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if its at the payment center already they probably caught the mistake themselves. thats what that dept does - checks applications for errors. thats probably why its in review. i wouldnt worry too much
UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at SSA! I took the advice about using Claimyr, and it worked perfectly - got a callback with an agent on the line within 20 minutes. The agent confirmed they had already flagged the Medicare eligibility issue for correction (someone at the payment center caught it). She added notes to my file with the correct information and said my application should be processed within the next 7-10 business days. She also confirmed my benefit amount with the GPO reduction will be $892/month, and I'll receive back payments for the two months since my FRA. Thank you all for your help and suggestions! Such a relief to have this resolved.
btw dont forget about taxes!!!! when my wife took SS and was still working we got hit with a big tax bill that april, almost 30% of her SS was taxed!
Can I just say how frustrating it is that we have to make these complicated financial decisions? The whole system is designed to confuse seniors imho
Update: We called SSA again today and got some clarification. The representative said our request is still in the queue but estimated it would be about 6-8 weeks total. He also confirmed they'll withhold taxes at the rate my wife specified on her original application (which was 12%). Still concerned about the potential IRMAA impact, but we'll deal with that when the time comes. Thanks everyone for your helpful responses!
Dylan Cooper
i had to deal with this last yr too and went in circles for months!! they kept asking for more proof and more proof until i finally gave up and just didn't claim until this year. The system is broken!
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Giovanni Colombo
•Did you try visiting your local SSA office in person? Sometimes that's more effective than phone calls, especially for complicated situations.
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Sofia Ramirez
One more important thing - when your benefits are withheld due to earnings, they're not lost forever! Once you reach FRA, SSA will recalculate and give you credit for those months, resulting in a permanent increase to your monthly benefit amount going forward. So even if you can't get the exception for non-work months, any withheld benefits do eventually come back to you in the form of higher payments later.
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Liam Sullivan
•Exactly right. This is the Adjustment to the Reduction Factor (ARF). For every month benefits are completely withheld due to excess earnings, SSA adjusts your reduction factor when you reach FRA. It doesn't make up for the full amount withheld, but it does increase your monthly benefit permanently.
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