I'm a new member here and just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm in almost the exact same situation - filed for SS retirement in early January, still waiting for approval while Medicare Part B bills keep arriving. I was really anxious about what to do, but after reading through everyone's experiences, it's clear that paying the Medicare premiums is the safe approach. It's particularly reassuring to hear from so many people who went through this recently and got their automatic reimbursements once their SS benefits started. The consensus seems to be that while the waiting is frustrating, the system does work correctly in the end. I also appreciate the practical tips people shared - like setting up automatic payments through medicare.gov and keeping records of all payments just in case. And knowing that part-time work can slow down the verification process helps explain why some of our applications are taking longer than expected. Thanks to everyone for sharing your real experiences - it makes navigating this bureaucratic maze so much less stressful when you know others have successfully made it through!

I'm going through something very similar right now! Filed for my SS retirement benefits in late January 2025, and I'm still stuck in processing while Medicare Part B bills keep showing up in my mailbox. Reading through all these experiences has been so reassuring - I was really worried I was doing something wrong or that my application had gotten lost in the system somehow. The advice here is crystal clear: pay those Medicare premiums to protect your coverage! I've been hesitating because I didn't want to pay unnecessarily, but hearing from so many people who got automatic reimbursements once their SS kicked in convinced me. It sounds like the system actually works pretty well once everything gets coordinated. I'm also dealing with the part-time work verification issue that seems to be slowing down a lot of applications lately. I had some contract work last year that I reported honestly, but now I'm wondering if that's what's causing my delay. At least I know from reading here that this is totally normal and not a sign that anything's wrong with my application. Thanks to everyone for sharing your real-world experiences - this community is invaluable for navigating all this government bureaucracy! I'm going to pay my Medicare bill today and set up automatic payments so I don't have to stress about it anymore.

Lucas, I'm really glad to see how much support and excellent advice you've received here! As someone who works with seniors navigating government benefits, I wanted to add one more crucial tip that might help with your specific situation. Since you mentioned your vision impairment is progressive and preventing you from working, you should definitely ask about applying for SSDI (Social Security Disability Insurance) concurrently with your retirement benefits. At age 67, you might be able to receive both if your disability onset was before your full retirement age. The key is having medical documentation showing when your vision loss became severe enough to prevent substantial gainful activity. Also, here's something many people don't know: if you're receiving SSDI, you automatically qualify for Medicare after 24 months, regardless of age. Given your vision problems, having Medicare coverage could be incredibly valuable for ongoing eye care and adaptive equipment. For your phone call, I'd suggest creating a simple checklist with large checkboxes that someone can help you mark off as you cover each topic: identity verification, retirement benefits, disability application, Medicare eligibility, backdated benefits, etc. One final practical tip: SSA phone representatives often speak quickly and use a lot of jargon. Don't hesitate to ask them to slow down, spell things out, or repeat information. They're required to accommodate communication needs related to your disability. You've done such thorough preparation - I'm confident this application will go much better than your experience at 62. Best of luck with your call!

Lucas, I wanted to share something that really helped me when I was preparing for my SSA call last year. Since you mentioned having vision problems, I'd recommend asking a friend or family member to help you organize all your documents into clearly labeled folders or envelopes before your call. Having everything sorted by category (like "Address History," "Employment Records," "Medical Documents," etc.) made it so much easier to find what I needed quickly during the conversation. Also, one thing that caught me off guard was that they asked about my spouse's information even though I was applying for my own benefits. If you're married or have been married, make sure you have your spouse's Social Security number, full name, and birth date handy too. I see you've gotten amazing advice from everyone here about the compassionate allowances program and having an authorized representative on the call - definitely take advantage of both of those options! The SSA representatives I spoke with were actually much more patient and helpful when I explained my situation upfront and asked for accommodations. One last tip: if you start feeling overwhelmed during the call, it's completely okay to ask for a brief break or to schedule a follow-up call to complete the application. Don't feel pressured to rush through everything in one conversation if you need more time. You're going to do great - the preparation you're doing based on all this wonderful community advice is exactly what will make the difference this time around!

I work for a tax preparation service and see this situation frequently with self-employed clients. Your brother-in-law definitely needs to prioritize filing those returns immediately, but here's something important that hasn't been mentioned yet - he should make sure the accountant files Form 8919 if he received any 1099s where contractors didn't pay the employer portion of Social Security taxes. This could significantly impact his benefit calculation. Also, once he files, he can request a "Request for Reconsideration of Social Security Earnings Record" (Form SSA-561) if any self-employment income is missing from his record. The good news is that SSA typically processes these corrections fairly quickly once the tax returns are in their system. The Medicare penalties are unfortunate but unavoidable at this point - just make sure he enrolls during the next General Enrollment Period to stop the bleeding!

As someone who just went through the Medicare enrollment process myself, I wanted to add that your brother-in-law should also look into whether he qualifies for any Medicare Savings Programs or Extra Help with prescription drug costs once he gets enrolled. Given that he's been out of the regular tax filing system, his actual income situation might qualify him for assistance programs that could help offset some of those penalty costs. The state Medicaid office can help determine eligibility for these programs. Also, when he does enroll in Medicare, make sure he considers a Medicare Supplement plan right away - he'll have guaranteed issue rights for the first 6 months after enrolling in Part B, regardless of any health conditions. After that window closes, he could be denied coverage or charged higher premiums based on his health. It's a lot to navigate but there are resources available to help!

I thought the earnings limit was $1,800 not $1,850? Did they raise it or something?

One thing to add that might help others reading this - if you're in your first year of retirement like Ashley, you can also use the "annual earnings test" instead of the monthly test if it's more favorable. SSA will apply whichever test results in higher benefits for you. So if your total earnings for the remainder of 2025 (Nov-Dec) are under the prorated annual limit, they might use that instead. But since you earned $2,200 in just November, the monthly test is probably what they'll use. Just wanted to mention this option exists since the SSA reps don't always explain all the alternatives!

I just want to echo what others have said about being proactive - it really makes all the difference! I went through a similar situation last year where I took on some freelance work while receiving SS benefits. One thing that helped me tremendously was setting up automatic calendar reminders to check my earnings totals at the end of each month. It only takes 5 minutes but keeps you from any nasty surprises down the road. Also, if you do end up using that Claimyr service that Miguel mentioned, I can confirm it works well. Used it myself when I couldn't get through on the regular SSA phone lines. Sometimes it's worth the small fee to actually talk to someone who can answer your specific questions rather than trying to navigate their website or sitting on hold forever. Your plan sounds very well thought out. The fact that you're planning this carefully and asking the right questions upfront tells me you'll handle whatever comes up just fine. Good luck with the new position!

I went through something similar a few years ago and wanted to share a few additional tips that might help: 1. Keep copies of all your pay stubs and any correspondence with SSA - I ended up needing these when there was a discrepancy in their records vs. what I actually earned. 2. If you're working for your old company, they might be willing to help you track your earnings to stay under the limit. When I was in a similar situation, my former employer's HR department was actually very accommodating about scheduling my hours to help me avoid going over. 3. One thing that caught me off guard was that bonuses, overtime, and even some benefits count toward the earnings limit - not just your regular hourly wage. Make sure you factor in everything when calculating your totals. 4. Consider setting your personal "safety limit" at maybe 90% of the official limit to give yourself some cushion for unexpected earnings or calculation errors. The earnings test can seem intimidating at first, but you're clearly approaching this thoughtfully. With all the great advice in this thread and your proactive planning, you should be able to navigate this successfully. Best of luck with your return to work!