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Update: I went to my local SSA office today with the SSA-561 form and all my documentation. The claims representative actually reviewed everything while I was there and found that SSA had incorrectly recorded my work start date! They had me starting 3 months earlier than I actually did, which is why they thought I had used up all my Trial Work Period months. She's submitting a correction along with my formal appeal. I'm cautiously optimistic but still nervous about the outcome. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!
That's fantastic news! Getting an SSA rep to acknowledge an error on the spot is rare and promising. Make sure you get something in writing confirming what the rep found and what actions they're taking. Follow up in about 2-3 weeks if you don't hear anything. The squeaky wheel gets the grease with SSA!
That's amazing that you caught their error! I'm so glad you went in person instead of trying to handle this over the phone. A 3-month discrepancy in work start date would definitely mess up the Trial Work Period calculation. Fingers crossed this gets resolved quickly for you. Please keep us updated on how it turns out - your experience could really help others facing similar situations!
This is such great news! It's a perfect example of why appealing these overpayment notices is so important - SSA makes administrative errors more often than people realize. The fact that they had your work start date wrong by 3 months shows how crucial it is to have your own documentation and records. For anyone else reading this thread, Ava's experience highlights a key point: always bring copies of EVERYTHING when you visit the SSA office - employment letters, pay stubs, any correspondence you've had with SSA, etc. Sometimes having a human being look at your actual documents can catch errors that got lost in their computer system. I hope this gets resolved quickly for you! And thank you for sharing the update - it gives hope to others dealing with similar situations.
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As a newcomer to this community, I found this discussion incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - turning 67 next year and trying to decide on timing. What really stands out to me from reading everyone's experiences is how the monthly calculation works rather than yearly. One thing I'm curious about that I didn't see addressed: if you delay past FRA but then need to claim benefits earlier than planned due to an emergency, can you still get credit for the partial months you did delay? Or do you lose those credits if you don't follow through with your original timeline? Also, has anyone here used the Social Security statement estimator to model different claiming scenarios? I'm wondering if their online tools accurately reflect these partial-year delayed retirement credits when you're planning.
Welcome to the community, Paolo! Great questions. Yes, you absolutely keep the delayed retirement credits for any partial months you did delay, even if you need to claim earlier than originally planned. The credits accumulate month by month and become part of your permanent benefit calculation once you file - there's no "all or nothing" requirement. Regarding the SSA estimator tools - they do show the delayed retirement credit increases, but I've found they sometimes round to the nearest month or year in their projections. For precise planning with partial months, you might want to do the math manually using the 2/3% per month figure that others mentioned here. Hope this helps with your planning! This community has been fantastic for sharing real experiences with these decisions.
Welcome Paolo! Your questions are excellent and show you're thinking strategically about this. To add to what Aiden shared - I actually had to pivot my timing due to an unexpected situation, and I can confirm you absolutely keep any delayed retirement credits you've already earned. I originally planned to wait until 68 but ended up filing at 67 and 4 months due to a family emergency. Those 4 months of delayed credits (about 2.67% increase) stayed with my benefit permanently. The SSA doesn't penalize you for changing your mind - they just calculate based on your actual filing date. One tip: when you do file, whether it's your original plan or an emergency situation, make sure to mention your delay period to the claims rep. While the system should auto-calculate, I've seen enough stories here about initial errors that it's worth being proactive about it. The peace of mind knowing you have that flexibility while still earning credits each month you wait is really valuable when you're making these decisions!
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I scheduled my bills around my SS deposit dates! For end of month birthdays (21-31) payments come on 4th Wednesday. April 23, May 28, June 25, July 23, August 27, September 24, October 22, November 26, and December 24 are the 4th Wednesdays for rest of 2025.
Wow thank you for those specific dates! Going to put these on my calendar right now. Really appreciate it!
I work at a local SSA field office and can confirm what others have said about the website issues - we've been getting a lot of calls about this lately. The MySocialSecurity portal has been having intermittent problems since they started rolling out security updates last month. If you're still having trouble after trying the browser suggestions, you might want to wait until after their scheduled maintenance this weekend. Also, just wanted to mention that if you do visit a field office, calling ahead to schedule an appointment will save you a lot of waiting time. We're usually less busy on Tuesday and Wednesday mornings if that helps with planning.
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Thank you for this update! I don't use Twitter so I would have missed this. At least there's an official timeline now. I appreciate everyone's help and suggestions!
I've been dealing with this exact same issue! Been locked out for about 10 days now with the same error message. I tried calling the 800 number yesterday and after waiting 2 hours and 45 minutes, I finally got through to someone who told me they're aware of the problem but couldn't give me any specifics on when it would be fixed. She did mention that if it's truly urgent (like needing to report a death or stop payments), they can sometimes handle certain things over the phone, but for most account access issues we just have to wait. So frustrating when you're trying to plan for retirement and can't access your own information!
I'm so sorry you're dealing with this too! It's really reassuring to know I'm not the only one experiencing this problem, but also frustrating that so many of us are affected. Thank you for sharing what the phone representative told you - that's helpful context. I wonder if my situation counts as "urgent" since I need to verify my earnings record before my FRA next month? Maybe I should try calling again and specifically mention the timing. Did they give you any tips for getting through faster on the phone, or is it just a matter of waiting it out?
Liam Sullivan
I just want to echo what others have said and add one more reassurance - I'm a retired SSA employee and can confirm that the earnings test is 100% individual. Your husband's income has absolutely no bearing on your Social Security retirement benefits under the earnings test rules. The system literally only looks at YOUR Form W-2 or 1099 earnings when determining if any benefits should be withheld. Even if you filed separate tax returns, it wouldn't change this - spouse income is simply not a factor in the earnings test calculation. Your $9,000 annual earnings puts you well below the 2025 limit of approximately $22,320, so you won't have any benefits withheld. Just make sure to report any changes in your work situation to SSA if your earnings increase significantly. You're all set!
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Adrian Hughes
•Thank you so much for this authoritative answer! Having confirmation from someone who actually worked at SSA gives me complete peace of mind. I was really stressed about potentially losing benefits because of my husband's income, but now I understand it's purely about my individual earnings. At $9,000 annually, I'm nowhere near that $22,320 limit. I really appreciate everyone who took the time to explain this - this community has been incredibly helpful for navigating these complex rules!
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Nia Thompson
I went through this exact same situation last year when I started collecting at 62! Like others have confirmed, your husband's income absolutely will not affect your Social Security benefits under the earnings test. The SSA only looks at YOUR individual earned income - wages, salary, or self-employment income that you personally receive. Your husband could earn $100k, $200k, or more and it wouldn't matter one bit for the earnings test calculation. With your $9,000 part-time income, you're well below the 2025 limit and won't have any benefits withheld. The joint tax filing doesn't change this rule at all. However, do keep in mind what others mentioned about the difference between the earnings test (which won't affect you) and potential taxation of your benefits based on combined household income (which might apply given your husband's salary). But your actual SS payment amount will be the full $1,900 minus Medicare premiums - no reductions due to his earnings!
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Geoff Richards
•This is exactly the reassurance I needed! It's so helpful to hear from someone who literally went through this situation recently. I was getting really anxious about the whole thing, especially after seeing some conflicting information online. Your explanation about the earnings test versus benefit taxation distinction really clarifies things for me. I feel much better knowing that my husband's $75,000 salary won't impact my $1,900 monthly benefit at all, and that my $9,000 part-time earnings are safely below the limit. Thank you for sharing your real-world experience - it means a lot!
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