This is exactly the kind of detailed information we need more of! @Mateo Hernandez thank you for going the extra mile to get answers from SSA directly. The batch processing explanation makes so much sense - no wonder some people are getting theirs while others are still waiting. I'm going to share this thread with my retirement planning group since several people there have been having the same issue. It's frustrating that SSA doesn't communicate these delays clearly on their website, but at least we have some real timelines now instead of just "your statement is being processed.

I'm in the same boat as many of you here! My statement has been stuck on "being processed" for about 3 weeks now. After reading through all these helpful comments, especially @Mateo Hernandez's detailed updates about the batch processing system, I feel much better knowing this is a widespread issue and not something wrong with my specific account. My SSN ends in 72, so if the batch system is accurate, I should be in the 70-79 group and hopefully see my statement in the next few weeks. It's frustrating that SSA didn't communicate these delays better, but this thread has been incredibly informative. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and solutions - this community is providing better customer service than SSA itself right now!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for all the detailed information shared here! I'm 65 and was completely overwhelmed trying to understand the Social Security earnings limit rules on my own. The consistent confirmation that retirement account withdrawals don't count toward the $23,000 earnings limit has been a huge relief. I've been hesitant to file because I thought my required minimum distributions from my 401k would push me over the threshold, but now I understand those are considered unearned income and completely separate from the earnings calculation. I'm particularly impressed by the practical advice about getting written documentation from SSA and using tracking spreadsheets to monitor earnings throughout the year. These are the kinds of real-world tips that make all the difference when you're actually trying to navigate the system. One question I haven't seen addressed - for those who have seasonal work patterns (like working more hours during busy seasons), do you find it better to spread your earnings evenly throughout the year, or does it not matter as long as you stay under the annual $23,000 limit? I do tax preparation work that's heavily concentrated in the first few months of the year, and I want to make sure there aren't any monthly reporting issues I should be aware of. Thank you all for creating such a supportive and knowledgeable community - this thread alone has answered questions I've been struggling with for months!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to echo everyone's appreciation for the incredibly helpful and detailed responses in this thread! I'm 63 and have been anxiously researching Social Security options for months, and this single conversation has provided more clarity than countless hours spent trying to decipher the official SSA materials. The confirmation that retirement account withdrawals don't count toward the earnings limit is absolutely crucial for my planning. I was genuinely considering delaying my Social Security application because I thought my IRA distributions would conflict with my part-time work income, but now I understand they're completely separate calculations. What strikes me most about this community is how people share not just the rules, but the practical strategies for managing them - like requesting written documentation from SSA, using tracking spreadsheets, and even tips for actually getting through on the phone. These real-world insights are invaluable when you're trying to navigate such a complex system. I'm particularly grateful for the clarification about seasonal income patterns and the proportional calculations if you accidentally exceed the limit. Knowing that going slightly over isn't catastrophic, and understanding exactly how the withholding works, takes away a lot of the anxiety around this decision. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences and knowledge. This is exactly the kind of supportive community that makes such a difference when facing these major financial decisions!

As someone who's been navigating Social Security for a while, I just wanted to add that it's worth noting that different banks may process the deposits at different times even on the same day. My credit union typically shows my SS deposit by 6 AM on payment day, while my friend with a big national bank sometimes doesn't see hers until later in the afternoon. So even when payments are released by SSA on schedule, the timing of when it appears in your account can vary by financial institution. Don't stress if yours takes a few extra hours compared to others!

This whole thread has been so reassuring to read! I'm also relatively new to receiving Social Security (started about 6 months ago) and had no idea about the holiday delay procedures. I actually set up automatic bill pay specifically timed around my SS payment dates, so knowing about these potential delays will help me adjust my scheduling. It's frustrating that there isn't more upfront communication about how holidays affect payments when you first start receiving benefits - seems like something they could mention during the application process or in the initial paperwork.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this process with my husband's UK earnings about 3 years ago. The most frustrating part was that different SSA employees gave us completely different information each time we called or visited. One told us we didn't need any special forms, another said totalization doesn't affect benefit amounts at all, and a third said we needed to contact the UK first. What finally worked was finding an SSA employee who specialized in international cases. They explained that not all offices handle totalization agreements regularly, so it's worth asking specifically for someone with international experience when you make your appointment. Also, bring every single piece of documentation you have from Germany - even if they say they don't need it all, having extra paperwork available saved us from multiple trips. The good news is once it's properly processed, the benefit increase can be significant depending on his German earnings during those years. Good luck with the process!

I just went through a similar process with my wife's earnings from Australia! A few additional tips that helped us: First, definitely start with the German pension authority (Deutsche Rentenversicherung) as others mentioned. You can actually request the Versicherungsverlauf online through their website if your husband still has his German social security number - it's much faster than going through mail. Second, when you do get to SSA, ask specifically for the "International Operations" specialist at your local office. Regular claims reps often aren't trained on totalization agreements and will give you incorrect information. I learned this the hard way after three failed appointments. The whole process took us about 7 months, but the benefit increase was substantial - added about $180/month to her projected retirement benefit. Definitely worth the hassle, especially since your husband is still relatively young and you have time to sort this out properly. One last thing: keep detailed records of every interaction with both agencies, including names and dates. You'll likely need to reference previous conversations multiple times throughout the process.

One more important thing to check - if your mother has been collecting her own benefit all these years because it was higher, you should verify whether the SSA properly calculated the survivor benefit when your father passed away. Sometimes they miss applying exceptions or special rules. If your father had enough "substantial earnings" years or if his WEP reduction wasn't properly calculated, your mother might have been eligible for a higher survivor benefit all along. SSA can pay back benefits for up to 6 months if they discover an underpayment. Also, survivor benefits ignore any reduction your father might have taken for claiming early retirement. So even if he took benefits at 62½, your mother's survivor benefit would be based on his full retirement age amount (minus any applicable WEP reduction).

This is such a valuable discussion! As someone new to navigating Social Security complexities, I'm learning so much from everyone's experiences. One thing that struck me is how many different factors can affect benefits - WEP, GPO, early retirement reductions, substantial earnings years, and survivor benefit calculations. It really highlights why getting professional help or using services like the Claimyr mentioned earlier makes sense. Dallas, your systematic approach of listing out next steps is smart. I'd also suggest documenting everything when you call SSA - dates, representative names, what they tell you - because you might need to reference it later or call back for clarification. Has anyone here had success getting SSA to review old determinations and find underpayments? I'm curious how often they discover calculation errors when people specifically ask them to double-check WEP-related benefits.