Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! From what I'm gathering, my two-step approach could work, but I need to: 1. Get the right forms (CMS-L564 from my employer and possibly CMS-1763) when initially declining Part B 2. Keep documentation of everything 3. Be prepared to act quickly if they still try to automatically enroll me in Part B when I apply for Social Security I think I'll go ahead with applying for just Medicare Part A now, and then I'll apply for Social Security in person at my local office next year rather than doing it online. That way I can make it very clear I want to maintain my Part A only status. I appreciate all the shared experiences - it really helps to know what to expect!

Just wanted to add one more consideration from my experience - make sure to check if your employer health plan is considered "creditable coverage" for Medicare purposes. Most employer plans are, but it's worth confirming with your HR department. You'll need this documentation not just for declining Part B now, but also later when you do want to enroll during your Special Enrollment Period after you retire. Having that creditable coverage letter from your employer will protect you from late enrollment penalties when you eventually do sign up for Part B. Also, don't forget that you have 8 months after your employment/group coverage ends to enroll in Part B without penalties, so there's no rush once you do retire at 67.

Just wanted to add my experience for anyone else dealing with this - I was in a similar situation last year at 64 with both an annuity and Social Security. Can confirm that annuity payments absolutely do NOT count toward the earnings limit. I was getting about $18,000 annually from my annuity and never had any issues with my SS benefits being reduced. The key thing to remember is that the earnings test only applies to "earned income" from actual work - wages, self-employment income, etc. Passive income like annuities, pensions, investment returns, and other retirement accounts don't count. Since you're so close to FRA, you're almost in the clear anyway! Once you hit that magic birthday, you can earn unlimited amounts from any source without worrying about benefit reductions.

I just wanted to chime in as someone who works in retirement planning - everyone here is absolutely correct that annuity payments do NOT count toward the Social Security earnings limit. The confusion is totally understandable because the SSA's terminology around "earned" vs "unearned" income isn't always crystal clear. The earnings test specifically targets income from active work - W-2 wages, 1099-NEC payments, or net self-employment earnings. Your annuity is considered "unearned income" along with things like pensions, IRA distributions, investment dividends, rental income, etc. None of these affect your Social Security benefits under the earnings test. Since you're only 2 months from FRA, you're practically in the clear anyway! At that point, you could literally win the lottery and it wouldn't impact your SS benefits. The earnings test completely disappears at full retirement age. One small tip: when you do call SSA (whether through regular channels or that Claimyr service someone mentioned), have your annuity contract handy. Sometimes it helps to clarify exactly what type of annuity you have (immediate vs deferred, etc.) just to be thorough, though the answer will be the same regardless. Congratulations on being so close to FRA - you've made it through the trickiest part of the earnings test rules!

My aunt went thru something similar with federal workers comp after my uncle died. The WC people kept talking about "retirement age" but what they really meant was that the CALCULATION for the offset changes, not that your benefits automatically switch to something else. Its super confusing and the WC people dont explain it very well!!! Your survivor benefits keep going as long as you dont remarry (at least that was true for my aunt).

I'm in a similar situation but just starting this process - my husband was also a federal employee who passed from work-related injuries. I'm not yet at the age to collect survivor benefits, but reading through all these responses is really eye-opening about how complicated the interaction between Workers' Comp and Social Security can be. It sounds like the key takeaways are: 1) Survivor benefits don't automatically convert to retirement benefits at any age, 2) The Workers' Comp offset calculation method changes at retirement eligibility age (not the benefits themselves), and 3) Getting everything in writing from both SSA and OWCP is crucial because phone representatives often give inconsistent information. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world insight that's so hard to find elsewhere. I'm going to save this thread to reference when I get closer to filing for my benefits.

I see a lot of confusion in this thread about earnings records. To clarify: 1) Employers report wages to SSA quarterly 2) Processing takes time, especially for paper filings 3) The MySocialSecurity portal updates irregularly 4) Complete 2024 earnings won't finalize until mid-2025 5) Small amounts like $646 are typically partial reports 6) This won't affect your future benefits as long as complete W-2 information is eventually processed If you're within 3 years of retirement, I'd recommend requesting an official earnings record by mail to verify everything is accurate for the years that actually count toward your benefit calculation.

I work in HR and see this confusion a lot! Just to add some context - when you see taxes being withheld from your paycheck, that money goes to the IRS immediately, but the REPORTING of your wages to SSA happens on a different timeline. Think of it like this: the government gets your tax money right away, but the paperwork about how much you earned gets filed later in batches. That $646 could be from your employer's first quarterly report, or even from a small 1099 job if you did any freelance work. The key thing is that your employer's year-end W-2 will have your complete 2024 earnings, and THAT'S what ultimately gets used for your Social Security record. The partial amounts you see during the year are just snapshots, not the final picture.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I made an appointment with my local SS office for next week to discuss my specific situation. Will make sure to ask about the monthly earnings test and get clear confirmation about my January/February earnings not affecting my benefits starting in April. Really appreciate everyone's input!

Great advice from everyone here! Just wanted to add one more tip - when you do meet with SSA next week, bring documentation showing your last day of work (like a letter from HR or your final paystub). This can help speed up the process and avoid any confusion later. Also, if you're planning to do any freelance or consulting work in the future, make sure to ask about how that would affect your benefits so you're prepared. Good luck with your retirement!