anyone know if you still get backpay for the weeks it was pending? like if i applied in august but it doesnt get approved till october will i still get september money?

I'm going through something similar right now - submitted my application 6 weeks ago and it's still pending. After reading through all these responses, I'm definitely going to call tomorrow morning right when they open. It sounds like there's a good chance they need some additional verification but just haven't notified me properly. Really helpful to see so many people sharing their experiences here. The 40% chance statistic from the benefits counselor is particularly eye-opening - makes me feel like calling is definitely worth it rather than just waiting indefinitely.

Thank you all for the helpful advice! I'm going to start my online application this weekend and aim for January benefits. It's a relief to know I can keep my employer health insurance without complications. I'll make sure to gather all my documents first and check my online account regularly for updates. Really appreciate all the tips!

One thing I'd add - since you're planning to work until June but start benefits in January, make sure your employer knows about your SS benefits starting. Sometimes HR departments need to adjust payroll withholdings or update their records. Also, you might want to consider whether you'll need to make estimated tax payments since SS benefits can be taxable depending on your total income. With your work income plus SS benefits, you could potentially owe more taxes than what's being withheld. The IRS has worksheets to help calculate if your SS will be taxable - generally if your combined income (AGI + nontaxable interest + half of SS benefits) exceeds $25,000 for single filers or $32,000 for married filing jointly, some portion becomes taxable.

To answer your follow-up question about estimating the potential increase: It's complicated, but here's a simplified approach. The SSA calculation takes your highest 35 years of earnings (after indexing for inflation), averages them, then applies a formula with 3 different percentage tiers (90%, 32%, and 15%). As a VERY rough estimate, if you replace a $40,000 year with a $95,000 year, the difference is $55,000. Since you're likely in the 15% replacement tier with your earnings level, you might see approximately 15% of that difference divided by 12 months. So potentially around $55,000 × 15% ÷ 12 = $687.50 per year or about $57 per month increase. This is oversimplified and your actual increase could be more or less, but it gives you a ballpark idea. The SSA's annual recomputation is automatic, so you'll see any increase reflected in your benefit eventually.

Great question! Yes, your coworker is definitely wrong about this. The Social Security Administration does an automatic review every year to see if your new earnings should replace any of your lower-earning years in the calculation. Since your benefit is based on your highest 35 years of indexed earnings, and you're currently making $95,000 compared to some years in the $40,000-$45,000 range, you should definitely see some increase in your monthly benefit. The SSA will automatically do what's called an Automatic Earnings Recomputation (AER) typically in the fall following the year you earned the higher wages. One thing to keep in mind is that the increase might not be as dramatic as you'd hope since the Social Security benefit formula applies different percentages to different income brackets, and higher earners see smaller percentage increases. But any increase is still welcome! You should start seeing these adjustments reflected in your payments, usually without having to do anything on your end. Keep track of your benefit statements and payment amounts - many people don't even notice when these small increases happen, but they do add up over time.

Just want to add my experience as someone who went through this process 6 months ago in California. I initially planned to delay Medicare Part B like you're considering, but after reading about the penalties, I decided to enroll in everything at once through the Social Security website. The whole process took about 45 minutes online, and I was able to compare Medicare Advantage plans right there. One thing that really helped me was calling my current doctors' offices first to ask which Medicare plans they accept - saved me from picking a plan and then finding out I'd need to switch providers. Also, if you're taking any medications regularly, definitely use that Medicare.gov prescription plan finder tool that others mentioned. It literally saved me hundreds of dollars by showing me which Part D plan would be cheapest for my specific prescriptions. The peace of mind of having everything set up without penalties was worth not waiting those extra months to research. You can always change plans during the next open enrollment period if you find something better!

As someone who just went through this process last year, I'd strongly recommend doing everything at once rather than delaying. I know it seems overwhelming, but the penalties for missing those enrollment windows are no joke - they really are permanent and follow you for life. Here's what worked for me: I set aside a weekend to research everything thoroughly. Started with the Medicare.gov website to understand my options, then used their plan finder tool to compare Part D prescription plans based on my actual medications. For Medicare Advantage vs Original Medicare, I called my primary care doctor and specialists to confirm which plans they accepted. The Social Security application process was actually pretty straightforward once I had done my homework. You can complete everything online in one session - SS retirement benefits, Medicare Parts A & B, and Part D enrollment. Just make sure you have your medication list ready if you're comparing Part D plans. California has some good Medicare Advantage options, but definitely verify your doctors are in-network first. The extra benefits like dental and vision sound great until you realize you can't see your current providers. Whatever you choose, just don't risk those late enrollment penalties by waiting too long!

As someone who just went through the survivor benefits process myself, I want to emphasize how important it is to have all your paperwork organized beforehand. When my husband passed 6 months ago, having everything in one place made a huge difference. A few practical tips: Make sure your wife knows where to find your Social Security card, marriage certificate, and birth certificate - she'll need copies of these. Also, if you have any pension or 401k benefits that might affect her Social Security, document those too since they can sometimes impact timing. The emotional toll of dealing with bureaucracy while grieving is real, so anything you can do now to simplify the process for her will be a gift. Consider even doing a practice run - call SSA together now just to understand the process so she's familiar with it.

I'm going through something similar with my elderly parents right now. One additional thing to consider is making sure your wife has her own my Social Security account set up online at ssa.gov. Even though she can't apply for survivor benefits online, having the account gives her access to view her current benefits, download benefit verification letters, and get familiar with the SSA online system. Also, if you haven't already, consider setting up automatic bill pay for your major expenses from a joint account that she has full access to. This can help bridge any gap during the benefit transition period. My mom found it really helpful that dad had set up most bills to auto-pay, so she didn't have to worry about missing payments while dealing with the paperwork and waiting for survivor benefits to kick in.