As someone who just went through this process myself, I wanted to add that when you contact SSA about missing earnings, be prepared for it to take some time. In my case, it took about 6 weeks for them to review my documentation and update my record. They had to verify the information with my former employer. Also, since you mentioned planning to retire next year, keep in mind that if you're born in 1960, your full retirement age is 67, not the 66 and 10 months mentioned above. The FRA gradually increases based on birth year. You can find your exact FRA on the SSA website or in your online account. One more tip: if you do decide to claim early at 62, the reduction is permanent - it doesn't go back to the full amount when you reach FRA. So make sure you're comfortable with that lower monthly payment for the rest of your life before making that decision.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works in retirement planning - this whole thread is a perfect example of why it's so important to understand all the moving pieces with Social Security! I see this confusion all the time with clients. The survivor benefits piece that everyone identified is huge - when someone loses a spouse, they can often end up with a higher total monthly income from Social Security than they had when both spouses were alive, especially if the deceased spouse had higher earnings. One thing I'd add to the great advice already given: when you're reviewing your earnings record, pay special attention to years where you might have had multiple jobs or changed employers mid-year. Those transitions sometimes create gaps in reporting. Also, if you ever worked for tips (restaurant, salon, etc.), make sure those tip amounts were properly reported - I've seen cases where the base wage was recorded but not the tips. Since you're planning to retire next year, this is also a good time to think about Medicare enrollment timing if you're not already covered through an employer plan. The Social Security and Medicare timelines don't always align perfectly, so it's worth planning both together.

I'm new to this community but have been reading through this entire thread with fascination and relief. Like several others have mentioned, I'm approaching retirement age myself and had no idea that verification holds like this were so common. What really stands out to me is how this thread evolved from initial panic to collective problem-solving, with so many experienced members sharing practical solutions. The timing tips for calling SSA (ranging from 7:02 AM to 7:20 AM), the distinction between verification holds versus actual denials, and the detailed documentation strategies are incredibly valuable. As someone who has also worked various jobs over the decades with some employment gaps, the stories about name variations, missing employer reports, and local government employment complications really opened my eyes to how many different factors can trigger these verification reviews. The recurring theme of retroactive payments once issues are resolved is also very encouraging - it shows that persistence through the bureaucracy really does pay off in the end. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and created such a supportive, informative discussion. This is exactly the kind of community wisdom that makes navigating complex government processes feel less overwhelming!

I'm new to this community but have been following this thread closely as someone who works in retirement planning. What strikes me most is how this discussion perfectly illustrates why it's so important to understand SSA terminology - the difference between "cannot process at this time" and "denied" is crucial, yet most people (understandably) interpret both as rejection. The collective troubleshooting here has been remarkable. From the practical calling strategies (7:02-7:20 AM seems to be the sweet spot) to identifying potential issues like name variations and local government employment, this community has essentially created a comprehensive guide for resolving verification holds. For anyone reading this thread in the future facing a similar situation, the key takeaways seem to be: 1) Don't panic - verification holds are common and fixable, 2) Gather all employment documentation you can find, organized by year, 3) Call SSA early morning for best chance of reaching an agent, and 4) Be persistent - the retroactive payments make the hassle worthwhile. This is exactly the kind of peer support that makes navigating government bureaucracy manageable. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise!

I'm new to this community and just started receiving Social Security benefits two weeks ago! This entire thread has been so incredibly helpful - I was completely lost trying to figure out the W-4V submission process from the SSA website. Reading everyone's recent experiences with the drop box approach has given me so much confidence. It's amazing how consistent the positive experiences have been - multiple people getting in and out in 10-15 minutes with date-stamped receipts. I'm definitely going to call my local office in Phoenix directly tomorrow morning to ask about their drop box policy for tax withholding forms. The fact that you bypass that horrible 1-800 number completely is such a relief! Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their real-world experiences. This is exactly the kind of current, practical information that newcomers like me desperately need to navigate the system without all the stress and confusion.

I'm new to this community and also just started receiving Social Security benefits about a month ago! Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly reassuring - I was really stressed about the W-4V submission process after getting conflicting information from the SSA website. It's amazing how many people have had such positive experiences with the drop box approach recently. The consistency of the 10-15 minute turnaround times and getting date-stamped receipts really gives me confidence to try this route first. I'm planning to call my local office in Portland tomorrow morning to confirm they have a drop box for tax withholding forms. Thank you to everyone who shared their recent experiences - this real-world feedback is so much more valuable than trying to navigate the confusing official website! It's also really comforting to see so many other newcomers going through the exact same situation. Will definitely update once I get through to my local office.

Not to get off topic but make sure ur checking the tax implications to! When I retired at 63 I had SS + part time work and got surprised by how social security is taxed when u have other income. Up to 85% of benefits can be taxable if ur over certain thresholds.

Just wanted to add one more consideration that might help with your planning. Since your wife will be retiring in August, you should also think about how the timing affects her annual earnings record for Social Security benefit calculations. If she's close to her highest 35 years of earnings, working those extra months in 2025 could potentially increase her average indexed monthly earnings (AIME) and boost her benefit amount. This might offset some of the complications with the earnings test. Also, regarding the maintenance payments - if her sister is paying her as an independent contractor for property maintenance, make sure you're keeping detailed records of when the work was actually performed versus when payment is received. This documentation will be crucial if SSA questions the timing of those earnings. Have you considered having her sister put the maintenance payments on a more regular schedule starting in 2025? Even quarterly payments would be easier to track than one annual lump sum in December.

I went through a similar situation when I started receiving benefits last year. The family maximum definitely hit us harder than expected too. One thing that helped me understand it better was using the SSA's online benefit calculators, but as others mentioned, they don't always show the family max impact clearly. What I found most helpful was keeping detailed records of all our communications with SSA. When I finally got through to someone knowledgeable, they were able to walk me through each step of the calculation. The bend point formula that Dmitry explained is exactly right - your numbers sound like they're calculated correctly based on your PIA. One tip: if you do call SSA, try calling right when they open at 7 AM local time. I had much better luck getting through quickly in that first hour. Also, don't hesitate to ask the representative to transfer you to someone who specializes in family benefit calculations if the first person seems unsure about the details. The family maximum rules have been around since the 1960s, so while it feels unfair when it affects your family, it's designed to prevent total family benefits from becoming too high relative to what the worker contributed. Still doesn't make it less frustrating when you're planning your finances around those theoretical 50% amounts!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now with my family benefits! My husband's PIA is $2,650 and we're seeing similar reductions for our 10-year-old son and me. I called SSA three times and finally got someone who explained that the family maximum is calculated using those bend points others mentioned, but what really helped was asking for a written explanation of the calculation. One thing I learned is that you can also check if there were any errors in your earnings record that might have affected your PIA calculation. Sometimes correcting even small discrepancies can bump up your PIA enough to increase the family maximum threshold. It's worth requesting your full earnings history if you haven't already. Also, I discovered that some online calculators specifically designed for family benefits are more accurate than the basic SSA ones. The AARP Social Security calculator and the one from Social Security Solutions both factor in family maximums better than most others I tried. The timing issue about benefits ending when kids turn 16 vs 18/19 really caught me off guard too. We're already starting to save extra now to prepare for that gap period when I'll lose benefits but won't be old enough for my own retirement yet.