Just to add more clarity: Social Security retirement benefits are paid in the month they are due, but they're paid for the previous month. So your September 27th payment was for September's benefit, but you received it in September rather than waiting until October. For retirement benefits, the payment schedule is: - Born 1st-10th: 2nd Wednesday of the month - Born 11th-20th: 3rd Wednesday of the month - Born 21st-31st: 4th Wednesday of the month The first month or two can be irregular as they're establishing your payment record. After that, you should receive your benefits on your scheduled Wednesday based on your birth date. If the portal shows your next payment in early November, it's likely they're still adjusting your payment schedule. If you're concerned, definitely call SSA to confirm everything is on track. The irregularity in the first couple of months is normal, but it's always good to verify.

Yes, that's exactly right. You're not missing any money - it's just the payment schedule adjusting. Your September benefit was paid in September (on the 27th), and your October benefit will be paid in early November according to your portal. Then after that, you should start receiving payments on your regular schedule based on your birth date. The SSA systems are old and sometimes take a cycle or two to get everything flowing smoothly for new beneficiaries. Rest assured that all your entitled benefits will be paid.

good luck with your hart issues! my husband had a triple bypass last year and SS was the last thing on our minds. make your health the priority and the rest will work out!! <3

Thank you for the kind words! You're absolutely right - health comes first. I hope your husband is doing well now after his surgery.

To summarize what everyone has correctly stated: 1. COLA increases apply to all beneficiaries starting in January regardless of birth month 2. Since Social Security pays benefits in arrears (one month behind), your January benefit (with the COLA increase) is paid in February 3. Your birth month only affects when you first become eligible for benefits and when you receive your monthly payment The 2025 COLA is 2.5%, so everyone's benefit increased by that percentage starting with the January benefit amount (paid in February).

My aunt thought she was gonna get backpay for the COLA starting from her birthday month all the way to January lol. I had to explain that's not how it works! The SSA does such a bad job explaining this stuff.

my sister works at H&R Block and she said 401k definitely counts in the earnings test. you could try working less hours in december if your wife is getting close to the limit. thats what my husband did.

One additional thing to keep in mind - the SSA does recalculate your benefit amount when you reach Full Retirement Age to give you credit for the months they withheld benefits due to the earnings test. So while your wife may see reduced benefits now if she exceeds the earnings limit, her benefit amount will increase at FRA to account for those reductions. Many people don't realize this adjustment happens automatically.

ok but if i waited till 70 to file and then we hit a bad recession with no colas for a few years wouldnt i miss out? trying to decide when to file myself

One important point that hasn't been mentioned: The COLA adjustments that are applied to your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) starting at age 62 are the SAME percentages that current beneficiaries receive. So when current Social Security recipients got the 8.7% COLA for 2023, people who were eligible but not yet claiming ALSO had their future benefits increased by 8.7%. This applies regardless of when you plan to claim - whether that's 62, 67, 70, or anywhere in between.

btw has he looked into online degrees? my cousins husband is disabled (ms i think) and does online classes when hes feeling ok and can pause when hes not. more flexible that way

I want to add one more thing - if your brother is receiving Medicare due to his disability status, attending college won't affect that coverage either. Some people worry about losing health insurance, but education doesn't impact Medicare eligibility for disabled beneficiaries.

so sorry about ur son thats really tough. when we adopted our grandkids they told us we HAD to switch them to our benefits and we lost like $400 a month for each kid. later found out that wasnt true at all!! make sure u tell them specifically u just need to report the adoption but want to keep the kids on survivor benefits!!!!!

Just wondering - how old are you and your wife? If either of you are under Full Retirement Age and earn income, it could affect family benefits on your record (another reason to keep them on survivor benefits).

One other important consideration: Once you file for benefits, there's a limit to how much you can earn from working before they start reducing your benefits (the earnings test). For 2025, if you're under FRA for the full year, they deduct $1 for every $2 you earn above $23,110. This stops once you reach your FRA. So if you're still working or planning to work, make sure to factor this into your decision. Many people are surprised when their benefits get reduced because of earnings.

ALSO!!! don't forget bout TAXES!! up to 85% of ur SS benefits can be taxable depending on ur other income. we didnt realize this and ended up owing a bunch at tax time that first year 😠

Just to clarify a common point of confusion - the IRMAA adjustment is typically processed for future months, but they should also refund any overpayments back to the month after you submitted your life-changing event documentation. However, they don't automatically go back further than your filing date, even if your income changed earlier. That's why it's important to file the SSA-44 as soon as possible after your life-changing event occurs. The second letter should clearly indicate any retroactive adjustments and exactly when your new premium amount takes effect.

BTW did they make u provide proof when u did your IRMAA appeal?? They made me bring actual pay stubs & my retirement paperwork when I went in. Just wondering if different offices have different requirements.

my cousin had to pay back a big amount because she didnt report her earnings right. make sure ur mom keeps ssa updated on her income so she doesnt get a surprise bill!

Thank you all for the incredibly helpful advice! Here's my takeaway plan for my mom: 1. She'll request a detailed benefit estimate from SSA showing exact figures at different claiming ages 2. We'll calculate how many months might be withheld based on her expected earnings 3. We'll factor in the higher earnings limit for her FRA year 4. I'll help her create a system to track and report all earnings accurately 5. We'll weigh the permanent reduction against her immediate financial needs One last question - does anyone know if she would receive a notice from SSA before they withhold payments, or would they just stop coming?