Just wanted to add one more important tip from my experience - keep really detailed records of your monthly earnings throughout 2025! Even though you only need to worry about the annual limit, having month-by-month documentation will save you a huge headache if SSA ever questions your reported earnings. I use a simple spreadsheet with dates, sources, and amounts. Also, if you do end up going over the annual limit, the benefits they withhold get added back to your future payments once you reach FRA, so it's not completely lost money - just delayed. Good luck with your consulting work!

This thread has been super helpful! I'm in a similar situation - retired at 66 last September and have been stressing about the earnings limits. One thing I wanted to add that my SSA representative mentioned: if you're doing consulting work, make sure you understand how they calculate "net earnings from self-employment." It's not just your gross income - you can deduct legitimate business expenses first. So if that $4,500 consulting gig costs you $500 in equipment, travel, or other business expenses, only $4,000 counts toward your earnings limit. This can make a real difference if you're doing contract work! Also seconding what others said about keeping detailed records - I learned this the hard way when I couldn't find receipts during tax season.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Avery. It sounds like you've been incredibly thorough in handling all the estate matters. I went through something similar with my grandmother's estate last year, and the waiting on hold with SSA was brutal - but you got through it! One tip for anyone else reading this thread: when you receive that form from SSA, make copies of everything before you send it back. I learned this the hard way when SSA claimed they never received my paperwork the first time. Certified mail with return receipt is worth the extra cost for peace of mind. It's great that you were proactive about this. Many people don't realize they need to handle these payments separately from just reporting the death, and it can create bigger headaches down the road.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with my mother's estate. One thing I learned from my attorney is that you should also notify the bank (or whoever is handling the estate account) about this SSA repayment situation. They may need to keep sufficient funds available in the estate account until this is fully resolved, especially if there are other estate debts or distributions pending. The last thing you want is to accidentally distribute estate funds and then not have enough left to cover the SSA repayment when they process it. Good luck with everything - you're handling this much better than I did when I was going through it!

My aunt thought she was gonna get backpay for the COLA starting from her birthday month all the way to January lol. I had to explain that's not how it works! The SSA does such a bad job explaining this stuff.

As someone who just went through this process myself, I wanted to add that you can actually see the exact dates and amounts on your my Social Security account online. If you log in and go to "Message Center" they usually send you a notice in December explaining the COLA increase and when it takes effect. Also, don't panic if your first payment with the increase seems delayed - sometimes there are processing delays in January/February that can push payments back a day or two, but you'll still get the full increased amount. The key thing everyone's mentioned is correct - January increase, but you see it in your February deposit!

my sister got QI last yr and she got 2 payments in december just like theyre telling you! its normal

I went through this exact same thing when I got approved for QI about 6 months ago! The double payment in the transition month is totally normal - you're not getting overpaid. The SSA rep was right. What happens is your October benefit gets paid on November 27th (your old schedule), then your November benefit gets paid on December 3rd (your new schedule). After that, you'll just get payments on the 3rd each month. The payment date change happens because when you qualify for QI, SSA has to adjust how they process your account since the state is now handling your Part B premium instead of deducting it from your Social Security. It's just an administrative thing. Definitely keep that letter they sent you - it's your proof that this change was authorized. And like others mentioned, your payment amount should be higher now since they're not taking out the Part B premium anymore. Mine went up by the full premium amount and it's been smooth sailing ever since!

I'm dealing with a similar GPO situation and wanted to share what I learned from my experience. When you have a "suspended" status showing since 2018, that's typically just an administrative record created when you enrolled in Medicare through your spouse - it doesn't mean you were actually entitled to benefits then. From what I've gathered through my own research and calls to SSA, you're definitely limited to the 6-month retroactive payment from your January 2024 application date. The key is making sure they calculate your GPO reduction correctly (2/3 of your gross monthly pension) and that you explicitly request the maximum retroactive benefits allowed. One tip that helped me: when you call SSA, have your pension award letter ready and ask to speak with someone who specializes in GPO cases. The regular representatives often don't fully understand how GPO works with spousal benefits. Also, document everything - dates, names, what they told you - because you'll likely need to make multiple calls to get consistent information. Good luck with getting this sorted out! The whole process is frustrating but it sounds like you should be entitled to some benefits after the GPO reduction.

I went through something very similar with GPO and retroactive benefits last year. The confusion about the "suspended" status is completely understandable - it's misleading because it makes you think you were entitled to benefits since 2018, but you're absolutely right that you can only get 6 months retroactive from your January 2024 application date. Here's what worked for me: I called SSA first thing in the morning (8 AM EST) and specifically asked to speak with someone experienced in GPO calculations. I had my state pension award letter, my husband's Social Security statement, and a calculator ready. The representative was able to walk through the GPO reduction (2/3 of my pension amount) and confirm my retroactive entitlement on the spot. One thing to watch out for - make sure they don't accidentally apply WEP (Windfall Elimination Provision) instead of GPO to your case. Some representatives get these two provisions confused, but GPO applies to spousal/survivor benefits while WEP applies to your own retirement benefits. With your pension amount of $3,750/month, your GPO reduction would be about $2,500, so if your spousal benefit calculation is higher than that, you should receive the difference. Don't give up - persistence with SSA is key, and that retroactive payment can really add up!