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If I could give 10 stars I would If I could give 10 stars I would Such an amazing service so needed during the times when EDD almost never picks up Claimyr gets me on the phone with EDD every time without fail faster. A much needed service without Claimyr I would have never received the payment I needed to support me during my postpartum recovery. Thank you so much Claimyr!
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- DO post tips & tricks to help folks.
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I went through this EXACT SAME SITUATION last year!!! After going back and forth for MONTHS, I decided to split the difference and claim at 65. Not the full benefit but not waiting until 67 either. It let me retire a bit earlier but still got a decent monthly amount. Sometimes the best answer is somewhere in the middle!!
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btw my aunt said when she was on widows benefits she started tracking everything in a spreadsheet with dates and hours and pay. made it way easier at tax time. might be worth doing?
That's a great idea! I'll start doing that right away. Better late than never, and it sounds like keeping detailed records will save me headaches later.
After reading through all the advice here, I'd summarize the key points for your situation: 1. For 2025, your annual earnings limit is $23,400 (approximately $1,950 monthly) before reductions begin. 2. Report your work activity to SSA immediately through your my Social Security account. 3. Keep detailed records of when you earn money (not just when you're paid). 4. Understand that benefits withheld now will increase your monthly benefit after you reach FRA. 5. Your Medicare Part A and B aren't directly affected by working, unless your income rises significantly. With careful planning, you can supplement your income without disrupting your benefits too much. Remember that once you reach your Full Retirement Age, these earnings limits disappear completely, and you can work as much as you want with no reduction in benefits.
Thank you SO MUCH for this clear summary! This has been incredibly helpful. I feel much better informed now about how to handle my part-time work without jeopardizing my benefits. I'll be reporting my earnings right away and keeping careful records going forward.
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I had a similar issue and found that if I went to my local SS office in person with my W-2 they were able to note it in my file right away. Much better than trying to do it over the phone! Just make an appointment online first.
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One more document tip: If you're planning to apply online, scan all your documents beforehand and save them as PDFs. The online system allows you to upload supporting documents directly rather than mailing them or bringing them to an office. Also, regarding the question about W-2s: they typically only need the most recent year's tax documents. However, if there are gaps or discrepancies in your earnings record (view this on your my Social Security account), having W-2s or tax returns from those specific years can help fix those issues. Lastly, if you're still working and planning to continue working, understand how the earnings limit works for 2025 (if you're under your Full Retirement Age). Earning above $22,125 (approximate 2025 limit) will reduce your benefits temporarily if you're under FRA.
The scanning tip is great, thank you! Does the online system have file size limits for uploads? Some of these old documents might make large PDF files if I scan them at high quality. Good point about the earnings limit - I am turning 66 in September which I believe is my FRA since I was born in 1959. I plan to keep working part-time though, maybe 20 hours a week. From what I understand, once I hit FRA there's no limit on how much I can earn without affecting benefits, right?
Everyone's given great advice! I just want to add that if you're struggling to gather all these documents or worried about making mistakes, you can get free help from a SHIP counselor (State Health Insurance Assistance Program). They help with Medicare enrollment too, which you'll be doing at the same time most likely. Also, I suggest keeping a detailed log of EVERY interaction with SSA - names of representatives you speak with, confirmation numbers, what was discussed, next steps, etc. Their system is so fragmented that one office often doesn't know what another told you. Having this documentation saved me when they lost part of my application!
i tried calling ssa three times last month about my wifes benefits. got disconnected twice and waited 2+ hours the third time just to get someone who couldnt even answer my question!
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is anyone else worried that the SS trust fund might run out soon? i keep hearing 2033 is when they'll cut benefits. makes me nervous every time i see weird payment changes
That's a bit off-topic from the original question about an unexplained payment, but I understand your concern. Current projections show that without legislative changes, the trust fund would be depleted around 2033-2034, but that doesn't mean benefits would stop completely. Even with no changes, the system would still pay about 78-80% of scheduled benefits through ongoing payroll taxes. It's very likely Congress will implement some combination of changes before then - they always wait until the last minute, but they've addressed funding gaps before. This small payment adjustment has nothing to do with trust fund status.
UPDATE: Finally got through to SSA this morning! The $172 was indeed a retroactive adjustment. Apparently when my husband applied in January, they used an incomplete earnings record that was missing his last quarter of work from 2024. When his employer reported those final earnings, it triggered an automatic recalculation and the small supplemental payment. The agent said we should be getting a letter explaining this within the next week, and that the adjustment is correct - we can keep the money. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
So glad you got through to them and got answers! How long did you have to wait on hold?
I actually tried that Claimyr service someone mentioned above - skeptical at first but it worked! Got through in about 15 minutes instead of the usual nightmare. The actual call with SSA only took about 5 minutes once I reached an agent.
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Has anyone else noticed how IMPOSSIBLE it is to get answers from SSA about ANYTHING?? It's like they DELIBERATELY try to confuse us! Every time I call I get different answers! Why can't they just send a simple explanation with these random payments????
Seriously! I got a letter about my Medicare premium changing that made zero sense. Called 3 times and got 3 completely different explanations. It's like they're just guessing half the time.
For future reference, the MySocialSecurity online account can sometimes show these payments and explain what they are. If you haven't created an account yet, I highly recommend it. You can see your payment history, benefit verification letters, and manage direct deposit information without calling. Might have saved you some confusion in this case.
I do have a MySocialSecurity account, but when I checked it yesterday, it just showed the deposit as "Social Security benefit" without any additional details about why it was a different amount. But I'll keep checking there first in the future!
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Here's another WARNING for everyone!!! If you're already receiving retirement benefits on your OWN record, you CAN'T switch to just taking survivor benefits!!! The rules CHANGED in 2015 with that awful budget act! Once you've filed for your own retirement, you're DEEMED to have filed for ALL benefits! The ONLY exception is if you were born before January 2, 1954 which it sounds like you were! Check your birth year!
This isn't accurate for survivor benefits. The deemed filing rules from the 2015 Budget Act only apply to retirement and spousal benefits, NOT to survivor benefits. Someone can be receiving their own retirement and still switch to survivor benefits if the survivor amount is higher. Similarly, someone can receive survivor benefits first and later switch to their own retirement benefits if that would be higher. This is still allowed regardless of birth year.
when you call ssa make sure you write down EVERYTHING they tell you!!! my aunt got different answers from 3 different people! also they backdate survivor benefits to the month of death if you file within 6 months
That's a great tip about writing everything down. I'll definitely do that. I'm a little worried about having to defend my case if I get someone who doesn't understand the rules correctly.
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Thank you all so much for these detailed responses. I'm going to keep my phone appointment and come prepared with questions about both benefit types. I'll also write down my earnings record and what I know about my late husband's benefits so I can compare the numbers during the call. Since it sounds like my born-in-1956 status still allows me to choose between survivor OR retirement (just not both at once), I'll need to understand the long-term impacts of each option. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences and knowledge!
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i had to deal with this last yr too and went in circles for months!! they kept asking for more proof and more proof until i finally gave up and just didn't claim until this year. The system is broken!
Did you try visiting your local SSA office in person? Sometimes that's more effective than phone calls, especially for complicated situations.
One more important thing - when your benefits are withheld due to earnings, they're not lost forever! Once you reach FRA, SSA will recalculate and give you credit for those months, resulting in a permanent increase to your monthly benefit amount going forward. So even if you can't get the exception for non-work months, any withheld benefits do eventually come back to you in the form of higher payments later.
Exactly right. This is the Adjustment to the Reduction Factor (ARF). For every month benefits are completely withheld due to excess earnings, SSA adjusts your reduction factor when you reach FRA. It doesn't make up for the full amount withheld, but it does increase your monthly benefit permanently.
Ravi Sharma
WHY is everything with Social Security so COMPLICATED?! I swear they make these questions confusing on purpose. My sister answered this wrong and her application was delayed by TWO MONTHS while they sorted it out!!
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Omar Fawaz
•i know right!! and then when u try to call them its impossible to get through. spent my whole day off work last week trying to reach someone!
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Emma Davis
If you're unsure about this or any other question on your application, it's always best to include an explanation in the remarks section. Something like: "My mother received survivor benefits on my behalf from 1975-1981 after my father passed away." This additional clarity can help prevent processing delays.
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Javier Torres
•Thank you, that's a great suggestion. I'll definitely add that explanation to make things clearer. I'm hoping to get this application submitted by the end of the week.
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