As a newcomer to this community who's been struggling with the same survivor benefits and variable income issues, I can't express how valuable this entire discussion has been! I work as a seasonal tour guide at a national park, so I have an extreme version of what many of you are describing - I make almost all my income during the 5-month tourist season (May through September), then have virtually no income the rest of the year. Reading about the "work activity report" option has been absolutely life-changing for my understanding of how SSA handles these situations. I had been losing sleep worried that earning $2,800+ per month during peak season would trigger automatic benefit reductions, even though my annual total will be well under the $22,320 limit due to earning nothing from October through April. The success stories shared here, especially @Oliver Schulz's detailed follow-up about his SSA call, give me so much confidence that this system can be navigated properly with the right approach. The practical tips about tracking earnings, proactive communication, and using services like Claimyr to actually reach SSA representatives have been invaluable. I'm calling SSA tomorrow to set up that work activity report for my seasonal tourism work. It's such a relief to know that annual earnings are what ultimately matter, and that SSA can document these predictable seasonal patterns ahead of time. This thread should be required reading for anyone dealing with survivor benefits and variable income - thank you all for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive, informative community!

As a newcomer to this community who's currently dealing with survivor benefits and variable seasonal income, I want to add my heartfelt thanks for such an incredibly comprehensive and helpful discussion! I work as a freelance agricultural consultant, helping farms optimize their growing seasons, which means my income is heavily concentrated during planting and harvest periods (March-May and August-October), with very little work during winter months. Like so many others here, I've been extremely worried that those busy-season months where I might earn $3,200+ would automatically trigger benefit reductions, even though my total annual income will stay well below the $22,320 limit due to earning almost nothing during off-season periods. This thread has been absolutely invaluable in helping me understand how the system actually works. The "work activity report" option that @Oliver Schulz discovered through his SSA call is exactly the solution I needed to know about - I had no idea that seasonal income patterns could be documented proactively to prevent confusion later. All the practical advice shared here has given me a clear roadmap: track earnings monthly in a spreadsheet, contact SSA to document my seasonal pattern before issues arise, and use services like Claimyr if needed to actually reach a representative. It's such a relief to learn that annual totals are what ultimately matter for the earnings test. I'm planning to call SSA next week to set up that work activity report for my agricultural consulting business. This community has transformed my understanding from anxiety and confusion to confidence and clarity. Thank you all for sharing your real experiences - this thread is going to help countless people navigate these complex survivor benefit rules with seasonal work!

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this - the callback system is completely broken and you're absolutely not alone in this frustration! I've been lurking in this community for a while as I navigate my own SSA issues, and this thread has been incredibly educational. The Congressional representative route that everyone is mentioning seems to be the golden solution here. I had no idea this was even an option until reading these responses, but seeing multiple people get actual callbacks within 48-72 hours after submitting Congressional inquiries is amazing compared to the endless phone runaround. Your eviction risk makes this especially urgent - definitely lead with that when you contact your rep's office. From what others have shared, housing instability should automatically trigger "dire need" processing, but clearly the regular phone system isn't equipped to handle that properly. I'm taking notes on all the strategies shared here - the 8:00 AM calling tip, asking for supervisors immediately, keeping detailed documentation with rep names/IDs. It's both terrible and oddly comforting to see how systematic this problem is. We shouldn't have to become advocacy experts just to access benefits we're entitled to, but at least this community is sharing real solutions that actually work. Don't let them wear you down - that's exactly what this broken system is designed to do. Your January filing timeline is unfortunately normal, but the callback lies while you're facing eviction are absolutely unacceptable. You deserve those benefits and shouldn't have to choose between rent and fighting for help you're owed!

I'm so frustrated reading this because I'm going through the EXACT same situation! Filed my SSDI application in January too and have been promised callbacks seven times now - not a single one has happened. Every rep acts like they've never heard of this problem before, then gives me the same scripted "we'll call you back within 48 hours" line. What's really helping me is seeing all the strategies people have shared here. I had no idea about contacting Congressional representatives for SSA issues - I thought that was only for major political problems. But seeing multiple people get actual results within 2-3 days through that route is incredible compared to this endless phone runaround. I'm also dealing with potential eviction (filed for emergency rental assistance but it's taking forever), so I'm definitely going to emphasize the housing instability when I submit my Congressional inquiry today. The "dire need" designation that several people mentioned sounds crucial - I don't think I've been assertive enough about getting that officially noted in my file. The 8:00 AM calling strategy also makes perfect sense - shorter wait times and reps who aren't already burned out from dealing with frustrated people all day. I've been calling at random times and waiting 3+ hours each time. Thanks for starting this conversation - it's both awful and reassuring to know so many of us are dealing with this broken system, but at least now I have real strategies that actually work instead of just waiting by the phone like a fool!

I'm so glad you asked this question! As someone who just started collecting Social Security at 63 while still working part-time, I went through this exact same confusion about 6 months ago. The timing of when earnings are counted versus when you get paid is definitely one of those things that can keep you up at night worrying about it. Everyone here has given you the correct answer - it's absolutely when you PERFORM the work that counts, not when the paycheck hits your account. I learned this the hard way by initially tracking everything by payment dates and then having to redo all my calculations when I realized my mistake. Since you mentioned your employer uses 1st-30th/31st pay periods, you're actually in a good spot because those dates on your pay stub will clearly show which month's work each payment covers. I'd suggest starting a simple tracking system now - even just a basic Excel sheet or even handwritten notes showing work dates vs pay dates for each check. One thing I wish I'd known earlier: SSA can be pretty reasonable if you accidentally go over the limit in a month and can document exactly when the work was performed. They're much more understanding when you have good records showing you were trying to comply with the rules. You're being really smart to think through all these details before your retirement date. Best of luck with your transition!

This is such great timing for your question! I'm 64 and went through this exact same concern when I started my Social Security benefits 8 months ago while continuing to work part-time. Everyone here is absolutely right - SSA counts earnings based on when you performed the work, not when you received payment. I had the same payroll lag (work in March, paid in April) and was initially panicking about which month to count everything toward. What really helped me was calling it the "work month vs pay month" rule in my head. Your March work = March earnings for SSA purposes, even if the check comes in April. Keep your pay stubs organized by the pay period dates shown on the stub, not your bank deposit dates. One practical tip that saved me a lot of headaches: I started taking a photo of each pay stub with my phone right when I got it, then created a simple folder on my phone called "SSA Work Months" where I saved them by the actual work period. That way I always had easy access to the dates if I needed to reference them. You're doing the right thing by planning this out carefully in advance. The earnings test can seem intimidating at first, but once you understand the "when you worked" rule, it becomes much more manageable. Good luck with your retirement transition!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm dealing with a somewhat similar situation with my parents - my father is 74 and my mother is 68, and they've been getting conflicting advice about survivor benefit strategies. Reading through all these responses has really clarified that spousal and survivor benefits operate under completely separate rules, which is reassuring. The point about survivor benefits including delayed retirement credits is particularly important - I don't think my parents fully understood that aspect. One question I have after reading all this: Is there a specific form or process for notifying SSA that you want to "restrict" yourself to continuing your current benefit rather than automatically switching to reduced survivor benefits when a spouse passes away? Or is it just a matter of not applying for survivor benefits until you're ready? Also, has anyone here had experience with the appeals process if SSA makes an error in benefit calculations? My parents are worried about potential mistakes given how complex these rules seem to be. Thanks again to everyone who has shared their knowledge and experiences - it's invaluable for those of us trying to navigate these complicated decisions!

As someone who just joined this community and is trying to understand Social Security planning for my own family situation, this thread has been incredibly enlightening! I'm particularly grateful for how clearly everyone has explained that spousal and survivor benefits are completely separate systems. One aspect I'm still trying to wrap my head around - and I apologize if this seems basic - but when people mention "choosing" between continuing current benefits vs. switching to survivor benefits, is this literally a formal choice you make with SSA? Like, do they present you with both options and let you decide, or do you have to proactively know to ask about continuing your current benefit until FRA? I'm asking because my mother-in-law is in a somewhat similar situation (though she's already 65), and I want to make sure she understands all her options if something happens to my father-in-law. From what I'm reading here, it sounds like the key is being informed about your choices rather than just accepting whatever SSA initially offers. Also, has anyone found good resources for understanding how cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) apply to survivor benefits? I assume they get the same annual increases as regular retirement benefits, but I want to make sure we're factoring that into our long-term planning. Thank you all for creating such an informative discussion - it's helping me ask much better questions when we meet with our financial advisor!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm dealing with a very similar situation - my disabled adult brother is currently on my mother's Social Security record, and my father will be eligible to file at his full retirement age soon with much higher lifetime earnings. Reading through everyone's real experiences has given me such a clear roadmap for how to approach this. The consistent advice about calling SSA 4-6 weeks before filing, getting exact benefit calculations, and following up proactively really seems to be the key to a smooth transition. It's also reassuring to hear that so many families have seen substantial monthly increases ($350-500+) that have made meaningful differences in their loved ones' independence. I'm especially grateful for the practical tips about documentation, having a financial buffer during the transition, and the reassurance that asking questions won't jeopardize existing benefits. This kind of peer-to-peer knowledge sharing is exactly what families need when navigating these complex systems. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their detailed experiences - both the successes and the temporary challenges. Your willingness to help others in similar situations is truly appreciated!

As someone who has been through a very similar situation with my disabled adult son, I wanted to share our experience to hopefully ease some of your concerns. My son was receiving DAC benefits on my record when my husband decided to file at 70 with significantly higher lifetime earnings. The process went more smoothly than I anticipated after reading some of the horror stories online. Here's what worked for us: I called SSA about 5 weeks before my husband filed to get exact benefit projections for both records. The representative was incredibly helpful and confirmed that my son's benefit would increase from $1,095 to $1,465 monthly - a $370 difference that has made such a meaningful impact on his quality of life. When my husband actually filed, we made sure he explicitly mentioned our son as a disabled adult child dependent, even though they said the system would catch it automatically. The switch processed within 4 weeks, and while there was a brief 8-day delay in payment timing, they included all the back pay in the next payment. My advice: don't let fear of "rocking the boat" prevent you from getting the information you need. The SSA representatives were very clear that inquiring about potential switches doesn't affect existing benefits. Your brother's DAC status is protected, and he's entitled to the higher benefit amount. The proactive approach really does make all the difference - call ahead, get those exact numbers, and keep detailed records of every interaction. Your brother is fortunate to have you looking out for his best interests!