As someone who just went through this process myself, I wanted to share a few additional practical tips that might help with your seasonal work situation. First, when you create that monthly earnings breakdown that others mentioned, also include any expected bonuses, overtime, or irregular payments. I made the mistake of only reporting my base hourly estimates and forgot about a small year-end bonus, which caused some confusion later. Second, if your seasonal work involves any 1099 contract income (even small amounts), make sure SSA knows about this upfront. Self-employment income is handled slightly differently in their calculations, and it's better to address this from the start rather than trying to explain it later. Finally, I found it helpful to set up a simple monthly reminder on my phone to review my actual earnings against my estimates. If you're trending significantly higher or lower than expected, reporting the change sooner rather than later gives SSA more time to adjust your benefit withholdings properly. The grace year monthly limit can actually work in your favor with seasonal income patterns - just make sure SSA has the complete picture of your work situation from day one. Good luck with your application!

I'm in a similar situation - turning 64 next year and planning to work part-time while collecting benefits. This whole thread has been incredibly educational! One thing I'm still unclear on though - if I have a really good month where I earn significantly over the $1,860 limit (like $4,000), do they withhold the entire month's Social Security payment, or do they withhold proportionally based on how much I went over the limit? For example, if my monthly SS benefit is $1,500 and I earn $3,000 in wages that month (so $1,140 over the limit), would they keep my entire $1,500 benefit for that month, or would they calculate some partial withholding? I'm trying to figure out if it's worth it to occasionally take on extra work during my busy season or if going over the monthly limit essentially wipes out that month's benefit entirely.

One more important thing to know: If you're approved for disabled widow's benefits, you'll be automatically enrolled in Medicare after 24 months on benefits, regardless of your age. This is a significant benefit that can help with your healthcare costs. Also, when you reach your full retirement age (probably 67 in your case), your benefit will automatically convert to a regular widow's benefit, which will be 100% of your husband's PIA instead of the 71.5% you receive as a disabled widow. This increase happens automatically.

Just wanted to add some practical advice from my experience helping my sister with her disabled widow's benefits application. Make sure you gather ALL your employment records too, not just medical records. SSA needs to verify when you stopped working consistently to establish your disability onset date. Also, if you have any doctors who treated you back in 2014-2015, try to contact them directly for records - sometimes medical facilities purge older records after 7-10 years. One more tip: keep detailed notes of every phone call and visit with SSA, including names and dates. This helped us tremendously when we had to follow up on her application status. Best of luck with your application, Carmen!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience. I'm 74 and have been affected by WEP for about 8 years - my monthly benefit has been reduced by roughly $650. I haven't received any adjustment yet, but after reading through all these comments, I feel a bit more hopeful! It's reassuring to hear that Jamal actually got his increase, even though the timeline seems all over the place. I tried calling SSA twice this month but gave up after waiting over an hour each time. Based on what everyone's shared here, it sounds like we just need to be patient and keep checking our accounts. I'll definitely look into that Claimyr service Zoe mentioned to avoid those long hold times. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - it helps to know we're all in this together!

I just wanted to add my experience to this discussion. I'm 69 and have been dealing with WEP reductions for about 12 years due to my state teacher's pension - losing around $720 per month from my Social Security benefits. Like many of you, I've been eagerly waiting for news about the WEP repeal adjustments. I called SSA two weeks ago and was told the same thing about automatic processing, but the representative couldn't give me any specific timeline. What's encouraging is reading Jamal's experience about actually receiving the adjustment! It gives me hope that this is really happening, even if the rollout seems chaotic. I've been checking my bank account daily like it's Christmas morning. One thing I wanted to mention - I've been keeping detailed records of all my calls to SSA and taking screenshots of my online account, just in case there are any issues down the line. I'd recommend others do the same. The inconsistent information from different reps is definitely frustrating, but at least we have this community to share real experiences and keep each other updated!

I just went through this exact process two months ago and wanted to share a few additional tips that might help. First, when you download the SSA-521 form, make sure you're getting it directly from ssa.gov - there are some unofficial sites that have outdated versions. Second, if you decide to visit the office in person (which I'd recommend), try to go early in the morning or later in the afternoon to avoid the lunch rush. I went at 2 PM and barely waited 10 minutes. Also, don't forget to sign and date the form - sounds obvious but the person ahead of me in line had to fill out a new form because they missed the signature! One last thing: when they give you the receipt, take a photo of it with your phone as backup. The paper receipts from SSA can fade pretty quickly. You're making a smart financial decision by waiting until FRA - the extra monthly income will definitely be worth it in the long run!

I went through this same situation about 6 months ago and can definitely relate to your frustration! Like everyone else has confirmed, there's unfortunately no way to withdraw your application online - you have to use the paper form SSA-521. I ended up going to my local SSA office in person, and I'm really glad I did because I got immediate confirmation that they received my withdrawal request. One thing I'd add that I don't think anyone mentioned yet: when you fill out the form, there's a section asking for your reason for withdrawal. I was honest and wrote that I wanted to wait until my full retirement age for higher benefits, and the representative told me that was a very common and completely valid reason. Don't feel like you need to justify your decision - it's your right to withdraw within that 12-month window. Also, just a heads up that they'll ask you to confirm that you understand this is a one-time-only option. It sounds like you've already done your homework on this, but they're required to make sure you know you can't withdraw again in the future if you change your mind. The whole process was actually pretty painless once I got to the office. Definitely make an appointment if possible - it'll save you a lot of waiting time. Good luck with everything!

PSA: If you're changing your name, don't forget to update your voter registration too! It's easy to overlook but important for avoiding issues at the polls.

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're doing a legal name change (not marriage-related), some SSA offices might ask for additional documentation like proof of why you're changing your name. I had to bring a letter from my lawyer explaining the circumstances. Also, if you have any accounts or benefits with SSA, make sure to ask them how the name change will affect those. The whole process took me about 30 minutes once I was in the office, but having all the right paperwork made all the difference!