One more thing to consider - when you apply in January 2025, your benefit won't actually start until February, and your first payment will arrive in March. Social Security pays a month behind, so February's payment comes in March, March's in April, etc. Make sure you have enough savings to tide you over during that initial gap, especially if your work situation is uncertain!

I'm in a similar boat - turned 69 last month and considering filing soon rather than waiting until 70. One thing I learned from my financial advisor is that you can actually change your mind about the timing up until you receive your first payment. So if you file in January but your work situation stabilizes, you could potentially withdraw your application before February and wait until 70 after all. Also, regarding your question about continuing to work - I've been tracking this closely and yes, even after you start benefits, any year where your earnings are higher than one of your current "top 35" earning years will boost your benefit. The recalculation happens automatically, though as others mentioned, it can take several months to show up. The key thing is having that financial cushion for the transition period. Sounds like you're being smart and practical about your situation rather than just following the "always wait until 70" advice that doesn't account for real-world uncertainties.

One additional thing to note - make sure you understand what counts as "earnings" for the earnings test. It's generally only wages from employment or net earnings from self-employment. Things that DON'T count: pension payments, investment income, interest, annuities, capital gains, or insurance payments. This trips up a lot of people when estimating their earnings!

I'm in a similar situation - just started collecting at 62 last year and went through the monthly reporting for my first year. One thing I learned that might help you: if your accounting work is seasonal like you mentioned, the monthly test in your first year can actually work in your favor. During my slow months, I could earn almost nothing and still get full benefits, even though my busy season put me way over what the annual limit would have been. When I transitioned to annual reporting this year, I had to be much more careful about my total projected earnings. The key is being as accurate as possible with your estimate - I slightly overestimated to be safe rather than risk an overpayment situation. SSA has been pretty understanding when I've had to call with questions, though getting through can take forever as others mentioned. Also, since you're in accounting, you probably already know this, but make sure you're tracking your actual earnings throughout the year so you can update SSA if your situation changes significantly from your original estimate.

Thank you everyone for the helpful responses! You've really cleared up my confusion about SSDI vs. early retirement. I'm relieved to know my benefit won't be reduced just because I'm 58. I'm going to start gathering all my medical records to strengthen my application. My rheumatologist is supportive and has already documented how my condition prevents me from performing nursing duties. I'll also look into that Claimyr service when I'm ready to call SSA - sounds much better than spending hours on hold! Wish me luck with the application process. I'll update this thread when I have news.

Best of luck with your application, Ava! You're asking all the right questions and it sounds like you have good medical documentation, which is crucial. One additional tip from my experience: keep detailed records of everything - every doctor visit, every symptom flare-up, how your condition affects daily activities. The more comprehensive your medical file, the stronger your case. Also, don't get discouraged if you get an initial denial - it's unfortunately common and doesn't mean your case isn't valid. Your rheumatologist's support will be invaluable. Make sure they document not just your diagnosis, but specifically how your RA prevents you from performing the physical demands of nursing (lifting patients, standing for long periods, fine motor skills for procedures, etc.). You're being smart to research all this beforehand. Many people go into the SSDI process blind and it makes everything more stressful. Keep us posted on how it goes!

i wonder if a congressperson could help? my sister had an ssdi issue that was taking forever and she contacted her congressman's office and suddenly everything got fixed in like 2 weeks!

As someone who just went through this process, I can confirm that 90 days is unfortunately pretty typical. I submitted my W-2s for missing years back in October and didn't get resolution until January. The frustrating part is the complete lack of communication during the process - you're just left wondering if your paperwork got lost in the shuffle. One thing that helped me was keeping detailed records of everything I submitted (dates, fax confirmation numbers, etc.) and being very specific when I called about exactly what I had sent and when. The agents seemed more helpful when I could provide specific details rather than just saying "I sent my tax returns months ago." Also, regarding whether it's worth it - it really depends on your earnings pattern. In my case, the two missing years were actually lower than my current top 35, so they didn't change my benefit at all. But if those missing years had higher earnings than some of your lowest years in the calculation, it could make a significant difference. The SSA uses your highest 35 years of indexed earnings, so any year that's higher than your current lowest year in that calculation would increase your benefit. Hang in there - the waiting is the worst part, but they will eventually get to it.

The REAL problem is that the SSA's systems are outdated and the different offices don't communicate. I've had THREE different answers from THREE different representatives about the same question. Your best bet is to DOCUMENT EVERYTHING. Write down who you talked to today, the time, what they told you, and any confirmation numbers. Trust me, when they inevitably mess something up, you'll need this information to fight them!!!

I went through this exact situation when I applied for survivor benefits at 60. The protective filing date is crucial - it saved me about $1,800 in back benefits! When you call SSA, they should give you what's called a "receipt notice" or confirmation that you initiated contact on today's date. If you didn't get one, I'd recommend calling back tomorrow and specifically asking for documentation of your protective filing date from today's call. Also, during your October 31st appointment, bring up the protective filing date first thing - don't wait for them to mention it. Some reps are great about this, others need reminding. The system works, but you have to be proactive about protecting your rights.