The WHOLE SYSTEM is designed to pay you LESS than you deserve!!! I've been fighting with them for 2 YEARS about my benefit calculation and they keep giving me the runaround. They're HOPING you won't notice or follow up so they can keep underpaying you. DOCUMENT EVERYTHING and keep calling until they fix it!!!

Just want to add another perspective - I'm a retired federal employee who dealt with this same issue. The timing can vary slightly depending on how your employer submits their W-2 data to SSA. Large employers typically submit electronically earlier in the year, while smaller companies might take longer. If you're really concerned about the timeline, you can also check your online Social Security account (my.ssa.gov) periodically to see when your 2024 earnings appear in your record. Once they show up there, the benefit recalculation usually happens within 30-60 days. Also worth noting - if your 2024 earnings are significantly higher than your previous years, the increase in your monthly benefit could be quite substantial since it's calculated over your lifetime. Good luck!

Mine was late too but just showed up. I bet they're doing some kind of verification process. Last time this happened to me (about 2 years ago), I called and they said something about random verification checks on direct deposits. Just government bureaucracy doing its thing, I guess. Glad yours finally arrived!

I'm new to Social Security benefits and this thread is making me nervous about what to expect! I just started receiving my first payments last month on the 2nd Wednesday schedule. Should I be worried that this kind of delay might happen regularly? Is there any way to get notified in advance when SSA is doing system upgrades or processing delays? I'd rather know ahead of time than have a panic attack when my rent money doesn't show up on schedule like you all experienced.

Thanks everyone for the responses. I'm going to try to get through to an agent to check on my application status. It sounds like the wait time is normal but I want to make sure they don't need any additional documents from me. I'll update when I know more!

I went through this exact same situation last year! Filed in September at my FRA, didn't get my first payment until December 20th (3rd Wednesday). The "in process" status is totally normal - mine showed that for about 6 weeks with zero updates. One tip: if you do call SSA, ask them to confirm your direct deposit information is correct in their system. My neighbor had his application approved but his first payment was delayed because they had an old bank account number on file. Also, keep checking your MySocialSecurity account - sometimes the status updates overnight without any notification. The waiting is the worst part, but it sounds like you're right on track for a December payment!

To summarize for the original poster: Since you just reached FRA last month and want benefits ASAP, select the current month as your benefit start date. Just be prepared that it might take 2-3 months for your application to be processed and payments to begin. Once they do start, you'll receive any back payments owed to you. And since you're already at FRA, there are no penalties or reductions regardless of when you start.

One additional tip that might help - when you submit your application online, make sure to print or save a copy of your receipt/confirmation number. If there are any delays or issues with processing, having that reference number will make it much easier when you need to follow up with SSA. Also, you can check your application status online at ssa.gov using your my Social Security account. Good luck with your application!

Just to give you an expectation on payment amounts: if your partner was receiving $2,500 per month in SSDI, your daughter would be eligible for approximately $1,875 monthly (75% of his benefit). The good news is that once approved, they will pay all months due from the date of death forward as a lump sum, then continue with monthly payments. I also wanted to clarify something important - while you mentioned you were already receiving dependent benefits for your daughter while her father was alive, the survivor benefit amount is usually higher than the dependent benefit amount. So there's typically an increase in the monthly payment after the conversion to survivor benefits is complete.

I'm so sorry for your loss and the stress you're going through with this process. As someone who recently navigated the SSA system after a family death, I wanted to share a few things that might help: First, don't lose hope - your daughter absolutely qualifies for survivor benefits since she was already receiving dependent benefits on her father's record. The conversion should be straightforward once they process it. A few suggestions that worked for me: - Document every interaction you have with SSA (dates, times, who you spoke with, what was discussed) - If you haven't already, ask specifically for a "case manager" to be assigned to your daughter's claim - Consider contacting your local congressman's office for help - they have caseworkers who can sometimes get SSA to respond faster on stalled cases The waiting is absolutely brutal, especially when you're struggling financially. But based on what others have shared here, it sounds like once it goes through, you'll get all the back pay which should help with the bills that have piled up. Hang in there - you're doing everything right and advocating well for your daughter. The system is just painfully slow right now.