As someone completely new to Social Security planning, this thread has been absolutely incredible! I had never heard of the first-year retirement rule before reading through all these responses, and it's such a relief to understand how the monthly earnings test works for mid-year retirees. What strikes me most is how this rule seems to be one of those "insider secrets" that can make a huge difference in retirement planning, but isn't widely known or well-explained in most general Social Security information. The fact that you can earn $43,500 in the first half of 2026 and it won't affect your benefits at all (as long as you stop working completely before claiming) seems almost too good to be true! I'm also impressed by how many practical tips have been shared here - from applying 3-4 months early to being very specific about your retirement date when you apply to SSA. These real-world insights from people who have actually been through the process are so much more valuable than just reading the official publications. For those still researching this topic, it sounds like the key is to be very proactive and clear in your communication with SSA about your specific timeline and earnings situation. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences - this discussion should definitely be bookmarked by anyone considering mid-year retirement!

As someone new to this community and Social Security planning, this discussion has been absolutely eye-opening! I never knew about the first-year retirement rule before reading through all these responses. The clarification that pre-retirement earnings don't affect benefits when you retire mid-year (thanks to the monthly vs. annual earnings test) is incredibly helpful for planning purposes. One thing I'm curious about - for those who have been through this process, how long did it typically take from submitting your application to receiving your first benefit payment? I know benefits are paid the month after they're earned, but I'm wondering about the overall processing timeline. If someone applies in March 2026 for July benefits (following the 3-4 month advance guidance mentioned here), should they expect everything to be processed smoothly by August when the first payment would arrive? Also, does SSA send any kind of confirmation or documentation about how they've applied the first-year retirement rule to your specific case? It seems like having that in writing would provide good peace of mind that everything was processed correctly. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences - this thread has been more informative than hours of reading official SSA materials!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share some encouragement since I went through this exact situation about 5 months ago! Getting that letter saying you meet the medical requirements is actually fantastic news - that's where the majority of SSDI applications get denied. The "non-medical requirements" they're reviewing are pretty standard administrative checks: verifying your work credits (which shouldn't be an issue with your 15-year work history), confirming you haven't worked above substantial gainful activity limits while disabled, and calculating your monthly benefit amount. In my case, this final stage took about 4 weeks from receiving that letter to getting final approval. The waiting is definitely nerve-wracking, especially with your work disability ending soon, but you're essentially approved at this point. Make sure your direct deposit information is updated in your online account because once they process everything, payments start quickly. You'll also receive backpay from your established onset date, which really helped me catch up on expenses during the long wait. Try to stay positive - you've cleared the biggest hurdle in the process!

As someone new to this community and the SSDI process, I wanted to share some hope based on what I learned when I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago! Getting that letter saying you meet the medical requirements is actually huge - that's where most people get stuck in the system. The "non-medical requirements" they're reviewing now are much more straightforward: they need to verify you have enough work credits (which you clearly do with 15 years at one employer), confirm you haven't been working above substantial gainful activity levels while disabled, and calculate your monthly benefit amount. In my case, this stage took about 5 weeks from getting that letter to final approval. You're essentially approved at this point - they're just handling the paperwork side now. One really important thing I wish I had known earlier: you'll receive backpay from your established onset date once everything is finalized, so all those months of waiting will be compensated financially. Make sure your direct deposit info is current in your online account because payments can start within days of final approval. I know the timing pressure with your work benefits ending is stressful, but you've made it through the hardest part of the process. Try to stay positive!

I'm 55 and this discussion has been incredibly valuable for my retirement planning! Reading through everyone's experiences really highlights how crucial it is to understand these timing issues well before you actually need to apply. The fact that so many people were caught off guard by the payment delays - despite going through the official application process - shows there's a real gap in how the SSA communicates these critical details. What really stands out to me is how this affects people differently depending on their financial situation. Some folks had emergency funds to fall back on, while others had to scramble for loans or borrow from family. It reinforces that having that 6-month expense buffer isn't just good financial planning - it's essential for navigating government systems that aren't designed with user experience in mind. I'm definitely going to start preparing now: building up savings specifically for this transition period, creating my SSA account early, and planning to apply well before I actually need the payments. It's frustrating that we have to learn these lessons from each other's difficult experiences, but I'm grateful this community exists to share real-world knowledge that you just can't get from official sources. Thank you all for being so open about your experiences - it's going to make a huge difference for those of us still planning ahead!

I'm 54 and this entire thread has been a masterclass in what to expect when applying for Social Security! Reading through everyone's real experiences - from the initial shock of the payment delays to the practical advice about planning ahead - has completely transformed my understanding of how the system actually works versus how it's presented by the SSA. What really strikes me is the pattern here: almost everyone was surprised by the "paid in arrears" system and the timing gaps, despite going through the official application process. It shows there's a serious communication problem when people are making major financial decisions based on incomplete information. The practical advice shared here is invaluable: applying 3-4 months early, building that 6-month financial buffer, understanding the birth date payment schedule, and using tools like the my.ssa.gov account. But more importantly, this discussion shows the human impact of these bureaucratic delays - people having to scramble for emergency funds, delay medical expenses, or borrow money just because they weren't properly informed about payment timing. I'm definitely going to start building my retirement transition fund now and create my SSA account early. It's unfortunate that we have to rely on community wisdom to understand these critical details, but I'm grateful for everyone who shared their experiences. This thread should be required reading for anyone approaching Social Security eligibility!

Sorry for any confusion. This was an edit to update my situation. After posting, I realized I had written down the wrong time - my appointment was actually scheduled for 4:30pm, not 2:30pm! The SSA representative called right at 4:30 and was extremely helpful about my SSDI review. I feel so embarrassed about the mix-up, but at least everything went smoothly with the actual call.

Glad everything worked out in the end! These kinds of mix-ups happen more often than you'd think - I once showed up to a doctor's appointment a full day early because I misread my calendar. The important thing is that you got your call and it went smoothly. For anyone else reading this thread who might have similar scheduling confusion, it's always worth double-checking your appointment confirmation letter or email before panicking. SSA usually sends pretty clear documentation with the exact date and time.

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and honest experiences about SSA phone appointments. I'm scheduled for my own CDR in a couple of weeks and was planning to do it by phone, but after reading through this entire thread, I'm definitely switching to in-person. The consistency of these phone system failures is really alarming - missed calls, disconnections during critical conversations, appointments disappearing from their system entirely. What strikes me most is that these aren't just minor inconveniences, but potentially devastating problems when your disability benefits are on the line. The advice from people with extensive SSA experience has been invaluable. When benefits counselors and people who've dealt with multiple appointments are all recommending in-person for CDRs, that speaks volumes about how unreliable their phone system has become. I know getting to the field office will be more challenging logistically, but the peace of mind of face-to-face interaction and walking out with documentation that everything was properly completed is worth the extra effort. For something that determines whether you keep your benefits, why would you risk it on a system that fails people this regularly? Thank you all for taking the time to share your experiences - you've helped me make a much more informed decision about something that's incredibly important to my financial security.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really grateful for all the experiences shared in this thread! I have my own CDR scheduled for next month and was originally planning to do it by phone, but after reading through everyone's stories about missed calls, system failures, and appointments disappearing entirely from SSA's records, I'm convinced that in-person is the only safe option. What really concerns me is the pattern of technical issues during critical conversations - calls dropping while people are explaining their medical conditions, partial appointments with no record of what was discussed, and the stress of not knowing if your review was properly documented. For something that directly affects whether you keep your disability benefits, those risks are just too high. I'm going to call tomorrow to switch my appointment to in-person. Yes, it'll require arranging transportation and taking time off work, but the peace of mind of face-to-face interaction and walking out with documentation that everything was completed properly is absolutely worth it for something this important. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their real experiences here - it's been incredibly valuable in helping me make an informed decision about my CDR. The consensus from people with extensive SSA experience is pretty clear: for disability reviews, in-person is the way to go given how unreliable their phone system has become.