I went through this exact situation two years ago at age 63! You're absolutely right to be confused - the SSA website doesn't explain this clearly at all. Here's what happened in my case: I took early retirement at 62 and got about $1,650/month instead of my full $2,200. When I got approved for SSDI 8 months later, my payment jumped to the full $2,200 right away. They also sent me a lump sum check for the difference between what I had been receiving and what I should have gotten from my SSDI application date. The key thing is making sure your disability onset date is properly established. In my case, I had been seeing doctors for my condition for over a year before I even applied for early retirement, so they backdated my disability to before I started collecting the reduced benefits. One tip: if you can afford it, consider getting a disability attorney even before your first decision. Mine helped me organize all my medical evidence properly and made sure I understood exactly what SSA needed to see. It cost me nothing upfront since they only get paid if you win, and having that expertise from day one probably saved me months of appeals. Stay strong - the process is frustrating but worth it if you get approved!

I'm currently in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 62 and have been on early retirement for about 6 months, but my chronic kidney disease has progressed to the point where I can barely function some days. My nephrologist has been documenting the decline for over a year now. Reading everyone's experiences gives me hope that if I apply for SSDI, my benefit could increase from the reduced amount I'm getting now. I'm especially encouraged by the stories about getting retroactive payments. One question for those who have been through this - did any of you have to deal with the "trial work period" rules, or does that not apply when you're already on retirement benefits? I'm worried about losing my current income if I try to do any small amount of work while waiting for a decision. Also, has anyone had experience with kidney disease specifically? I know every case is different, but I'm curious about approval rates for renal conditions at our age range. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge and experiences - this community is so valuable for navigating these complex situations!

Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me when I was in a similar situation - consider asking your employer if they can structure your pay to help you stay within the limits. For example, if you're close to the monthly limit in a particular month, they might be able to defer some pay to the next month (as long as it doesn't put you over that month's limit either). Also, make sure you understand what counts as "earnings" - things like bonuses, commissions, and overtime all count toward the limit, but vacation pay for unused time might be treated differently depending on when it was earned. The SSA has a detailed publication (Publication 05-10069) that explains exactly what income counts if you want the official guidance. Good luck with your new job! It sounds like you've got a good handle on the rules now.

One thing to keep in mind is that the earnings limits typically increase each year with inflation. The $2,340 monthly limit and $28,080 annual limit are for 2025, but they'll likely be a bit higher for 2026. SSA usually announces the new limits in the fall for the following year. Also, if you do happen to go over the limit at some point, don't panic - you can always contact SSA to discuss your situation. Sometimes there are exceptions or special circumstances they can consider. The key is staying in communication with them rather than hoping they won't notice. Your $2,000/month job sounds like it gives you a nice cushion under the limits, so you should be in good shape!

Good question about the earnings test! Benefits withheld due to the earnings test are NOT permanently lost. Once you reach FRA, Social Security recalculates your benefit amount to credit you for months when benefits were withheld. Your monthly benefit amount increases to account for those months you didn't receive benefits.

As someone who went through a similar situation with my spouse, I'd recommend creating a spreadsheet to model different scenarios with your actual numbers. Don't forget to factor in cost-of-living adjustments (COLA) and potential changes to your health insurance coverage when you retire. One strategy worth considering: since your husband's PIA is higher, you might explore having him delay until 70 (getting those 8% annual increases) while you claim at 67. This could maximize your household's total lifetime benefits AND provide you with the highest possible survivor benefit if he passes first. The math gets complex, but the peace of mind knowing you've optimized your strategy is worth the effort. Also, consider consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security - they can often spot opportunities that aren't obvious from online calculators. Best of luck with your planning!

As someone who works in retirement planning, I want to add one more consideration that hasn't been fully addressed - the impact of Required Minimum Distributions (RMDs) from your retirement accounts. Since you're planning to work until 70, you'll likely hit age 73 (when RMDs kick in) while still earning a full salary AND collecting Social Security. This could create a perfect storm for taxes in your early 70s. You might want to consider doing some Roth conversions in the gap years between when you start SS at FRA and when RMDs begin, especially if you have traditional 401k/IRA balances. The years between 67-72 could be a sweet spot for managing your tax brackets more strategically. Also, don't forget about the Social Security "do-over" rule - if you change your mind within 12 months of filing, you can withdraw your application, pay back what you received, and reapply later. It's like a one-time reset button, though most people don't need it.

One more thing to consider that I don't think has been mentioned yet - if you have a Health Savings Account (HSA) through your employer, keep maximizing those contributions while you're still working! Once you enroll in Medicare (at 65), you can no longer contribute to an HSA, but you can still use the funds for qualified medical expenses. Since you mentioned your health isn't the greatest, having a well-funded HSA can be incredibly valuable in retirement. The triple tax advantage (deductible contributions, tax-free growth, tax-free withdrawals for medical expenses) makes it one of the best retirement accounts available. After age 65, you can even withdraw HSA funds for non-medical purposes (though you'll pay regular income tax, similar to a traditional IRA). So while you're figuring out your Social Security timing, don't forget to max out that HSA if you have access to one - it's $4,300 for individuals or $8,550 for families in 2024, plus an extra $1,000 catch-up contribution if you're over 55.

I'm also going through this IRMAA adjustment process right now after retiring last month! This entire thread has been so incredibly helpful - thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and timelines. I filed my SSA-44 form about 10 days ago through my Social Security account online and have been anxiously checking my mail every day. Reading that the two-letter system is completely standard has really put my mind at ease. I was getting worried when I saw other people mentioning a "second letter" because I thought maybe I had missed something or filled out the form incorrectly. @Jessica Nolan - thank you so much for calling SSA directly and explaining why there are two separate letters! That makes perfect sense about the Medicare and Social Security systems not communicating in real-time. And the 3-week follow-up rule is really good to know. I'm definitely going to start checking my Medicare.gov account regularly and keeping a timeline log like @Caleb Bell suggested. The idea of monitoring my direct deposit amount for early changes is brilliant too - that might help with the anxiety of waiting for official paperwork. For those still waiting like me, it sounds like patience is key but the system does work. I'll report back once I start receiving letters to add another data point to this helpful thread!

I'm in the exact same situation! Just received my first IRMAA reduction letter last week after filing the life-changing event form following my retirement in January. Like you, I was confused about the "second letter" mention at the bottom and wasn't sure if that was normal procedure. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so reassuring - it sounds like this two-letter system is completely standard. The first letter confirms Medicare approved your IRMAA appeal, and the second shows how it affects your actual Social Security benefit payment. Based on what others have shared, it looks like I should expect my second letter within the next week or so. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about keeping a timeline log and checking my Medicare.gov account for early updates. The tip about monitoring direct deposit amounts is brilliant too - that might give us some peace of mind while waiting for the official paperwork. Thanks for starting this thread! It's so helpful to see that we're all going through the same process and that it actually works, even though the two-letter system seems unnecessarily complicated at first.