As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful to have found such a wealth of knowledge and support! I don't have direct experience with DAC/Medicaid interactions, but I wanted to thank everyone who has contributed to making this thread such a comprehensive resource. What amazes me is how this started as one specific question and has evolved into a detailed guide that covers everything from specific form numbers (JFS 07200) to specialist contact information (1-800-324-8680 ext. 47291) to advocacy organizations and timing strategies. The level of practical, actionable advice here is extraordinary. As someone still learning about these complex benefit systems, I'm taking notes on all the key points: file protection requests BEFORE changes take effect, escalate to supervisors if needed, document everything in writing, and utilize the various advocacy resources available. The real-world experiences shared by families who've navigated this process successfully provide such valuable context beyond just the rules and procedures. Thank you especially to the caseworker who shared the specific Ohio procedures and to all the community members who opened up about their family experiences. This discussion perfectly demonstrates how mutual support and shared knowledge can transform what seems like an impossible bureaucratic maze into a manageable process. I hope this thread continues to help families facing similar situations for years to come!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm truly impressed by the incredible depth of knowledge and genuine support shown in this thread! While I don't have personal experience with DAC/Medicaid situations, I wanted to express my appreciation for how this discussion has become such a comprehensive guide. What strikes me most is the practical, actionable advice that goes far beyond general information. Having specific form numbers like the JFS 07200 Medicaid Protection Request, the dedicated specialist phone number (1-800-324-8680 ext. 47291), and clear timelines for when to take action makes all the difference for families facing these complex situations. The consistent theme throughout all the responses - being proactive, documenting everything, and knowing exactly which programs and protections to request - really highlights how important it is to be an informed advocate. The real-world experiences shared by community members who've successfully navigated this process provide such valuable context beyond just the rules and regulations. Thank you especially to the caseworker who provided the detailed Ohio-specific procedures and to everyone who shared their family experiences. This thread demonstrates exactly why community support and shared expertise are so powerful when dealing with complex government benefit systems. I'm confident this discussion will continue to help families for years to come!

NO ONE IS MENTIONING THE EARNINGS TEST!!! If you claim at 62 and decide to go back to work before your Full Retirement Age, SSA will TAKE BACK $1 of benefits for every $2 you earn above the annual limit (about $22,320 in 2025). So don't assume you can just go back to work part-time without consequences if your savings run short!

One thing that might help you feel more confident about this decision is to calculate your break-even point. Since you're planning to claim at 62 instead of waiting until your Full Retirement Age (probably 67), you'll get about 70% of your full benefit. But you'll receive those payments for 5 extra years. For many people, it takes until around age 78-80 to "break even" - meaning the total lifetime benefits become equal whether you claim at 62 or wait until FRA. If you live past that break-even age, waiting would have been better financially. If you don't, claiming early was the right choice. Given that you're planning to stop working at 57 anyway, you'll need income during those gap years before claiming. Make sure you've calculated whether your savings can realistically support 5 years of expenses plus healthcare costs (which can be significant if you're not eligible for Medicare yet). Sometimes people focus so much on the Social Security calculation that they underestimate the cost of bridging to 62.

I'm planning to retire at 63 next year and this discussion has been absolutely invaluable! Like so many others here, I was completely confused about the earnings test rules and getting conflicting information everywhere I looked. What really stands out to me is how consistent everyone's experiences have been with the Monthly Earnings Test for the first year - despite all the confusion from SSA representatives and unclear website language, the real-world outcomes seem very predictable when you truly retire mid-year with zero subsequent earnings. I'm curious about one specific detail that hasn't been mentioned yet: did anyone have to deal with employer-provided severance packages, and if so, how did that affect the earnings test timing? I'm potentially looking at a small severance payment as part of my retirement package, and I want to make sure that doesn't complicate the Monthly Earnings Test application. Also, for those who mentioned keeping detailed documentation - did you find it helpful to get a formal retirement letter from your employer stating your retirement date, or was that overkill? I'm trying to figure out what level of documentation is actually useful versus just creating extra paperwork. The specific language suggestions about emphasizing "completely retiring from all employment" have been so helpful. It's clear that being extremely explicit about your work status is crucial for getting the right earnings test applied. Thank you to everyone who shared their real dollar amounts and timelines - this thread has completely changed my confidence level about early retirement planning!

Regarding your severance package question - I dealt with this exact situation when I retired at 62 in 2022! I had a severance package worth about $8,000 that was originally scheduled to be paid out over several months after my retirement date. The key was working with HR to modify the payment timing. SSA considers severance payments as earnings in the month they're received, not when they were "earned." So if you receive severance payments after your retirement date, they could potentially count toward the monthly earnings limit ($1,860 for 2025) and affect your retired status. I arranged with my employer to receive the full severance as a lump sum in my final paycheck before my official retirement date. This way it was clearly pre-retirement income that wouldn't interfere with the Monthly Earnings Test. As for documentation, I did get a formal retirement letter from HR stating my exact retirement date and confirming I had no ongoing employment relationship. While SSA never requested it during my application process, having it gave me peace of mind and helped when I called to verify my account was flagged correctly for the Monthly Earnings Test. My advice: definitely coordinate with HR now about severance timing, and get that formal retirement letter. Better to be over-prepared than deal with complications later when trying to prove your retirement timeline to SSA!

What a wonderful success story! It's so refreshing to hear about someone having such a positive experience with SSA - your agent sounds like one of the good ones who really knows the system and advocates for applicants. Getting your retroactive date moved back to your Medicare enrollment was brilliant! That's not something most people think to ask about, and it sounds like it made a huge financial difference for you. The fact that you're still getting a decent monthly benefit despite GPO reduction is encouraging for other educators who might be hesitant to apply. For timeline expectations after your 3/15 appointment, most people seem to see their first payment within 4-6 weeks of submitting documents, with retroactive payments often coming separately. Definitely bring originals (not copies) of your marriage certificate and birth certificate, and consider asking for a receipt showing what you submitted. One small suggestion: once you start receiving payments, double-check that the amounts match what was calculated during your interview. With all the GPO calculations involved, it's worth verifying everything is correct. Thanks for sharing such an encouraging story! Please keep us updated on how your appointment goes and when you start seeing those payments. Stories like yours give hope to others navigating this process.

What an amazing experience! It's so encouraging to hear about someone getting such excellent service from SSA - that agent really went above and beyond for you. Getting those retroactive benefits back to your Medicare enrollment date is huge! I went through the spousal benefits process about 4 months ago, and my timeline was: submitted documents → 3.5 weeks for award letter → first payment arrived 6 days later → retroactive lump sum came 2 weeks after that. Every office seems to move at a different pace, but that should give you a rough idea. A couple of tips for your appointment: - Definitely bring originals, not copies - Ask for a receipt showing what documents you submitted - Consider bringing a small notebook to write down any additional instructions they give you The retroactive payment was such a nice surprise when it finally arrived! Just remember to set some aside for taxes since it could affect your bracket for 2025. Your story gives me hope that there are still knowledgeable, helpful people working at SSA who really care about getting things right. Best of luck with your appointment on Friday - sounds like you're well prepared!

Another thing to keep in mind - if you're planning to work past your Full Retirement Age (67 in your case), you might want to consider whether it makes sense to keep benefits suspended even after this contract ends. Once you hit FRA, there's no earnings limit, but if you continue working, you could earn delayed retirement credits (8% per year) by keeping benefits suspended until age 70. Of course, this depends on your overall financial situation and health, but it's worth running the numbers. Given that you're already comfortable suspending benefits for this contract, you might find the math works in your favor to stay suspended longer if you plan to keep working. Just something to discuss with a financial advisor when the time comes!

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through something very similar last year. I was 65 and took a consulting gig that would put me over the earnings limit. The suspension process was actually pretty straightforward once I got through to SSA (took about a week of trying different times to avoid the busy periods). One tip that really helped me - when you call, have your exact start date for the new job ready, and be prepared to tell them approximately how much you expect to earn for the year. They'll want to know this for their records. Also, I found that calling first thing in the morning (8 AM EST) or late afternoon gave me the best chance of getting through without crazy hold times. The whole process took about 2-3 weeks from my phone call to actually seeing the benefits stop. Make sure you budget for that transition period! When I restarted benefits 8 months later, it was much quicker - only took about 10 days to get payments flowing again. Best of luck with your new position!