They'll backdate your payments to when you applied in February once they approve it, so at least you won't lose any money from the waiting period. Hang in there!

I went through something similar when I applied for survivor benefits last year. The waiting period after submitting additional documents is absolutely nerve-wracking, especially when you're depending on those payments. In my case, it took about 5 weeks after they received my marriage certificate, but once approved, I received all the back pay from my application date. One thing that helped me was calling exactly 30 days after they confirmed receipt of my documents. The representative was able to give me a more specific timeline and reassured me that everything was progressing normally. Since you're at FRA, you're in a good position to receive the full benefit amount once it's processed. The self-employment earnings record you mentioned shouldn't be a major issue - they have access to tax records that show his contributions. Try to hang in there just a bit longer!

Just a quick note on contacting SSA that might save you some frustration. In addition to what others mentioned about difficulty reaching them by phone, make sure you have detailed notes ready when you do connect with someone. Specifically ask them: 1. How your December-paid annual bonus will be treated under the earnings test 2. How your January-paid commissions for 2024 work will be counted 3. Ask them to document these answers in your file Also, if you're near a local SSA office, sometimes an in-person appointment can be easier than phone calls for complex situations like yours. Book online to avoid long waits.

I've been helping people navigate Social Security for years, and I want to emphasize something important that might get lost in all the technical details: the earnings test can feel punitive, but it's not actually a "penalty" - it's a temporary withholding. When SSA withholds benefits due to excess earnings, they're not gone forever. Starting at your Full Retirement Age, SSA will recalculate your monthly benefit to account for those withheld months, effectively giving you credit for the time you weren't receiving benefits. Your monthly payment will be permanently increased to reflect this. That said, given your specific situation where you're stopping work in November and only potentially receiving previously-earned payments in December, the first-year monthly earnings test should work in your favor. Just make sure you're crystal clear with SSA about the timing and nature of any December payments. One more tip: if you do encounter any issues or overpayments later, you can request a waiver if you can show the overpayment wasn't your fault and repayment would cause financial hardship. Don't let anyone tell you that overpayments are always non-negotiable.

Good luck with the new job! My cousin went back to work at 63 and it was the best decision for her finances even tho she had to deal with the SS suspension stuff!!

One thing that might be helpful to know - when you call SSA to suspend, ask them to put a note in your file about the reason for suspension and the expected timeframe. This can help streamline the process when you're ready to restart benefits later. Also, if you have direct deposit set up, make sure to ask whether you need to do anything special to reactivate it when you restart payments, or if it will automatically resume to the same account. Some people have had issues with payments reverting to paper checks after suspension. Good luck with your new position!

my friend said she just waited til 70 no filing or suspending or nothing just applied when she was 70 and got the bigger amount automatically

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I'm going to just wait until 70 to file since that seems to be the consensus. With my family history of longevity and the potential survivor benefits for my wife, the 24% increase seems worth waiting for. Plus I'm still working and can afford to wait. Really appreciate all the insights!

Just wanted to ask - are you guys SURE the difference is worth all this hassle? How much more would he actually get each month? Sometimes its only like $20-30 difference.

Wow, $175/month is definitely worth pursuing! That's over $2,000 per year. I went through something similar with my mom's benefits last year. We were able to get her start date moved back by two months with just a phone call - no appointment needed. One thing I'd suggest is calling early in the morning (like right when they open at 7am) or late in the afternoon. The wait times are usually shorter then. Also, if the first person you talk to says it can't be done over the phone, politely ask to speak with a supervisor. Sometimes the front-line agents aren't as familiar with these adjustment procedures. The whole process took about 3 weeks for us, and she got a nice retroactive payment that made up the difference. Good luck!