I got mine in exactly 28 days last month, so not everyone is experiencing delays. Maybe it depends on your regional office or something? I applied online too, just regular retirement benefit at 66+4 months.

Update: I finally reached an agent this morning after trying the early morning call trick. Turns out there WAS an issue - they needed verification of my last employer's pension plan information, but the letter requesting this was sent to my old address even though I updated it online! The agent resent the request and expedited my application. She said once they receive the pension information, it should be approved within 7-10 days. Thank you all for your help and suggestions!

Thanks everyone for the helpful information. I'm disappointed that I need to wait until 62, but at least I understand the rules better now. I'm going to: 1) Check my own benefit estimates on the SSA website, 2) Look into assistance programs that might help in the meantime, and 3) Start planning for how the earnings test might affect me if I claim at 62 while still working. Really appreciate all the advice!

One last thing to consider: if your ex-spouse passes away before you claim benefits, the rules change. As a surviving divorced spouse, you could claim survivor benefits as early as age 60 (or 50 if disabled). Survivor benefits are different from ex-spousal benefits. Not something to hope for, of course, but important to know in case that situation arises.

Is anyone else annoyed that they make this process so complicated? My mom applied last year and it was such a headache just to check on her application status. The website times out constantly too!

Update: I went to my local office this morning and waited about an hour, but I was able to speak with someone who helped me correct the employment dates on my application. She confirmed it shouldn't affect my benefit amount since they calculate based on earnings records, not the dates I entered. What a relief! Thanks everyone for your advice and suggestions.

Am I the only one who thinks it's RIDICULOUS that SSA penalizes people for working?? I mean, we paid into the system our whole lives, and now they dock our benefits if we try to earn a little extra money?? The whole system is designed to keep seniors poor. And don't get me started on how they expect people to understand all these complicated rules when their own employees give different answers depending on who you talk to!!! Sorry for the rant, but this stuff makes my blood boil. Good luck with your situation - just be prepared for conflicting information no matter who you ask.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful advice! This is exactly what I needed. I'll definitely: 1. Track all my work hours and keep well under 45/month 2. Keep excellent records of all business expenses 3. Set aside 30% for taxes and make quarterly payments 4. Report my estimated earnings to SSA And I'll check out that Claimyr service to get specific guidance from SSA about my situation. The trade show job pays $300-$400 per event, so even doing 2-3 per month I should stay well below the annual limit. I just wanted to make sure I understood all the tax implications before jumping in!

Just to follow up on your question about retroactive payments - yes, if your benefit increases due to the AERO recalculation, you should receive retroactive payments back to January 2024. This is different from the retroactive benefits some people get when they first file. For AERO recalculations, the increase is effective January of the year following the year you worked (so January 2024 for your 2023 work), and paid once the recalculation is complete. Definitely call them to check on this. They're required to perform this calculation, but sometimes things fall through the cracks.

UPDATE: I called SSA this morning and after an hour on hold (!!) finally spoke with someone. Turns out my recalculation WAS done in late 2024 but they found my 2023 earnings didn't increase my benefit enough to make a difference. The agent said it was literally a few cents below the threshold where they would apply an increase. So frustrating that they didn't bother to send any notification! But at least I know now. Thanks everyone for your help!

I think theres a lump sum death payment too isnt there? Like $255 or something? Not much but every little bit helps when someone passes

Thanks everyone for the helpful information. I managed to get through to SSA yesterday and have an appointment set up for next week. They're sending me a checklist of documents to bring. The representative also confirmed my younger siblings (16 and 14) will likely qualify for benefits until they graduate high school. This has been really helpful during such a difficult time.

My friend works for SS (not giving advice just sharing what I know) - definitely call the main number not your local office. The national line has access to more info. And keep calling until you get someone helpful cuz some reps are way better than others honestly

Just checking back - were you able to get through to someone who could help? The situation with multiple families definitely complicates things, but 4 months is still excessive for not even having an update.

I went to my local Social Security office with almost this EXACT question and the lady there was so rude to me, acted like I was stupid for asking. Like we're all supposed to be born knowing this stuff?! Ugh. Glad you got better answers here than I did there.

To summarize what everyone has said: 1. You reach FRA on the FIRST DAY of the month in which you attain the necessary age (66 and 4 months in your case) 2. Your actual date of birth within the month is irrelevant (except for the special rule for people born on the 1st) 3. Benefits are paid in the month FOLLOWING the month they're due for 4. If you file exactly at FRA (not before or after), you'll receive 100% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) If you file before FRA, your benefit is permanently reduced. If you file after FRA, you earn Delayed Retirement Credits of 8% per year until age 70. These are important considerations when deciding exactly when to file.

One thing to consider - have you looked into the Ticket to Work program? It allows you to test your ability to work while protecting your benefits. You get a 9-month Trial Work Period where you can earn any amount without affecting benefits, followed by a 36-month Extended Period of Eligibility where benefits are only suspended in months you earn over SGA. Plus if your benefits end due to work, you have 5 years of expedited reinstatement rights if you need to go back on benefits. Might be better than switching to retirement.

Bottom line: Stay on SSDI until your Full Retirement Age (67). At that point, your SSDI automatically converts to retirement benefits at the same amount. If you want to try working before then, use the work incentives designed for SSDI recipients (Trial Work Period, etc.) rather than switching to early retirement. The permanent reduction from taking early retirement almost never makes financial sense for someone already receiving SSDI.

has anybody heard anything NEW about the fairness act? i heard it had like 300+ co-sponsors in the house but then nothing happened with it?

My sister works for our state retirement system and she said they're getting flooded with calls from retirees who got similar scam emails. The scammers are really targeting public pensioners right now!