NOT affect your Social Security benefits at all. The sale proceeds are considered capital gains, not earned income, so SSA doesn't even factor them into any calculations about your monthly payments. What really helped me was understanding that Social Security only cares about "earned income" from working (wages, self-employment income) and only if you're under full retirement age. At 67, you're already past full retirement age, so even if this were considered earned income (which it's not), it still wouldn't matter. The $145,000 profit you mentioned is well within the $250,000 capital gains exclusion for primary residences, so you likely won't owe any federal taxes on it either. Your Social Security checks will continue at exactly the same amount. Best of luck with your move to the condo - downsizing was one of the best financial decisions I made!

As someone who's been through the SSA system for years, I can confirm what everyone else is saying - selling your primary residence absolutely will NOT reduce your Social Security benefits. I work part-time helping seniors navigate these situations, and this is one of the most common worries I hear. The key distinction is that SSA only looks at "earned income" (wages from jobs, self-employment income) when determining if benefits should be reduced, and only for people under full retirement age. Capital gains from selling your home don't count as earned income at all. At 67, you're already past full retirement age anyway, so even if this were considered earned income (which it's not), the earnings test wouldn't apply to you. Your monthly Social Security payments will continue unchanged. Given your purchase price of $175k and expected sale of $320k, your $145k profit is well under the $250k capital gains exclusion for primary residences, so you likely won't owe federal taxes on the sale either. You're in great shape financially with this decision!

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! Sounds like waiting those extra months after I retire in June will definitely be worth it for the permanent increase. I've decided to go ahead with my plan, but I now understand it's the number of months delayed that matters, not specifically waiting for my birthday. I'll probably file in January or February next year to get those extra delay credits.

Great decision, Freya! Just wanted to add one more consideration since you mentioned retiring in June but not filing until January/February - make sure you understand how this impacts your taxes. Those delay credits will increase your monthly benefit permanently, but remember that Social Security benefits can be taxable depending on your other income. Since you'll have earned income for part of 2025, it might be worth running the numbers with a tax professional to see if there's an optimal filing month from a tax perspective. Sometimes spreading the income across tax years can be beneficial. Good luck with your retirement!

does anyone know what the 2025 COLA will actually be? heard rumors about 2.5% but not sure if thats real

Just to add another perspective - I've been helping seniors with Social Security questions for years, and this timing issue trips up EVERYONE at least once. The key thing to remember for budgeting purposes is that your first payment with the COLA increase will hit your bank account in January. So if you're planning for medical expenses, don't count on that extra money until then. Also, keep in mind that Medicare Part B premiums often increase too, so the net increase in your actual deposit might be less than the full COLA percentage. Always good to plan conservatively!

This thread is a perfect example of why this community is so valuable! As someone who works in banking, I see customers panic about unexpected deposits all the time, and Giovanni's methodical approach here was exactly right - don't touch the money, seek official verification, and be aware of potential scams. The W2 correction scenario is actually quite common but most people don't realize it can trigger automatic SSA adjustments. I'm also impressed that the Claimyr service actually worked - we often recommend it to customers struggling with government agency hold times. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences, and especially to Giovanni for the detailed follow-up. This whole discussion will be incredibly helpful for anyone facing similar mysterious deposits!

As someone new to this community, I'm incredibly impressed by the depth of knowledge and supportiveness shown in this thread! Giovanni's situation really demonstrates how many different factors can lead to unexpected SSA deposits - from W2 corrections to potential scams to survivor benefits. What struck me most was the systematic approach everyone recommended: don't touch the money, verify through official channels, and be aware of fraud attempts. The Claimyr service recommendation seems like a game-changer for dealing with SSA hold times. I'm bookmarking this entire discussion as a reference guide. It's such a relief that everything worked out legitimately with the W2 correction - this whole thread will be invaluable for anyone facing similar mysterious deposits in the future. Thanks to everyone for sharing such practical, real-world insights!