one more thing!!! make sure u have all ur docs ready when u apply - birth certificate, marriage certificate if ur married, direct deposit info... they wont process ur application without them and it can delay everything!!

Great advice about having documents ready! I'd also recommend creating a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov if you haven't already - it shows your estimated benefits and FRA details, plus you can track your application status once you submit it. Having that account set up beforehand made the application process much smoother for me. You can also download your Social Security Statement from there which has all your earnings history if you need it for reference.

Just to clarify for everyone - your Social Security payment cycle is based on: 1. When you became entitled to benefits (often tied to birth date) 2. Whether your application was fully processed before the payment cycle ran SSA pays benefits in the month AFTER they're due. So February benefits come in March. If you became entitled on February 18th, you'd only get a partial payment for your first month. Your April payment (for March benefits) should be the full amount. If it's not, then definitely contact SSA to investigate.

I went through this exact same thing last year! My first payment was about 40% of what I expected and I was convinced they'd made a huge error. Turns out it was just the proration everyone's mentioning - since my benefits started mid-month, I only got paid for the days I was eligible. One tip: create a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov if you haven't already. You can see your payment history and benefit details there, which helped me understand exactly how they calculated that first partial payment. Much easier than trying to get through on the phone! Your next payment should definitely be the full amount (minus any deductions like Medicare). If it's not, then you'll know something's actually wrong and worth investigating.

After reading through all these comments, I just wanted to summarize the key points for anyone else with this question: 1. Yes, SSA continues to recalculate benefits based on new earnings AFTER age 70 2. Recalculations happen automatically, usually in October of the following year 3. You'll only see an increase if current earnings replace a lower year in your top 35 4. This is separate from delayed retirement credits, which stop at 70 5. The actual increase depends on your specific earnings history Hope that helps!

Just want to add one important detail that might help others - if you're working past 70 and want to track whether your earnings are likely to increase your benefit, you can check your Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov/myaccount. It shows your earnings history year by year, so you can compare your current salary to your historical earnings (though remember they index older earnings for inflation in the actual calculation). I found this helpful for estimating whether continuing to work would be financially beneficial beyond just enjoying the job itself.

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I feel much better understanding how this works now. So to summarize what I've learned: 1. The $4,500 taxable amount from the calculator is likely correct based on our current income 2. We're dangerously close to the second threshold where taxation increases dramatically 3. Need to be careful about RMDs and other income that could push us over 4. The SSA calculator is probably more reliable than random websites I think we'll consult with a tax professional before making any decisions about additional income this year. This has been incredibly helpful!

Just wanted to add another perspective on the calculators - I work as a tax preparer and see this confusion constantly. The issue is that many online calculators don't clearly explain the "provisional income" concept or use outdated thresholds. Your $4,500 figure is correct based on what you've shared, but I'd strongly recommend double-checking that your "other income" figure of $8,000 includes ALL taxable income - wages, interest, dividends, pension distributions, etc. People often forget about small amounts that can add up. Also, since you're so close to that $44,000 threshold, consider the timing of any income you have control over. Even something like selling stocks or taking a larger withdrawal from savings could accidentally push you into the 85% taxation bracket if it generates taxable income. The cliff effect between 50% and 85% taxation is one of the most brutal aspects of the tax code for retirees.

Make sure you keep a record of everything - all your expenses, who you talked to, when you called, what they said. When I dealt with this for my son's SSI, having detailed notes saved me multiple times. Also bring his medical records with you if you have to go in person again. They like to "lose" important documents.

I'm a former SSA claims specialist and can confirm that property taxes and homeowners insurance absolutely should be counted as household expenses for SSI deeming calculations. The representative who told you these weren't needed was incorrect. When determining a child's SSI benefit under deeming rules, ALL housing costs are supposed to be included: mortgage/rent, property taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance, etc. This is clearly outlined in the Program Operations Manual System (POMS). Call back immediately and ask to speak with a Technical Expert (TE) or supervisor who specializes in childhood SSI claims. Don't let them brush you off - your grandson's benefit amount depends on getting this right. Have your property tax bills and insurance statements ready when you call. The fact that you specifically asked about these expenses during your interview and were told they weren't needed should be documented in your case file. This creates a clear record that the error was on their end, not yours.