As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by how supportive and detailed everyone has been in sharing their experiences! I have my auxiliary benefits phone appointment scheduled for next Tuesday and was feeling pretty nervous about it, but this thread has been like finding a goldmine of practical advice. I've already started creating my "cheat sheet" with all my kids' information (ages 7 and 14) organized exactly like several of you suggested - names, DOBs, SSNs, schools, grade levels, plus I'm adding sections for previous addresses and my SSDI award letter details. Reading about all the potential questions they might ask has me feeling so much more prepared than I would have been going in blind. The consistent 4-6 week timeline from interview to first payment that everyone has shared really helps set realistic expectations. And hearing how patient and thorough the representatives are makes me feel much less worried about taking time to find information during the call. I'm definitely planning to go the in-person route for document submission based on everyone's positive experiences - it sounds so much more reliable than mailing and getting those receipts right away seems really valuable. Thank you all for creating such a comprehensive guide through your shared experiences. I'm hoping to update this thread after my appointment to add to the collective knowledge for future newcomers who might be just as nervous as I was when I first found this discussion!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to share my recent experience to help others who might be going through this process! I just completed my auxiliary benefits phone appointment last week for my two kids (ages 9 and 13) and it went much smoother than expected. Reading through this thread beforehand was incredibly helpful - I created a detailed cheat sheet with all my kids' information, had my SSDI award letter ready, and prepared answers for all the questions mentioned here. The interview took about 35 minutes and the representative was very patient and professional. One thing I'd add that I haven't seen mentioned - they asked about any 529 college savings accounts I have for the kids. It wasn't disqualifying, just for their records, but it caught me slightly off guard even with all my preparation! The representative walked me through the representative payee responsibilities and explained that benefits would be deposited to the same account as my SSDI unless I requested otherwise. I'm planning to go to my local SSA office this week to submit documents in person based on everyone's recommendations. This community has been such a lifesaver for navigating this process - thank you to everyone who shared their experiences so generously. I'll update once I receive my first payment to add to the timeline data for future newcomers!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Fatima. Reading through this entire discussion has been incredibly educational - I had no idea about the RIB-LIM rule or how complex widow's benefits can be when the deceased spouse was on disability. The community here has provided such comprehensive advice, and your decision to wait until FRA really does seem like the smart financial choice given that significant monthly difference. I wanted to add something that might be helpful: when you do have your SSA appointment, consider asking them to provide you with a "benefit estimate letter" or written summary that shows the exact calculations they used. This can serve as important documentation if you need to reference it later or if there are any discrepancies down the road. Also, if you're comfortable doing so, you might want to record the conversation (with their permission) or at least take very detailed notes about which specific rules and calculations they reference. One more thought - since you have over two years until your FRA, you might want to schedule a preliminary appointment now just to get all your questions answered and ensure your records are accurate, then schedule the actual application appointment closer to your FRA date. This way you can address any potential issues early rather than discovering problems when you're ready to start receiving benefits. Your willingness to share this experience and come back with updates will be so valuable for others facing similar situations. Wishing you all the best as you navigate this process!

I'm so sorry for your loss, Fatima. Reading through this entire discussion has been incredibly enlightening - I had no idea how complex widow's benefits could be, especially with the RIB-LIM rule when the deceased spouse was on disability. This community has really come together to provide you with such comprehensive guidance! Your decision to wait until FRA is clearly the right financial choice based on all the calculations shared here. That $429 monthly difference is substantial over a lifetime. I'm also impressed by all the practical strategies everyone has suggested - from asking for Claims Specialists to bringing documentation and even having preliminary appointments to verify everything is correct. As someone who may face similar decisions in the future, I'm grateful you're willing to share your experience and provide updates on how the process goes. The real-world feedback about things like the Claimyr service and which approaches work best with SSA representatives will be invaluable for others navigating these complex rules. It's concerning but not surprising that so many people have encountered calculation errors and conflicting information from different SSA reps. The advice about getting multiple opinions, asking for step-by-step explanations of calculations, and requesting written documentation seems crucial for protecting yourself. Wishing you strength as you work through this process, and thank you for creating such an educational discussion that will help many others in similar situations!

I'm new to this community and just turned 62, so I'm facing this exact same decision about starting SS benefits while working part-time! This entire thread has been absolutely incredible - thank you all for sharing your real experiences rather than trying to decode the confusing official SSA publications. Reading through everyone's responses has finally made this clear for me: SSA withholds $1 from your Social Security benefits (not your paycheck) for every $2 you earn over the annual limit of around $22,800 for 2025, based on gross earnings calculated annually. Sofia, your original confusion about whether they "take $1 for every $2" was exactly what I was struggling with too! The biggest game-changer for me was learning about the benefit recalculation at Full Retirement Age from StarGazer101. I had absolutely no idea that withheld benefits could actually result in higher monthly payments later! This completely transforms the decision from "losing money" to more of a "temporary deferral with future benefits." Has anyone here actually experienced this recalculation personally yet? I'm definitely implementing the practical strategies I've learned here: 1) Using the 80% buffer zone approach that many mentioned to avoid surprises, 2) Setting up a tracking spreadsheet with quarterly alerts like GalacticGuru suggested, 3) Calling SSA proactively before starting benefits to set up proper withholding like Oliver recommended, and 4) Keeping detailed records throughout the year. The monthly earnings test for your first year that Emma explained is fascinating too - I never realized that timing when you start benefits could make such a difference. This community has given me so much confidence about navigating what seemed like an impossibly complex situation. Thank you everyone for the real-world wisdom!

I'm new to this community and just turned 64, facing this exact situation! This thread has been incredibly helpful - thank you everyone for sharing real experiences instead of confusing official language. Like many others here, I was initially confused about whether they take money from your paycheck or withhold from benefits. Reading through all your responses has made it crystal clear: SSA withholds $1 from your Social Security benefits for every $2 you earn over the annual limit (around $22,800 for 2025), based on gross earnings calculated annually. The revelation about benefit recalculation at Full Retirement Age from StarGazer101 has been huge for me too! Knowing that withheld benefits can actually increase your future monthly payments completely changes this from "losing money" to "temporary deferral." This one piece of information has made me much more confident about early retirement planning. I'm planning to implement the practical strategies I've learned here: 1) Use the 80% buffer zone approach to avoid surprises with seasonal work or unexpected overtime, 2) Set up a tracking spreadsheet with alerts like GalacticGuru suggested, 3) Call SSA proactively before starting benefits to set up proper withholding, and 4) Keep detailed records throughout the year. The monthly earnings test for the first year that Emma explained is fascinating - I had no idea timing when you start benefits could make such a difference! Planning to start my benefits mid-year, so this could really help with my part-time consulting work. One question I haven't seen addressed: Does consulting income (1099 work) get treated the same as regular W-2 wages for the earnings test calculation? I do some freelance bookkeeping and want to make sure I'm calculating everything correctly. This community has given me so much more confidence about what seemed like an impossibly complex situation!

Welcome to the community! As someone who just navigated this exact same situation last year, I can tell you that you're overthinking the date selection - and that's totally normal! The Social Security system is designed to handle these birthday timing questions automatically. When you select June as your benefit start month, the system will begin your entitlement on June 1st regardless of your actual birthday being on the 17th. You'll receive the full monthly benefit amount even though you only reach FRA partway through the month. One thing I wish I had known beforehand is that your first payment will arrive in July (for June benefits) and will be deposited on the third Wednesday of the month since your birthday falls between the 11th-20th. The online application process itself took me about an hour to complete, but make sure you have all your documents ready - birth certificate, recent tax returns, and banking information for direct deposit. I'd recommend applying soon since you want June benefits and it can take several weeks to process. Don't stress about the phone system - the online application is much more efficient and you can save your progress if needed. Congratulations on reaching this milestone!

Welcome to the community! I just want to echo what everyone else has said - you're definitely overthinking the date selection, but that's completely understandable since this is such an important decision! The key thing to remember is that Social Security operates on a monthly basis, so whether you put June 17th or June 1st, your benefits will start for the entire month of June. Since you'll reach your FRA on June 17th, you can confidently select June as your benefit start month and receive your full monthly benefit amount. Your first payment will arrive in July (covering June benefits) and will be deposited on the third Wednesday since your birthday falls on the 17th. I'd definitely recommend starting your application soon since processing can take several weeks. The online system is much more reliable than trying to get through on the phone. Make sure you have your documents ready - Social Security card, birth certificate, recent tax returns, and bank information for direct deposit. Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! You're asking all the right questions and clearly being thorough about this important step.

I'm new to this community but found myself in a very similar situation and wanted to share what I learned from my recent experience. I'm 63 and just went through a $32,000 age discrimination settlement while collecting early Social Security benefits. The key advice everyone has given about getting proper categorization in your settlement agreement is absolutely critical. I was able to work with my attorney to allocate 80% to "emotional distress, dignitary harm, and pain and suffering" and only 20% to "lost wages and economic losses." This kept me well under the annual earnings limit since only that 20% counted toward the $21,240 threshold. The 7 AM calling strategy for SSA really works - I got through in about 18 minutes and the representative was very helpful. She confirmed that the specific language in your settlement agreement is what they rely on for determining how different portions are treated. She even provided some sample language that would be clear for their processing. One tip I haven't seen mentioned yet - consider asking your attorney about including language that explicitly states the settlement is "not compensation for services rendered" for the non-wage portions. My lawyer suggested this and said it provides additional clarity for both tax and Social Security purposes. Don't rush into signing anything without getting this structured properly. Your attorney should be willing to work with you on this since it's a legitimate concern that affects the real value of the settlement. In my case, explaining the Social Security implications actually helped strengthen our negotiating position because it showed we were being thorough about all aspects of the agreement. Good luck with your negotiations - take the time to get this right upfront rather than dealing with complications later!

I'm new to this community but currently dealing with a very similar situation and wanted to share some additional considerations I've discovered. I'm 63 and facing a $27,000 workplace discrimination settlement offer while on early Social Security benefits. After reading through all these incredibly helpful responses, I've learned so much about the importance of proper settlement categorization. The consistent advice about the 7 AM calling strategy for SSA and getting explicit language in the settlement agreement has been invaluable. One thing I wanted to add that I discovered through my research - if your settlement includes any component for attorney fees, that portion typically doesn't count toward the Social Security earnings test either. So if you can negotiate to have attorney fees listed separately in the settlement agreement rather than deducted from a lump sum, it might help reduce the "wages" portion even further. Also, I found out that some settlement agreements include language about "future medical expenses" related to stress or health impacts from the discrimination. If that applies to your situation, that portion would also typically not count as earnings for Social Security purposes. The real-world examples everyone has shared (ranging from 70/30 to 85/15 splits between emotional damages and lost wages) have given me a great framework for approaching my attorney. It's clear that proper documentation upfront is absolutely critical - much easier than dealing with overpayment issues later. Thank you to everyone who has shared their experiences so openly. This community is proving to be an incredible resource for navigating these complex intersections between legal settlements and Social Security benefits!