Update: I found it! For anyone else looking, after logging in to mySocialSecurity, click on "Replacement Documents" on the left side menu, then select "Replacement SSA-1099/1042S". It lets you download a PDF immediately. So much easier than I thought!

WAIT - does everyone on Social Security get this form?? I get SSDI (disability) not retirement and I don't remember seeing any tax form! Am I supposed to be reporting this on my taxes?? I haven't filed in years because I thought disability wasn't taxable!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this process twice now. The October AERO adjustment is definitely real and automatic, but I'd recommend being patient while also staying informed. In my experience, the adjustment happened right on schedule in October, and I received both the letter explaining the change and the retroactive payment within about 3 weeks of each other. The retroactive payment came as a direct deposit (same method as my regular benefits) and was clearly labeled as "RETRO" on my bank statement. One tip - if you have a my Social Security account online, you can actually see your updated payment history there before you get the official letter, which helped ease my anxiety about whether it was really happening!

I'm new to Social Security benefits and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - just started receiving benefits this year and have earnings from 2023 that should improve my calculation. Reading everyone's experiences with the AERO process has really put my mind at ease. It sounds like the October timing is pretty standard, though I'm definitely going to follow the advice about calling to check on it if I don't see changes by November. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so valuable to hear from people who've actually been through this process!

Another thing to consider is timing your application strategically. Since you're turning 65 in three months, you might want to apply for survivor benefits about 2-3 months before you want them to start. SSA can take some time to process applications, and you don't want to miss out on benefits you're entitled to due to processing delays. Also, even though you'll face the earnings test reduction now, remember that those "withheld" benefits aren't completely lost forever. Once you reach your FRA, SSA will recalculate your survivor benefit to give you credit for the months when benefits were withheld due to earnings. It's not dollar-for-dollar, but you do get some of that back in the form of a slightly higher monthly benefit going forward. One more tip - when you meet with SSA, ask them to show you the breakeven analysis between claiming survivor benefits now versus waiting until your FRA. Sometimes the math works out better to wait, especially if the earnings test would wipe out most of your benefit anyway.

One more important detail to consider - make sure you understand the difference between your survivor benefit amount and what you'll actually receive after the earnings test. When SSA quotes you a survivor benefit amount, that's typically the full monthly amount you'd be entitled to. But with your $72K salary, you'll want to ask them to calculate your actual expected monthly payment after the earnings test reduction so you can budget accordingly. Also, since you mentioned your husband passed away 4 years ago, you may want to check if you're eligible for any retroactive survivor benefits. Sometimes there are situations where you could have claimed earlier but didn't know about it. While you can't go back and change that now, it's worth asking about just to make sure you understand all your options. And don't forget to ask about Medicare enrollment while you're there! Since you're turning 65, you'll need to make decisions about Medicare Part B even if you have employer coverage. The timing of your Medicare decisions can interact with your Social Security benefit claiming strategy in ways that might affect your overall financial picture.

One thing to keep in mind is that the timing of when you see any increases can vary. The SSA typically processes these recalculations between October and December of the following year after they receive your W-2 data. So if you work in 2025, you might not see any adjustment until late 2026 or early 2027. Also, they'll send you a letter if your benefit amount changes, so you'll know when it happens. The key is that your $22k needs to be higher than one of your lowest 35 years of indexed earnings to make a difference in your benefit calculation.

Just to add another perspective - I'm in a similar situation and started benefits at 64 last year while continuing to work part-time. One thing I learned is that even small increases can compound over time since they become part of your permanent benefit amount and also affect your annual COLA adjustments. So that $15-27 increase others mentioned might not sound like much, but it grows each year with cost of living adjustments. Also, if you're married, it could eventually impact spousal benefits too. Definitely worth staying under that earnings limit and letting the system work in your favor!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - turning 62 next year and trying to decide when to claim. One thing I'd add is that SSA has a retirement estimator tool on their website (ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html) where you can model different claiming strategies and see how working income affects your benefits. Also, for anyone still confused about this topic, I found SSA's Publication 05-10069 "How Work Affects Your Benefits" to be much clearer than the general website explanations. You can download it as a PDF and it walks through several examples with actual numbers. The key takeaway seems to be: if you're going to keep working at a high income level, it might make more sense to just wait until FRA to claim rather than dealing with the earnings test and partial benefit recovery. But if your work income will be variable or you can structure it as non-wage income, claiming early might work out better.

I went through this exact situation and wanted to share my experience. I claimed at 62 and continued working part-time earning around $35,000 annually. The earnings test did withhold some of my benefits each year - roughly 3-4 months worth. When I reached my FRA at 66 and 8 months, SSA automatically recalculated my benefit and increased my monthly payment by about $280. However, looking back at the total dollars received over the entire period, I probably would have been better off just waiting until FRA to claim, especially since I was consistently earning above the limit. The one advantage was having some Social Security income during those early retirement years, which gave me peace of mind and flexibility with my other retirement accounts. But purely from a financial standpoint, the math favored waiting. My advice: run the numbers carefully using SSA's retirement estimator tool with your specific earnings projections. And if you do decide to claim early while working, keep good records of your earnings and withheld benefits so you can verify the adjustment is calculated correctly at FRA.