I went through this exact same confusion when I turned 70 last year! The misinformation about earnings limits is everywhere, and it's so frustrating. Your daughter is absolutely right - there is NO earnings limit once you reach full retirement age. Since you're 70 and already collecting benefits, you can work as much as you want without any reduction to your Social Security payments. I now work seasonal tax prep and make around $2,000 a month during busy season, plus my husband and I do some consulting work. Our benefits have never been reduced. The only thing to keep in mind is that your additional income might affect your taxes (potentially making more of your SS benefits taxable) and could impact Medicare premiums if your income gets high enough, but it won't touch your actual Social Security benefit amount. Enjoy the freedom to work without worry! It's one of the few perks of getting older.

I'm so glad you asked this question! I'm relatively new to navigating Social Security myself and this thread has been incredibly helpful. It's amazing how much misinformation circulates about these rules. Just to add one more confirmation - my neighbor who's 73 has been working part-time at Home Depot for the past three years while collecting his full Social Security benefits. He's never had any issues or reductions. The key thing everyone has mentioned is correct: once you hit your Full Retirement Age, the earnings limit completely disappears. It sounds like you can definitely take on those extra summer hours at your nephew's landscaping business without any worries about your benefits! The tax considerations others mentioned are worth keeping in mind for next year's tax planning, but your monthly SS check will remain untouched regardless of how much you earn.

As someone who's been receiving Social Security benefits for a few years now, I can confirm what others have said about the irregular timing for new beneficiaries. When I started my benefits in 2022, I had a similar experience where the first couple months didn't follow the regular schedule. What really helped me was understanding that Social Security retirement benefits are paid for the current month (not the previous month like some other programs), but the timing can be off initially while they set up your account properly in their system. Since your MySocialSecurity portal shows a payment coming in early November, that's actually a good sign that everything is working correctly - you're just experiencing the normal adjustment period. Once your account is fully synchronized with their payment system, you'll start getting your benefits on the same Wednesday every month based on your birth date. I'd still recommend calling SSA to confirm everything is set up correctly, but based on your description, it sounds like you're experiencing the typical new beneficiary payment schedule adjustment. You're not missing any money - it's just coming with different timing as they establish your regular schedule.

I'm new to this community and just reading through this entire discussion has been so educational! I'm planning to apply for Social Security retirement benefits in the next few months, and honestly, I had no idea about any of these payment schedule complexities. The birth date payment system, the irregular timing for new beneficiaries in the first few months, the difference between retirement benefits vs other programs - none of this was clear to me before. @Sofia Peña, it sounds like you've gotten great advice here and that your situation is completely normal. From what everyone is saying, you're not missing any money, just experiencing the typical adjustment period as SSA sets up your regular payment schedule. For those of us who haven't applied yet, this thread is like a goldmine of practical information. I'm definitely going to bookmark this and refer back to it when I start my application process. Thanks to everyone who shared their personal experiences - it makes navigating this system feel much less intimidating!

As a newcomer to this community, I have to say this discussion has been absolutely invaluable! I'm 62 and my wife is 60, so we're just beginning to seriously consider our Social Security claiming strategy, and this thread has provided so much clarity. What really gives me confidence is seeing the consistent real-world experiences from Josef, Charity, and Carmen who actually received those enhanced survivor benefits after their spouses delayed claiming until 70. Having that firsthand confirmation that the system works as intended removes so much of the uncertainty I was feeling about this strategy. I'm also incredibly grateful for all the practical tips that emerged naturally throughout this conversation - the Claimyr service for reaching SSA, setting up my Social Security accounts, keeping earnings records accurate, and understanding the various timelines involved. These are exactly the kinds of insider details you can't find in official publications but are so crucial for successful planning. Your approach of maximizing both your immediate retirement benefits AND your wife's long-term financial security through survivor benefits seems very well-founded based on all the evidence shared here. Thank you for asking this important question - it's helped many of us newcomers feel much more confident about our own Social Security planning decisions!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for such an incredibly thorough and informative discussion! I'm 61 and my husband is 64, so we're right in the middle of making these exact same Social Security timing decisions. What really strikes me most is how all the real-world experiences shared here - from Josef, Charity, Carmen, and others - consistently confirm that survivor benefits DO include the enhanced amounts from delaying to 70. Reading the official SSA materials left me with some uncertainty, but hearing from people who actually went through this process and received those higher survivor benefits removes all doubt about the strategy. I'm also taking detailed notes on all the practical advice that emerged throughout this thread - the Claimyr service for actually getting through to SSA, setting up my Social Security accounts to track our benefits, the importance of keeping earnings records accurate, and understanding timelines like the 30-day reporting requirement and 6-week processing period. These real-world details are exactly what you need to know but rarely find in official publications. Your strategy of optimizing for both your immediate retirement income AND your wife's long-term financial security through maximized survivor benefits seems very sound based on all the evidence presented here. Thank you for asking this crucial question - it's helped so many of us newcomers gain confidence in our own Social Security planning decisions!

I'm really sorry you're facing this frustrating situation with SSA's phone system and the uncertainty about your family's benefits. As a newcomer to this community, I can see from all the responses that this is unfortunately a very common issue that many families deal with. From what everyone has shared, it's clear that your 12-year-old's benefit won't increase when your 15-year-old ages out - the system just doesn't work that way. Each child receives their own calculated benefit (typically 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount), and when one becomes ineligible, that money simply stops rather than being redistributed within the family. I'd definitely recommend getting that benefit verification letter through your my Social Security account online that several people mentioned - it will give you the exact numbers you need to start realistic budget planning. The suggestion about gradually adjusting your expenses over the next 6 months before the change happens seems really practical too. Also worth checking if your 15-year-old can extend benefits until 19 if they're still in high school when they turn 18 - even a few extra months could help with the transition. I know it's not the answer you were hoping for, but at least having clarity now gives you time to prepare. The uncertainty and phone wait times sound like they've been the worst part of this whole situation.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share some information that might help with your situation. I work as a benefits counselor, and I see families dealing with this exact issue regularly. Unfortunately, what everyone has confirmed is correct - your 12-year-old's benefit won't increase when your older child ages out. The Social Security system calculates each child's auxiliary benefit individually (typically 50% of your PIA), and these don't get redistributed when a sibling becomes ineligible. What I always recommend to families in your situation is to create a "transition timeline" starting about 8-10 months before the anticipated change. This gives you time to gradually adjust spending, explore supplemental income options, and research local assistance programs. Many states have specific transition assistance for families experiencing benefit reductions due to aging out. I'd also suggest documenting everything when you do get through to SSA - ask for written confirmation of benefit amounts and termination dates. Sometimes there are small delays or extensions (like the high school provision others mentioned) that can provide a few extra months of breathing room. The system definitely has gaps that hurt families like yours who are still supporting the same household. Planning ahead is really your best strategy for managing this transition successfully.

Hi Isaac! I'm relatively new to this community too, and I just wanted to say how helpful this entire thread has been to read through! I'm still a few years away from retirement myself, but seeing everyone's real-world experiences with Social Security direct deposits has been incredibly educational. It's amazing how consistent everyone's advice has been - especially about calling your bank first to prevent any potential issues. That seems to be the golden rule that everyone agrees on! I also love how supportive this community is. You asked a simple question and got such detailed, helpful responses from people who actually went through the process themselves. It's clear that both savings and checking accounts work fine with SSA, but the personal banking habits and transaction limit considerations really help narrow down what makes sense for each individual situation. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - I'm definitely bookmarking this thread for when I need to set up my own benefits in a few years! And Isaac, congratulations on your upcoming retirement and 67th birthday! 🎉

Hi Isaac! Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! As someone who just went through this exact process about 3 months ago, I can definitely confirm that Social Security benefits CAN be deposited into a savings account - you're absolutely right to question that SSA rep's uncertainty! I've been receiving my monthly benefits in my savings account at Bank of America without any issues whatsoever. The setup was actually quite straightforward once I knew what to do. Here's what worked for me: 1) Called my bank first to notify them about incoming government deposits (this is SO important - prevents fraud alerts!), 2) Used the SSA online portal with my savings account and routing numbers, and 3) Made sure my name on the account matched exactly what SSA had on file. The whole online process took maybe 12 minutes. While the interest isn't huge (about $2.50 per month for me), it adds up to roughly $30 per year which is better than nothing on a fixed income! Just be mindful of your bank's monthly withdrawal limits on savings accounts if you plan to move money around frequently. But if you're comfortable with savings accounts like you mentioned, I'd say go for it! The key is just that upfront communication with your bank. Don't let one confused rep discourage you from using your preferred account type. Good luck with everything!