I'm experiencing this exact same issue! I delayed my benefits for 9 months past my FRA (reached it in February 2024, started collecting in November) and my MySocialSecurity account still shows the original FRA amount without any delayed retirement credits. I should be getting 6% more monthly (9 months × 2/3% per month), which would add about $150 to my monthly payment. I called SSA in early January and was told to wait for the annual recalculation, but reading through all these responses it's clear that longer delays like ours often take additional time - possibly because they trigger manual review processes. It's really reassuring to see so many others in similar situations with 6+ month delays. Based on everyone's advice here, I'm going to wait until mid-February before calling again. The pattern seems to be that the longer the delay past FRA, the longer it takes SSA to process the adjustment properly. At least it sounds like we'll get all the back pay once it's corrected! Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it really helps ease the anxiety of waiting.

I'm new to this community but going through the exact same frustrating situation! I delayed my benefits for 6 months past my FRA (reached it in June 2024, started collecting in December) and my MySocialSecurity account still shows my original FRA amount without the delayed retirement credits. I should be getting 4% more monthly, which would be about $110 extra based on my FRA benefit. Reading through everyone's experiences here is incredibly reassuring - it's clear that delays of 6+ months consistently take longer to process, likely because they require manual review rather than automatic processing. I called SSA in early January and got the standard "wait for the annual recalculation" response, but seeing all these similar stories makes me feel much better about the wait. Based on all the great advice in this thread, I'm going to wait until mid-February before calling again. If I do need to call, I'll use the specific terminology about "delayed retirement credits not being applied to benefit amount" to get directed to the right department. It's really helpful to know that when the adjustment finally comes through, we should get all the back pay from when benefits started. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this community is such a valuable resource for navigating these SSA processing delays!

I'm currently 63 and have been on SSDI since 2020 after a heart attack forced me into early retirement from my job as a school bus driver. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening - I had no clue that Full Retirement Age was 67 now! Like many others here, I was under the impression that everything switched over at 65. It's such a relief to know the transition is completely automatic and that the benefit amount stays exactly the same. I was actually starting to worry about whether I'd need to file paperwork or if my payments might change when I turn 65 in a couple years. The information about being able to work without earnings restrictions after FRA is particularly interesting - I've been doing some very part-time substitute driving but always stress about staying under the limit. This thread has answered questions I didn't even know I had! Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to navigate the SSA website alone.

As someone who's been navigating SSDI for a few years now, I just wanted to say how helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm 62 and still have a few years before I need to think about this transition, but reading everyone's real experiences has been so much more valuable than trying to decode the official SSA materials. It's really reassuring to see so many people confirm that the process is truly automatic and seamless. I think those of us on disability benefits often live with this underlying anxiety that something could go wrong with our payments, so hearing multiple people say "it just worked perfectly" is incredibly comforting. The clarification about Full Retirement Age being 67 (not 65) is huge - I definitely would have been confused when I turn 65 and nothing changes! And knowing that we can work without earnings restrictions after FRA gives me hope for potentially doing some light work in my field again someday. Thanks to everyone who took the time to share their experiences. This is exactly the kind of peer support that makes such a difference when dealing with these complex systems!

Based on everything discussed here, my recommendation would be: 1. Request your Social Security Statement online (if you haven't already) to see your projected benefit amounts at different ages 2. If possible, try to calculate what your ex-spousal benefit might be (approximately 50% of your ex-husband's benefit at his full retirement age, reduced if you claim early) 3. Consider whether you absolutely need the income now or if you can wait 4. Remember that for every year you delay filing between your FRA and age 70, your own benefit increases by about 8% 5. Speak directly with an SSA representative about your specific situation before making your final decision While general advice is helpful, your optimal strategy will depend on your specific benefit amounts, health status, financial needs, and other income sources.

Hi Mateo! I went through a similar decision process a few years ago and wanted to share what I learned. Given your numbers ($1,620 at 63 vs $2,175 at FRA), that's a significant difference - about $555 per month or $6,660 per year. One thing that really helped me was using the SSA's online benefit calculator to run different scenarios. You can create a my Social Security account and see projections for different claiming ages. For the ex-spousal benefit calculation, you'll need an estimate of your ex-husband's benefit at his FRA (not what he'll get at 70). Since he hasn't filed yet and you mentioned he's waiting until 70, you might want to consider this: if your own benefit at FRA ($2,175) is already pretty substantial, the ex-spousal benefit might not add much. The spousal benefit is calculated as the difference between 50% of his FRA benefit and your own benefit amount. Also, I noticed someone mentioned Claimyr - I actually used them too and found it really helpful for getting specific answers about my situation. Sometimes paying a small fee to get through to an actual SSA expert is worth it when you're making a decision that affects thousands of dollars over your lifetime. Have you considered working with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security optimization? They can run scenarios with your actual numbers.

Update: I finally got through to SSA this morning! The representative confirmed they have the correct start date for my Medicare (August 2022) despite what the letter said. She told me the Medicare reimbursement should come within 6-8 weeks as a separate payment. She also noted that I'll see the reimbursement pending in my MySocialSecurity account before it hits my bank account. Thanks everyone for your help and sharing your experiences. I'll update again when I receive the payment!

Great to see you got through to SSA and got some clarity! That MySocialSecurity account tip is really valuable - I didn't know the reimbursement would show up there first. For others still waiting, it might be worth setting up online access if you haven't already. Having a way to track these things online beats calling and waiting on hold for hours. LunarEclipse, definitely keep us posted when you get that reimbursement - it'll help give the rest of us a realistic timeline to expect.

I'm sorry you're having to think about this difficult situation, but it's wise to understand your options ahead of time. Based on what others have shared here, it sounds like you would likely be eligible for survivor benefits as an ex-spouse since your marriage lasted 29 years (well over the 10-year requirement) and you haven't remarried. The key thing I'm gathering is that you'd receive whichever benefit is higher - either your current $1,450 or potentially close to his $2,900 (depending on when you apply and your age at the time). Just wanted to add that you might also want to keep track of any changes to his address or contact information if possible, as SSA sometimes needs to verify details about the deceased person's work history and benefits. Wishing you the best as you navigate this.

Just to add another perspective - I work for a nonprofit that helps seniors navigate Social Security issues, and we see this situation fairly often. You're absolutely on the right track planning ahead. One thing I'd emphasize is that when you do apply for survivor benefits (if needed), make sure to ask the SSA representative to calculate both scenarios - continuing your current benefit versus switching to the survivor benefit. Sometimes there are nuances in the calculations that aren't immediately obvious. Also, if you're working or plan to work in the future, be aware that earnings limits may apply to survivor benefits before your FRA, just like they do for retirement benefits. The good news is that your 29-year marriage gives you a very strong eligibility foundation, and the fact that you're thinking about this proactively will serve you well.