Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this exact situation two years ago. I was in a similar boat - had a consulting contract that paid out a large sum in my first benefit month. One thing that really helped me was keeping detailed records of exactly when I performed the work vs when I received payment. The SSA earnings test is based on when you actually EARN the money, not when you receive it. So if you did most of the project work in May but got paid in June, you might be able to argue that the earnings should count toward May instead. Also, don't forget that the monthly limit is $1,950 for 2025, but they deduct $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn above that limit. So if you earn $3,200 in June, that's $1,250 over the limit, which means they'd reduce your benefit by $625 (not necessarily withhold the entire month's payment unless your benefit amount is less than $625). The whole system is definitely confusing, but understanding these details can help you make better decisions about timing!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who's been collecting SS for a few years now - the earnings test really is one of the most confusing parts of the whole system! One thing I learned the hard way is that it's worth requesting a written confirmation from SSA about how they'll handle your specific situation. When I called about my earnings, the agent gave me verbal guidance that turned out to be slightly wrong, and it caused some headaches later. Getting it in writing (even just an email followup) can save you trouble down the road. Also, if you do end up having benefits withheld, don't panic about the timing of when they'll restart payments. In my experience, once they process your annual earnings report the following year, any adjustments happen pretty quickly. The system may be confusing but it does eventually work itself out. Best of luck with your retirement planning - it sounds like you're being really thoughtful about timing everything!

I want to thank everyone for the helpful responses. I'm going to go ahead with just the regular retirement application since it seems there's no benefit to pursuing disability at my age. It's frustrating that the SSA representatives gave me conflicting information, but I'm grateful for the clear explanations here.

I'm really glad you found this thread helpful! Just wanted to add one more thing - since you mentioned early-onset Alzheimer's, you might want to consider setting up a representative payee arrangement if you haven't already. Even though you're going with retirement benefits instead of disability, having someone you trust designated to help manage your Social Security payments in the future could be really valuable as your condition progresses. You can set this up proactively with SSA, and it doesn't affect your benefit amount at all. Wishing you all the best with your application!

As someone who just went through a similar ordeal applying for disability benefits while living in the UK, I can't emphasize enough how broken the international SSA system is right now. I had to make over 20 attempts to get through, and like many others here, had multiple "ghost appointments" where nobody called. What finally worked for me was a combination of several strategies mentioned here: calling right at 7am Eastern time, using the Claimyr service (which is legit and worth every penny), and having my sister in Florida also try calling on my behalf. The domestic lines really do seem to work better. One additional tip I haven't seen mentioned - if you're having trouble with the online my Social Security account due to foreign address formatting issues, try using a US address temporarily just to create the account and submit the initial contact request. You can update the address once you're actually speaking with someone. The important thing is getting into their system somehow. Ruby, congratulations on finally getting through! Your persistence paid off. For everyone else still struggling, don't give up. The system is absolutely terrible right now, but people are getting through eventually. Document everything, try multiple approaches, and be prepared to spend way more time on this than should be necessary.

This whole thread has been incredibly eye-opening about the state of SSA's international services. I'm a US citizen living in Australia and have been putting off applying for my retirement benefits because I keep hearing horror stories like these. Reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear this isn't just isolated incidents - there's a systematic breakdown in how SSA handles overseas applications. What really frustrates me is that we're not asking for special treatment here. We paid into the system our entire working lives just like domestic applicants, but we're getting drastically inferior service just because we live abroad. The fact that people have to pay third-party services like Claimyr just to reach their own government agency is absurd. Ruby, I'm so glad you finally got through and that your application is progressing! Your persistence is inspiring. For everyone else still fighting this battle - the strategies shared here seem to be the best available workarounds until SSA fixes their broken system. The early morning calling time, using the correct international numbers, and documenting everything seem to be the common threads among the success stories. Has anyone tried reaching out to their congressional representatives about these issues? I know we can't vote from overseas, but we're still constituents, and this seems like the kind of systematic failure that might warrant congressional oversight.

As someone who went through this transition a few years ago, I can confirm everything others have said - it's really just a paperwork change! One thing I'd add is that you might want to create or log into your my Social Security account online if you haven't already. It's much easier to track your benefits and get statements there, and you can see exactly how the transition shows up in your benefit history. The online portal also makes it clearer that your payment amount and Medicare coverage remain exactly the same. It was reassuring to see it all laid out clearly on the website when the letter left me confused too!

I went through this exact same transition about 8 months ago and totally understand your confusion! The SSA really should do a better job explaining this process beforehand. Just to echo what others have said - your monthly payment stays identical, Medicare continues unchanged, and you're now free from those stressful earnings restrictions and medical reviews. One small additional benefit I discovered is that you can now receive benefits for the full month you turn your full retirement age, whereas with SSDI there were sometimes partial payment calculations. The transition really is seamless from a practical standpoint, even though the letter makes it sound more dramatic than it actually is.

That's a really helpful perspective I hadn't considered. My boyfriend is actually 5 years older than me and has a higher earnings history, so that could potentially benefit me later in life. Not that I'm planning around that, but good to understand all the implications.

Congratulations on your upcoming engagement! Just wanted to add my experience as someone who works at a local SSA field office - your $1867 retirement benefit is completely safe and won't be touched by marriage. I see this confusion all the time, and it's totally understandable why people worry about it. Your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) is calculated solely from your highest 35 years of earnings, indexed for inflation. Marriage status has zero impact on that calculation. The only time marriage affects Social Security payments is with auxiliary benefits like spousal, survivor, or divorced spouse benefits - but never your own earned retirement benefit. One tip though: if you're planning to marry soon and are close to your FRA, you might want to file for your retirement benefit first before the wedding, just to get the paperwork started and avoid any potential processing delays. Best wishes on your marriage!