I'm new to this community and just reading through this entire discussion has been so educational! I'm planning to apply for Social Security retirement benefits in the next few months, and honestly, I had no idea about any of these payment schedule complexities. The birth date payment system, the irregular timing for new beneficiaries in the first few months, the difference between retirement benefits vs other programs - none of this was clear to me before. @Sofia Peña, it sounds like you've gotten great advice here and that your situation is completely normal. From what everyone is saying, you're not missing any money, just experiencing the typical adjustment period as SSA sets up your regular payment schedule. For those of us who haven't applied yet, this thread is like a goldmine of practical information. I'm definitely going to bookmark this and refer back to it when I start my application process. Thanks to everyone who shared their personal experiences - it makes navigating this system feel much less intimidating!

As someone who recently went through the Social Security application process myself, I wanted to share what I learned that might help clarify things. When you apply for benefits to start in a specific month (like September in your case), there's often a lag in how the payment system processes new accounts. From what I experienced and what others have confirmed here, your September 27th payment was indeed for September benefits - you received it correctly. The gap in October is typical for new beneficiaries as SSA's system adjusts your payment schedule to align with the birth date payment calendar. Since your MySocialSecurity portal shows a payment scheduled for early November, that's your October benefit being paid with the adjusted timing. After that, you should start receiving regular payments on your designated Wednesday based on when you were born (2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday of each month). I know it's nerve-wracking when you're counting on this income, but from everything shared in this thread, it sounds like you're experiencing the normal new beneficiary adjustment period. You're not losing any money - just dealing with some timing irregularities while they establish your regular payment schedule. Still worth calling SSA for peace of mind, but you can probably stop worrying about missing payments!

I KNOW YOU DON'T WANT TO HEAR THIS but waiting until 70 would give you 24% MORE than filing at 67 (your FRA). That's a PERMANENT increase for life! I filed at 67 and now at 75 I'm watching my friend who waited collect WAY MORE every month. It's hard to work longer but the math doesn't lie.

I'm in a somewhat similar situation - I'm 52 with a 12-year-old who has autism. After doing a ton of research, here's what I've learned that might help: The Childhood Disability Benefits (CDB) that others mentioned could be huge for your family. Your child can potentially get up to 50% of YOUR full retirement benefit amount once you file, and these benefits can continue for life if the disability started before age 22. Here's the key thing I learned: if you file at 65 (getting 86.7% of your full benefit), your child would still get benefits based on your FULL retirement age amount, not your reduced amount. But there's a family maximum cap, so getting professional advice on timing is critical. One strategy to consider: work part-time after 65 but keep earnings under that $22,450 limit to avoid the earnings test penalty. You mentioned burnout - maybe reducing hours instead of full retirement could work? Also, definitely look into whether your state has a Medicaid waiver program for your child. This could help with healthcare costs and services that regular insurance doesn't cover. The SSA website has a retirement estimator that shows benefits at different ages - definitely worth checking your specific numbers. And yes, call SSA directly about the childhood disability benefits. It's complex but potentially life-changing for your family's financial security.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I went through this exact situation when my husband passed away last year. From my experience applying at my local SSA office, it took about 8 weeks from application to seeing the increased payment in my account. The waiting was definitely stressful, especially with ongoing expenses, but I did receive full back pay to the date of entitlement once it finally processed. One thing that helped me was calling SSA about 4 weeks after applying just to verify they had all my documents and to get a status update. Since you're already receiving benefits on your own record, the transition should be smoother than starting from scratch. Your Medicare should continue without interruption since you're not stopping benefits, just getting an increase. I'd recommend checking your mySocialSecurity account online regularly for any updates on your case status. The system is frustratingly slow, but hang in there - you will eventually get everything you're entitled to, including the retroactive payments. Take care of yourself during this difficult time.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I just went through this process myself about 4 months ago when my husband passed away. It took approximately 6 weeks from when I submitted my application at the local SSA office to receiving my first increased payment. What really helped me during the wait was understanding that since you're already receiving benefits on your own record, SSA will process this as a "survivor top-up" rather than switching you to an entirely new benefit. This means your existing $2,150 payment should continue uninterrupted while they calculate the additional amount to bring you up to your husband's benefit level. I'd recommend calling SSA around the 3-4 week mark just to confirm they have all your documentation. Also, definitely keep monitoring your online SSA account for status updates. The good news is that once it processes, you'll receive back pay for the entire waiting period, so you won't lose any money you're entitled to. The Medicare aspect should be seamless since you're already enrolled and this isn't technically a new benefit enrollment. I know the waiting is incredibly stressful when you're dealing with grief and ongoing expenses, but the system does eventually come through. Hang in there!

Ugh, all these rules make my head hurt!! I'm 63 and just trying to figure out if I should keep working or not. Why does social security have to be so COMPLICATED?? Every time I think I understand something, there's another rule or exception!

I went through this exact situation two years ago when I hit my FRA in August. The confusion is totally understandable because SSA's website doesn't explain it clearly! You're absolutely right - you CAN earn the full higher limit ($59,520 projected for 2025) during January through June 2025, and it doesn't need to be spread out evenly. I actually earned most of mine in the first quarter doing consulting work. Just make sure you're tracking GROSS earnings, not net pay, and remember it's based on when you performed the work, not when you got paid. The freedom after hitting FRA is amazing - no more spreadsheets tracking every dollar earned!

Just want to add something that might help with your decision - you can actually withdraw your Social Security application within 12 months if you change your mind! If you file in January 2025 and then realize the earnings test is making it not worthwhile, you can withdraw your application (as long as it's within 12 months) and repay any benefits you received. Then you could reapply later when it makes more sense. This gives you a bit of a safety net to try it out and see how the numbers actually work in practice. Of course, you'd need to be able to repay any benefits received if you go this route, but it's good to know the option exists! Also, make sure to keep detailed records of all your earnings throughout 2025 - pay stubs, bonus documentation, etc. This will help if there are any discrepancies when SSA does their annual reconciliation.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet that might be relevant for your situation - if you're still working and receiving benefits, make sure you understand how this affects your future benefit calculations too. SSA uses your highest 35 years of earnings to calculate benefits, so if your current $63k salary is higher than some of your earlier working years, continuing to work could actually increase your future benefit amount even beyond the FRA recalculation that Diego mentioned. Also, since you're born in 1959, your FRA is 66 years and 10 months (July 2026), so you'd only be subject to the earnings test for about 18 months if you file in January 2025. Given that the benefits aren't permanently lost and you get credit back at FRA, plus the potential for increasing your benefit calculation through continued high earnings, it might actually make more sense to file than I initially thought when I just looked at that reduced monthly payment of ~$357. The withdrawal option Millie mentioned is definitely a good safety net too. You could essentially test-drive the system for a year and see how it works out in practice!