Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I think I understand now - my FRA is 66 and 10 months (not a "max age"), and I can get delayed retirement credits up until age 70. I'm still working, so I'll probably wait at least until my FRA to avoid the earnings limit. Since my family tends to live into their 90s, waiting until 70 might be the best financial decision for me. I'll check my mySocialSecurity account to get my specific benefit estimates at different ages.

Sounds like you've got a solid plan, Ravi! One thing to double-check when you log into your mySocialSecurity account - make sure to look at the "View Estimated Benefits" section which will show you the exact dollar amounts at different claiming ages. Also, since you mentioned your family longevity, you might want to consider spousal benefits too if you're married. The timing of when you claim can affect survivor benefits for your spouse. Good luck with your decision!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely blown away by how helpful and informative this discussion has been! I'm 61 and my employer just announced layoffs that will likely affect my department in the coming months, so I've been frantically trying to understand my Social Security options. Like so many others here, I was completely confused about the earnings test and assumed that if I had already earned over the annual limit ($23,400), I'd be out of luck for benefits for the entire year. Learning about the monthly earnings test for mid-year retirees has been a revelation - the fact that SSA only looks at your post-retirement earnings using the $1,950 monthly limit for the remainder of your first retirement year is information I never would have found on my own. What really resonates with me is how many people here have shared similar experiences of getting inconsistent or incorrect information from SSA representatives themselves. It's both frustrating and sadly not surprising that such a critical rule is so poorly communicated. This community is clearly filling an essential gap by providing real-world guidance that you simply can't get from official sources. I've been taking notes throughout this entire thread because it's essentially become the most comprehensive and practical guide to mid-year retirement earnings rules that I've ever encountered. Thank you Sarah for asking the question we all needed answered, and thank you to everyone who took the time to share their knowledge and experiences. This kind of peer support is invaluable when facing these major life decisions!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to echo what so many others have said about how incredibly valuable this discussion has been! I'm 62 and recently lost my job due to company downsizing, and I've been agonizing over whether to file for Social Security now or try to find another position. The clarity everyone has provided about the monthly earnings test has been absolutely game-changing for my situation. I had no idea that SSA uses the $1,950 monthly limit for the remainder of your first retirement year rather than the annual $23,400 limit when you retire mid-year. Like Sarah, I was terrified that my year-to-date earnings (around $31,000) would completely disqualify me from benefits. What really stands out to me is how this critical information seems to be such a well-kept secret. The fact that multiple people here had to call SSA repeatedly to get accurate answers, and that even representatives sometimes provide conflicting information, is deeply concerning. It makes communities like this absolutely essential for people trying to navigate these complex decisions during already stressful life transitions. Thank you Sarah for asking the question that opened up this treasure trove of shared knowledge, and thank you to everyone who took the time to share their real-world experiences. This thread has given me the confidence to move forward with filing for benefits knowing I actually understand how the earnings rules work. The peer-to-peer support here is truly invaluable!

Just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact same nightmare last year! My application was stuck for almost 4 months due to my federal employment history (worked for USPS for 18 years). The WEP review process is absolutely broken - they flag these applications but don't communicate anything to the applicants. What finally worked for me was a combination approach: I used Claimyr to get through to someone who could confirm my case was indeed stuck in the WEP review queue, and then I contacted my Congressional Representative's office for a formal inquiry. The Congressional route was a game-changer - their liaison got a response from SSA within 48 hours that my case had been sitting unworked for months due to a "system error." One tip I'd add: when you do get your case moving again, ask for an expedited payment to cover any months you should have already received benefits. In my case, they were able to process back payments for the delay period once everything was resolved. It's ridiculous that we have to become experts in SSA bureaucracy just to get our rightful benefits, but this community's advice really does work. Don't give up - there are ways to get unstuck from these black holes in their system!

This thread has been incredibly eye-opening for me! I'm currently in month 2 of waiting for my Social Security disability application to process, and while my situation isn't exactly the same as the retirement applications discussed here, I'm seeing some similar patterns with communication blackouts and conflicting information from different representatives. I worked for the Department of Education for 8 years before becoming disabled, so I suspect my case might also be getting caught up in some kind of government employment verification process. My online account just shows "your application is being reviewed" with no additional details, and every time I call I get told something different about the timeline. Reading through all these success stories with Congressional Representatives is really encouraging - I had no idea that was even an option for Social Security issues! I'm definitely going to reach out to my Rep's office this week. It sounds like they have much better access to what's actually happening with stuck applications than the regular customer service line. Thank you to everyone who shared such detailed advice and experiences. This kind of real-world guidance is so much more helpful than the vague information you get from official sources. I'll make sure to update this thread once I have progress to report!

Just want to add one more consideration that hasn't been mentioned - make sure you're also thinking about Medicare implications. Since you're still working part-time with decent earnings, you might want to verify whether your employer health insurance is still primary over Medicare when you turn 65, or if you need to enroll in Medicare Part B right away to avoid penalties. I've seen people get so focused on optimizing their Social Security that they accidentally create Medicare enrollment issues. The coordination between work benefits, Social Security timing, and Medicare can get tricky, especially when you're in that in-between zone of working but also collecting benefits. Just something to add to your research list when you're getting that official calculation from SSA!

Based on all the great advice here, it sounds like you're in a pretty good position actually! Since you're earning $35K and over the earnings limit, the automatic earnings test adjustment at FRA might work out better for you than voluntary suspension anyway. One thing I'd add - when you do get that official calculation from SSA, ask them to show you scenarios for both keeping your current work level versus picking up those extra hours Lucas suggested. Sometimes there are sweet spots in the earnings where working a bit more doesn't hurt your long-term benefit much but obviously helps your current cash flow. Also, if you do decide to call SSA, try calling right at 8am local time on Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. I've had better luck getting through early in the week. The hold times are still brutal but slightly less so than Mondays or Fridays. Good luck with whatever you decide - sounds like you're asking all the right questions!

my neigbor tried getin her exs benefits and said they asked for his social security number... did u guys need to provide that?? my sister didnt mention that part

Just wanted to add that you can actually get an estimate of what your ex-spouse benefit would be without applying yet! If you create a my Social Security account online, you can see your own estimated benefits. Then you can call SSA (or use that Claimyr service someone mentioned to skip the wait) and ask them to give you an estimate of what 50% of your ex's benefit would be at your full retirement age. This way you can compare and plan ahead without committing to anything. I did this before I turned 62 and it really helped me decide on my timing!