Congratulations on finally getting through! That's such a relief after weeks of trying. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation, I'd also recommend checking if your state has a SHIP (State Health Insurance Assistance Program) counselor who can help with Social Security questions. They're free and sometimes have better connections or knowledge about navigating these complex benefit situations. Also, when you go to your appointment next Tuesday, don't forget to ask about whether you're eligible for any Medicare premium assistance programs - sometimes people with government pensions qualify for help with Part B premiums but don't know about it. Good luck with everything!

As someone who went through a similar situation after losing my spouse, I completely understand your frustration. The SSA phone system is incredibly difficult to navigate, especially when you're already dealing with grief and financial uncertainty. A few additional tips that helped me beyond what others have mentioned: 1. Consider calling the Spanish-language line (1-800-772-1213 press 7) even if you speak English - sometimes they have shorter wait times and many agents are bilingual 2. If you have any military connection (yours or your husband's), try the veterans service organizations - they sometimes have advocates who can help navigate SSA For your GPO situation specifically, make sure you bring documentation of ALL your government employment, not just your teaching years. Sometimes people forget about summer jobs with parks departments or other government work that can affect calculations. One thing that really helped my peace of mind was creating a simple spreadsheet with different scenarios (taking survivor benefits at 60 vs waiting, taking my own retirement early vs waiting) so I could see the long-term financial impact of each choice. The SSA agent was actually impressed that I came prepared with questions about specific scenarios. Hang in there - once you get through the initial hurdle of reaching someone, the actual benefit application process is much smoother. You've got this!

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share that I had something very similar happen to my mom last year. She got an unexpected $600+ deposit and we were both really worried it was an error. Turns out it was a retroactive adjustment for her final year of work earnings, just like others have mentioned. The letter did eventually come about 2 weeks later explaining everything. One thing I learned from her experience is that you can also check your earnings record on the mySocialSecurity website to see if there were any recent updates to your work history - that might give you a clue while you're waiting for the official explanation. Definitely smart to leave it untouched until you know for sure what it's for!

Welcome to the community! I'm new here too but wanted to share what happened to my dad recently - he got an unexpected $800 deposit and was terrified SSA would demand it back. After weeks of worrying, the letter finally arrived explaining it was a retroactive adjustment for his 2023 earnings that were higher than initially calculated when he applied. The key thing we learned is that if you're checking your mySocialSecurity account online, look for any recent changes to your earnings history - that's often the first clue before the official letter arrives. It sounds like you're being smart by not touching the money until you get confirmation. From what I've read in this thread, it seems pretty common for final year earnings adjustments to take several months to process and show up as unexpected payments.

Update: I finally called SSA today and got through after about an hour on hold. The agent confirmed my application looks good and is just waiting for processing closer to January. She said everything appears to be in order and I don't need to provide any additional documents at this time. Thanks everyone for your help and reassurance!

I'm going through a very similar situation right now! Applied in October for February 2025 benefits and mine also still shows "processing." It's reassuring to see that this seems to be totally normal based on everyone's responses here. I was starting to panic thinking I did something wrong with my online application. Thanks for posting this question - it's exactly what I needed to read today!

Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me when I was in a similar situation - consider asking your employer if they can structure your pay to help you stay within the limits. For example, if you're close to the monthly limit in a particular month, they might be able to defer some pay to the next month (as long as it doesn't put you over that month's limit either). Also, make sure you understand what counts as "earnings" - things like bonuses, commissions, and overtime all count toward the limit, but vacation pay for unused time might be treated differently depending on when it was earned. The SSA has a detailed publication (Publication 05-10069) that explains exactly what income counts if you want the official guidance. Good luck with your new job! It sounds like you've got a good handle on the rules now.

One thing to keep in mind is that the earnings limits typically increase each year with inflation. The $2,340 monthly limit and $28,080 annual limit are for 2025, but they'll likely be a bit higher for 2026. SSA usually announces the new limits in the fall for the following year. Also, if you do happen to go over the limit at some point, don't panic - you can always contact SSA to discuss your situation. Sometimes there are exceptions or special circumstances they can consider. The key is staying in communication with them rather than hoping they won't notice. Your $2,000/month job sounds like it gives you a nice cushion under the limits, so you should be in good shape!

Thank you all for such helpful information! I think I now understand my options much better. I'm going to: 1. Work my normal schedule January-June 2025 2. Start my SS benefits in July 2025 as planned 3. Carefully track my earnings to stay under approximately $2,000/month from July-December 4. Make sure any December work that gets paid in January is properly accounted for And most importantly, I'll try to get an official confirmation from SSA directly before finalizing my plans. It's frustrating how complicated they make these rules, especially for those of us who miss the calendar year cutoff by just a few weeks!

Good luck with your plan, Santiago! Just want to add one more piece of advice from my experience - keep detailed records of ALL your earnings and when you actually earned them (not just when paid). I created a simple spreadsheet tracking each paycheck with the pay period dates, which saved me a huge headache when SSA questioned something later. Also, if you're doing any freelance or contract work in addition to regular employment, be extra careful about tracking those earnings too. The SSA counts ALL earned income toward the limit, not just your main job. And remember that if you do accidentally go over the limit slightly, it's not the end of the world thanks to that recalculation benefit that Mateo mentioned. You've got a solid plan - just document everything!