I'm experiencing this exact same situation! I delayed 9 months past my FRA and started collecting benefits in December 2024. My MySocialSecurity account is still showing my original benefit amount with no indication that my delayed retirement credits are being processed yet. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - I was starting to get really worried that I'd made some mistake in my application or that there was an issue with my delayed retirement credit calculation. It's so helpful to see that literally dozens of us are going through the identical experience right now! The consistency of everyone's stories really confirms that SSA's January processing routinely extends well into February or even March before online accounts get updated. I'm definitely going to follow the collective advice here and wait until mid-February before contacting SSA. With 9 months of delay, I should be expecting about a 6% increase in my monthly benefit when it finally processes. It's definitely worth being patient and letting their system work through everything properly rather than potentially creating confusion with early phone calls. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and creating such a supportive community around this stressful waiting period - it makes such a difference knowing we're all navigating this together!

I'm experiencing this exact same situation! I delayed 14 months past my FRA and started collecting benefits in November 2024. My MySocialSecurity account is still showing my original benefit amount with absolutely no indication that my delayed retirement credits are being processed yet. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - I was honestly starting to panic that something had gone wrong with my application or that I'd somehow missed qualifying for the delayed credits. It's amazing to see how many people are sharing nearly identical experiences right now! The overwhelming consistency of everyone's stories really drives home that SSA's January processing routinely extends well into February or even March before online accounts reflect the changes. Based on all the helpful advice shared here, I'm definitely going to wait until mid-February before getting concerned or trying to contact them. With 14 months of delay, I should be expecting about a 9.33% increase in my monthly benefit when it finally processes - that's a significant amount that I really don't want to miss out on! It's clearly worth being patient to let their system work through everything properly rather than potentially creating confusion with premature phone calls. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences and timelines - this community support has been invaluable for managing my anxiety and understanding that these processing delays are completely normal rather than cause for immediate concern. It's incredible how this thread has brought together so many of us all navigating the same stressful waiting period!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really grateful for this incredibly detailed and educational discussion about SSA scam calls. What strikes me most is how sophisticated this particular scammer was - using legitimate application details and positioning their suggestion as helpful advice rather than typical scare tactics makes this so much more dangerous than obvious fraud attempts. The red flags everyone identified here are invaluable for people like me who are new to navigating Social Security: no identity verification upfront, unusual callback number format, and most importantly, unsolicited advice about benefit timing that could actually cost money. I had no idea that legitimate SSA representatives don't make recommendations about when to start benefits - I would have assumed that was part of their role! The explanation about delayed retirement credits really drove home how harmful the caller's "helpful" suggestion actually was. Moving from March back to November would mean forfeiting those additional benefits - exactly the opposite of what someone legitimately trying to help would suggest. This thread has taught me to always verify through the official SSA number (1-800-772-1213) no matter how credible a caller sounds. Thank you to everyone who contributed such thorough explanations about why each warning sign matters - it's exactly the kind of community protection and education that newcomers like me need to stay safe from these increasingly clever fraud attempts!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really grateful for this incredibly thorough and educational thread about recognizing sophisticated SSA scam attempts. What stands out to me most is how this scammer moved beyond the typical "your benefits are suspended" fear tactics to use a much more insidious approach - having legitimate application details and framing their suggestion as helpful advice makes this type of fraud so much more dangerous. The red flags everyone identified are invaluable for people like me who are new to Social Security: no upfront identity verification, unusual callback number format, and especially the unsolicited advice about benefit timing that would actually cost money in delayed retirement credits. I had no idea that legitimate SSA representatives don't make recommendations about when to start benefits - I assumed that guidance would be part of their role! The explanation about how changing from March back to November would forfeit those additional benefits really shows how harmful this "helpful" advice actually was. It's particularly concerning that scammers are now targeting these complex financial decisions where many applicants might not fully understand the implications. This thread has reinforced for me the absolute importance of always verifying through the official SSA number (1-800-772-1213) regardless of how credible or helpful a caller sounds. Thank you to @Natasha Kuznetsova for sharing your experience and following through with proper verification, and to all the experienced members who provided such detailed explanations. This kind of community knowledge-sharing is exactly what newcomers like me need to navigate Social Security safely and protect ourselves from these increasingly clever fraud attempts!

I'm 60 and will be dealing with this exact situation in a few years, so this thread has been absolutely invaluable for my planning! My ex and I were married for 14 years, and like many others here, he consistently out-earned me. What I'm finding most helpful is everyone's emphasis on getting the actual calculations rather than trying to estimate. I've been using the online SSA calculator for my own benefits, but I hadn't realized I'd need to specifically request the ex-spouse benefit calculation - that's such an important detail that could easily be missed! The long-term perspective people have shared really puts things in context too. When you think about a decision affecting 25-30 years of income, spending time now to understand all the options seems like such a worthwhile investment. The COLA compounding effect someone mentioned is particularly eye-opening - even small differences in base amounts could become substantial over decades. I'm definitely planning to start my research process early based on everyone's advice here. The Claimyr service sounds promising for avoiding the phone hold issues, and visiting a local SSA office seems like a good backup option. Thanks to everyone for creating such a supportive and informative discussion. This community has given me a clear roadmap for approaching this complex decision when my time comes. I'll definitely update with my own experience once I go through the process!

I'm 56 and already starting to research this topic after reading through this amazing thread! My marriage lasted 16 years and I'll likely be in a similar situation in a few years. What really stands out to me from everyone's experiences is how much the timing of when you start researching matters. It seems like getting familiar with the rules and options early gives you so much more control over the decision rather than feeling rushed when you hit 62. I'm particularly interested in the spreadsheet approach someone mentioned - creating a visual comparison of lifetime benefits under different scenarios. As someone who learns better with numbers laid out clearly, that sounds like exactly what I'd need to feel confident in my decision. One question I have based on everything I've read: for those who got their calculations from SSA, did they factor in potential future earnings if you're still working? I'm planning to work until at least 62, possibly longer, so I'm wondering if those additional years of earnings could meaningfully change either my own benefit calculation or make the ex-spouse benefit less attractive. Thanks to everyone who has made this such an educational discussion. I'm definitely going to bookmark this thread and start my own research process soon. It's so reassuring to know there's a community of people willing to share their real experiences with these complex decisions!

One thing I learned the hard way is to keep really good records of your earnings throughout the year! I track my monthly wages and keep a running total so I know exactly where I stand relative to the $23,400 limit. SSA gets your wage info from employers eventually, but there can be delays, and if you accidentally go over the limit without realizing it, you could face an overpayment situation later. I use a simple spreadsheet to track my gross pay each month - makes it much easier when I need to report to SSA or if they have questions. Also remember that if you do go over the limit, they don't just look at the overage amount - the withholding calculation is based on your total excess earnings for the year, so even going over by a small amount can result in benefit reductions.

This is such valuable information - thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! I'm in a similar situation where I'm planning to start SS benefits soon but want to keep working part-time. One thing I'm still unclear on: if you do accidentally go over the earnings limit, how quickly does SSA notify you? And is there any grace period or way to avoid the withholding if you realize you're going over and immediately reduce your work hours? I'm worried about the unpredictability of my work schedule making it hard to stay exactly under the limit.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for this detailed discussion! I've been researching Social Security options for my own family and had no idea about the complexity around earnings limits or how much confusion exists - even among SSA representatives. What really stands out is how that initial misinformation about "switching" between annual and monthly tests could have led to serious planning errors. The clarity everyone has provided here - that starting benefits on January 1st means ONLY the annual earnings test applies for that entire year - is exactly the kind of definitive guidance that's so hard to find elsewhere. The practical advice shared here is invaluable: using spreadsheets to track earnings, timing seasonal work strategically, requesting technical experts instead of regular phone reps, and getting everything documented in writing. These real-world strategies go way beyond what you'd find in official publications. I'm particularly impressed by the specific resources mentioned - Publication No. 05-10069, the POMS reference numbers, and the my Social Security account for written responses. Having these tools will definitely help avoid the confusion that Lucas initially experienced. For anyone else reading this thread later, it's clear that careful research and multiple information sources are essential when navigating Social Security benefits. This community's collective knowledge has turned what could have been a costly misunderstanding into a comprehensive planning guide. Thank you all for sharing your expertise!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly impressed by how thorough and helpful this entire discussion has been! Reading through everyone's experiences has really opened my eyes to the complexities of Social Security earnings limits and how much misinformation can circulate - even from official SSA representatives. The key point that's now crystal clear is that when your wife starts benefits on January 1, 2026, ONLY the annual earnings test will apply for that entire year. There's absolutely no "switching" to monthly limits as that first rep incorrectly suggested. The monthly test is exclusively for people who retire mid-year during their first year of benefits. What I find most valuable are all the practical strategies shared here: tracking earnings with spreadsheets, timing seasonal work strategically around when work is actually performed (not just when paid), requesting technical experts when calling SSA, and getting everything documented in writing. These real-world tips could prevent costly planning mistakes. The specific resources mentioned - Publication No. 05-10069, those POMS reference numbers (RS 02501.001 and RS 02501.020), the technical expert line, and using the my Social Security account for written responses - create a comprehensive toolkit for getting accurate information. For your wife's seasonal work situation earning $6K-7.5K monthly for 4 months, she'll want to track her annual total carefully against that limit (likely around $25,000 for 2026). The timing flexibility discussed here could be really valuable for managing her earnings strategically. Thanks to everyone who shared their expertise - this community knowledge is invaluable for navigating these complex government programs successfully!