I can understand the confusion - there's a lot of misinformation floating around about Social Security calculations! Let me add some clarity from someone who went through this recently. I'm 63 and just went through the detailed benefit calculation process with SSA. Your earnings from 60 until your FRA absolutely DO count toward your highest 35 years. The key difference people get confused about is the "indexing" - earnings before age 60 get adjusted upward for wage inflation, while earnings at 60+ are used at their actual dollar amount. But here's the important part: if your current $78,000 salary is higher than some of your earlier years (even after those earlier years are indexed for inflation), then yes, these recent years will boost your benefit calculation by replacing lower-earning years. I'd strongly recommend logging into your my.ssa.gov account to see your complete earnings history and get an updated benefit estimate. It shows exactly which years are being used in your top 35 calculation. In my case, my earnings from ages 60-63 replaced several low-earning years from my twenties, increasing my projected monthly benefit by about $200. Don't let the misinformation discourage you from working until your FRA if that's your plan - those higher-earning years can really pay off in retirement!

I'm so glad to see this question being asked! I just turned 62 and have been getting conflicting advice from friends and family about this exact issue. My financial advisor told me to keep working because my recent earnings would help boost my Social Security benefits, but my brother-in-law (who retired early) kept insisting that only earnings before 60 "really count." Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational. It sounds like the key takeaway is that ALL earnings can potentially be part of your highest 35 years calculation, regardless of when you earned them. The indexing difference for pre-60 vs. post-60 earnings doesn't mean the later years count less - it's just a different method of calculation. I'm in a similar situation to the original poster - earning more now than I did in my earlier career years. I think I'll follow the advice here and check my earnings record on my.ssa.gov to see exactly where I stand. Thanks everyone for sharing your real experiences and clearing up the confusion!

That's such great news! I'm so glad she was able to get through and get a clear answer. It's really helpful that you shared the update - I'm sure other people going through similar situations will benefit from knowing that this processing delay is normal and that backpay will be included. Four to six weeks seems like a long time to wait, but at least now she knows what to expect. Thanks for following up with the resolution!

This is such a relief to hear! I'm actually in a very similar situation - I'm 63 and just started the process of applying for both my own retirement benefits and divorced spouse benefits from my ex-husband (we were married 14 years). Your sister's experience is exactly what I needed to know about potential processing delays. I was worried something would go wrong or that I'd made an error in my application. Now I know to expect my own retirement benefit first and then wait for the divorced spouse portion to process separately. The 4-6 week timeline is helpful to know upfront. Thank you so much for sharing this journey and the final resolution - it's going to save me a lot of stress when I get my first payment!

Based on all the information and corrections, here's a summary of your optimal strategy: 1. Apply now but specify January 2025 as your benefit start month 2. Make sure to apply for both your retirement benefit and the spousal benefit simultaneously 3. Your March-May earnings ($10,500) are well below the pre-FRA limit, so no benefits will be withheld 4. The permanent reduction for starting 5 months early is minimal ($52/month) compared to receiving 5 extra months of payments 5. After June 2025 (your FRA), you can earn unlimited amounts without affecting your benefits Taking benefits in January 2025 appears to be the mathematically optimal choice in your specific situation.

Congratulations on doing your homework before making this decision! As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the helpful responses here. One thing I'd add that might be worth considering - when you apply online, make sure to print or save copies of everything you submit. I've heard from friends that having documentation can be really helpful if any questions come up later about your application or benefit calculations. Also, after you submit your application, you should receive a confirmation letter from SSA within a few weeks confirming your benefit amounts and start date. Good luck with your application!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who's been through this process twice now. The October AERO adjustment is definitely real and automatic, but I'd recommend being patient while also staying informed. In my experience, the adjustment happened right on schedule in October, and I received both the letter explaining the change and the retroactive payment within about 3 weeks of each other. The retroactive payment came as a direct deposit (same method as my regular benefits) and was clearly labeled as "RETRO" on my bank statement. One tip - if you have a my Social Security account online, you can actually see your updated payment history there before you get the official letter, which helped ease my anxiety about whether it was really happening!

I'm new to Social Security benefits and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation - just started receiving benefits this year and have earnings from 2023 that should improve my calculation. Reading everyone's experiences with the AERO process has really put my mind at ease. It sounds like the October timing is pretty standard, though I'm definitely going to follow the advice about calling to check on it if I don't see changes by November. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so valuable to hear from people who've actually been through this process!

One thing to keep in mind is that the timing of when you see any increases can vary. The SSA typically processes these recalculations between October and December of the following year after they receive your W-2 data. So if you work in 2025, you might not see any adjustment until late 2026 or early 2027. Also, they'll send you a letter if your benefit amount changes, so you'll know when it happens. The key is that your $22k needs to be higher than one of your lowest 35 years of indexed earnings to make a difference in your benefit calculation.

Just to add another perspective - I'm in a similar situation and started benefits at 64 last year while continuing to work part-time. One thing I learned is that even small increases can compound over time since they become part of your permanent benefit amount and also affect your annual COLA adjustments. So that $15-27 increase others mentioned might not sound like much, but it grows each year with cost of living adjustments. Also, if you're married, it could eventually impact spousal benefits too. Definitely worth staying under that earnings limit and letting the system work in your favor!