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my mom died last year too and i had same problem!! waited forever for her ss-1099 then gave up and did taxes without it. big mistake!! got a letter from irs 6 months later saying we underpaid taxes bc didn't report all her income!! had to file amended return and pay penalty and interest!! dont do what i did lol. definitely wait for that form or get an official replacement!!
OMG that sounds awful! Sorry you had to deal with that on top of losing your mom. The IRS can be so heartless sometimes. Did they at least reduce the penalty when you explained the situation?
Thanks for sharing your experience, though I'm sorry you had to go through that. I'll definitely make sure I have the official 1099 before filing. Did you eventually get the form, or did you have to get the information some other way?
hey just checking in - did you end up getting your dads 1099 yet? mine just came yesterday for my mom so maybe yours is on the way
Just got it in the mail today, actually! Thanks for checking. Now to figure out the rest of his final tax filing...
Glad to hear it arrived! One more tip for your father's final return: if your father had any uncashed Social Security checks at the time of his death, those are considered income for the estate, not income for his final personal tax return. This is different from direct deposits received while he was alive, which do go on his final personal return. Just wanted to mention this since it's a common area of confusion.
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Just wanted to add one more thing that helped me when I went through this - make sure to keep detailed records of your last day of work and any final payments. I created a simple spreadsheet tracking my earnings by month for 2025, which made it much easier when SSA asked for documentation later. Also, if you do decide to move your retirement date up to May 31st like you mentioned, double-check that you won't lose any employer benefits (like health insurance coverage) by leaving a few weeks earlier. Sometimes there are month-end cutoffs for benefits that could affect your transition to Medicare eligibility. One last tip: when you call SSA to discuss your situation, ask them to put notes in your file about the conversation. This creates a paper trail that can help if there are any issues later with the earnings test calculation.
This is such great advice about keeping detailed records! I'm definitely going to create that spreadsheet you mentioned. Quick question - when you say "final payments," does that include things like unused PTO payout? I'm wondering if that would count toward the monthly earnings limit since technically it's for time I already worked but getting paid after I retire. Also, the tip about asking SSA to put notes in the file is brilliant. I never would have thought of that but it makes total sense given how many people mentioned having issues with their calculations later on.
Great question about PTO payout! From what I understand, unused vacation/PTO that gets paid out after you retire typically doesn't count toward the monthly earnings limit because it's considered payment for work performed in previous periods, not current earnings. However, SSA can be picky about this - they'll want to see documentation showing the PTO was accrued from prior work periods. I'd recommend getting a letter from HR that specifically breaks down any final payments (PTO, unused sick leave, etc.) and shows they're for previously earned time off. This helped me avoid any confusion when I had a similar payout. And yes, absolutely create that paper trail with SSA! I actually started a small notebook where I wrote down the date, time, and name of every SSA representative I spoke with, plus what we discussed. It saved me so much headache when there was a discrepancy in my file later.
I'm in a very similar situation - turning 64 next month and planning to retire in August after earning about $38K so far this year. This thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add that I learned from my local SSA office: if you're planning to do ANY contract or freelance work after retiring (even just occasional consulting), make sure you understand how that income gets counted. They told me that self-employment income is handled differently and there's something called "substantial services" that could affect your eligibility for the monthly test. Also, for anyone else reading this - I called the SSA customer service line three times before I got someone who actually understood the first-year rule. Don't give up if the first person you talk to seems confused about it. Ask to speak with someone who specializes in earnings test calculations. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences here. It's so much more helpful than the confusing official publications!
Thanks for bringing up the self-employment angle! That's a really important point that I hadn't considered. I was thinking about maybe doing some light bookkeeping work for a few small businesses after I retire, so I definitely need to look into those "substantial services" rules you mentioned. It's frustrating that you had to call three times to get someone knowledgeable, but good to know persistence pays off. I'm already dreading trying to get through to them, but all these tips from everyone are giving me confidence that I can navigate this successfully. This whole thread has been a goldmine of practical advice that you just can't find in the official SSA materials. Really appreciate everyone sharing their real-world experiences!
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Just wanted to add one more important consideration that I haven't seen mentioned yet - make sure you understand how Medicare premiums might be affected if your Social Security benefit increases. When you're on SSDI, your Medicare Part B premium is usually deducted from your monthly payment. If you switch to a higher spousal or ex-spousal benefit, your net increase might be slightly less than the gross increase due to how Medicare premiums are calculated based on income. Also, if you're receiving any other benefits like SNAP or Medicaid, a higher Social Security payment could potentially affect your eligibility for those programs. It's worth checking with those agencies too if you do end up qualifying for a higher benefit. That said, don't let this discourage you from pursuing it! In most cases, the Social Security increase will more than offset any other changes. Just good to know about these potential impacts ahead of time so there are no surprises.
That's a really good point about Medicare premiums and other benefit programs! I hadn't thought about how a Social Security increase might affect my other assistance. I do receive SNAP benefits, so I'll definitely need to check with them about how any increase would impact my eligibility. It's helpful to know about this upfront rather than getting surprised later. Do you know if there's a general rule of thumb about how much of a Social Security increase might affect SNAP benefits, or does it vary by state? Either way, you're right that the Social Security increase would likely still be worth it overall, but it's smart to plan for the full picture. Thanks for bringing this up!
SNAP benefits do vary by state, but generally they use a standard deduction for Social Security income, so a modest increase in your SS benefits might not affect your SNAP eligibility as much as you'd think. Most states have what's called a "standard deduction" of around $177 for elderly/disabled households, so if your SS increase is small (like the $127 example mentioned earlier), you might not see any SNAP reduction at all. That said, definitely contact your local SNAP office when you know your new benefit amount. They can run the calculation for you. In my experience helping folks with benefits, the Social Security increase almost always comes out ahead even if SNAP gets reduced slightly. Also, if you're getting any state-level assistance programs, those rules can be completely different from federal programs, so it's worth checking on those too. But don't let the fear of losing other benefits stop you from pursuing what could be a significant monthly increase in your primary income source!
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I'm so confused about all this FRA stuff!!! Is that the same as the retirement age? I'm 62 and thinking about taking my benefits early but I'm still working part time at Walmart. Will they reduce my benefits? I make about $22,000 a year.
FRA stands for Full Retirement Age, which is different for everyone based on their birth year. For people born 1960 or later, FRA is 67. For those born earlier, it's between 66 and 67. At 62, you're taking benefits before your FRA, so yes, the earnings limit would apply to you. In 2025, if you earn more than $21,240, your benefits will be reduced by $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit. With your $22,000 income, you'd be $760 over the limit, so your annual benefits would be reduced by $380 (or about $32 per month). Additionally, by claiming early at 62, your benefit amount is permanently reduced by about a 5/9 of one percent for each month before your FRA (up to 36 months) and then 5/12 of one percent beyond that. This can mean up to a 30% permanent reduction compared to waiting until your FRA.
I'm in a similar boat - just turned 66 and still working part-time as a nurse. Can confirm what others have said about no benefit reduction at FRA! I've been collecting my full $2,400/month while earning about $30k from my nursing shifts. The SSA doesn't care how much you make once you hit your FRA. One thing I learned the hard way though - definitely plan for the tax hit. Between my SS benefits, part-time income, and some retirement account withdrawals, I ended up owing way more than expected last year. Now I have taxes withheld from my SS payments (10% federal) and make quarterly payments. Also watch out for the Medicare IRMAA increases if your income gets too high - that caught me by surprise too. Bottom line: work as much as you want at FRA without worrying about benefit reductions, just plan for the tax implications!
This is really helpful to hear from someone actually doing it! I'm new to this whole Social Security thing and was so worried about making a mistake. It sounds like the key is just being prepared for tax season. Did you have to fill out any special forms with SSA to have the 10% withheld, or was it pretty straightforward? I'm thinking I should probably do the same thing since I'll be in a similar income situation.
Klaus Schmidt
I'm in a very similar situation - turning 62 in late November and trying to figure out the exact timing for my first payment! This thread has been incredibly helpful. One thing I wanted to ask about that I haven't seen mentioned yet - does the SSA send any kind of notification or confirmation letter when your first payment is processed? I know they'll send the payment itself, but I'm wondering if there's any advance notice so I know it's actually been approved and scheduled. Also, for those who have been through this process, how long after submitting your application did you actually receive confirmation that you were approved? I submitted mine about 3 weeks ago and haven't heard anything yet, which is making me a bit nervous about the timing. I want to make sure everything goes through smoothly so I'm not left scrambling financially in that gap month everyone mentioned.
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Connor O'Neill
•Great question about the notification process! Yes, SSA does send confirmation when your application is approved. You'll typically receive an award letter in the mail that shows your benefit amount, start date, and first payment date. This usually comes 2-4 weeks after approval. You can also check the status of your application online through your my Social Security account - it will show if it's still pending, approved, or if they need additional information. Three weeks without hearing anything isn't unusual, especially if they're reviewing your work history or need to verify information. The whole process can take 3-6 weeks from submission to first payment. If you're getting anxious, you can always call SSA to check on the status, though as others mentioned, getting through can be challenging. The online account is usually your best bet for real-time updates!
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StarStrider
I just want to emphasize something that might help with your planning - make sure you understand the earnings test if you're planning to continue working after claiming benefits at 62. For 2024, if you earn more than $22,320 while receiving Social Security benefits before your full retirement age, they'll withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. This could affect your payment amounts in those early months, so factor this into your budgeting if work income is part of your financial picture. Also, don't forget that your Social Security benefits may be subject to federal income tax depending on your total income level - this caught me off guard my first year! The combination of reduced benefits from claiming early, potential earnings test withholding, and taxes can make that first payment quite a bit different from what you might initially expect.
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Genevieve Cavalier
•This is such an important point that often gets overlooked! I'm planning to do some part-time consulting work after I start collecting benefits, so the earnings test is definitely something I need to factor in. I had no idea about the $22,320 threshold - that's really helpful to know upfront rather than being surprised later. And you're absolutely right about the tax implications too. It sounds like that first year of benefits can be quite complex with all these different factors potentially affecting the actual amount you receive. Do you happen to know if the earnings test is based on annual income or if they monitor it monthly? I'm trying to figure out if I need to be careful about timing when I take on any consulting projects in relation to when my benefits start.
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