As someone who's been lurking in this community for a while but finally decided to join the conversation - wow, this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm 58 and starting to seriously plan for Social Security, and I had no idea about so many of these nuances. The original question about the 401k strategy was actually really smart thinking, even though it doesn't work for the earnings test. But reading through all the responses, especially about the benefit recalculation at FRA and the withdrawal option, has completely changed how I'm approaching my retirement timeline. I'm particularly grateful for the federal employee perspective and the self-employment details - those are specifics you don't often see explained clearly elsewhere. The practical tips about record-keeping and the monthly vs. annual earnings test options are also going to be really helpful as I get closer to decision time. This is exactly why communities like this are so valuable - real people sharing real experiences and knowledge that you just can't get from reading SSA publications alone. Thanks to everyone who contributed their insights!

This has been such an educational thread! As someone who's 65 and just went through this exact situation last year, I wanted to share my experience. I initially filed at 64 while still working and earning about $45k annually. The math was brutal - I lost nearly 14 months of benefits to the earnings test. After reading similar discussions in this community, I decided to use that withdrawal option within my first 12 months. Best decision I made! I had to repay about $8,400 in benefits I'd received, but now I'm waiting until my FRA at 66 and 8 months to restart benefits. The monthly amount will be about 27% higher than what I would have gotten at 64. For anyone on the fence about this - the withdrawal process took about 6 weeks for me. SSA was actually pretty helpful once I got through to someone (took several tries though). The key is making sure you understand the repayment amount includes any benefits that were already withheld due to the earnings test, which confused me initially. One tip: if you're considering withdrawal, don't wait too long into that 12-month window. The repayment amount obviously gets larger the longer you've been receiving benefits, and you want time to process everything before the deadline hits.

I'm new to this community but wanted to share that I went through this exact situation about 6 months ago. Like you, I was absolutely determined not to receive any benefits connected to my ex-husband after a very difficult divorce. The terminology that finally worked for me was telling them I wanted to "withdraw my deemed filing" for spousal benefits and restrict my application to only my own retirement benefits. I had to call SSA four different times before I found a representative who knew how to process this correctly. What really helped was being very specific: "I understand I may be eligible for higher benefits on my ex-spouse's record, but I am voluntarily choosing to decline those benefits and receive only my own retirement benefits." They tried to talk me out of it multiple times, but I stayed firm. Eventually they processed it exactly as I requested. Don't give up - you absolutely have the right to make this choice, even if it takes persistence to find someone who knows how to handle it properly!

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to add my voice of support - you are absolutely making the right choice for yourself and your peace of mind. I haven't personally gone through this with SSA yet, but I completely understand your desire for complete independence from your ex. After reading through all these responses, it's clear that while SSA makes this process challenging, it's definitely possible. The advice about using specific terminology like "restrict the scope of my application," "voluntary restriction of benefits," and "withdraw my deemed filing" seems invaluable. What strikes me most is how many people here truly understand that this isn't about the money - it's about your right to complete autonomy and closure. The fact that you have to fight so hard for something that should be a simple personal choice is frustrating, but don't let SSA wear you down. Your mental health and independence are worth more than any additional monthly payment. Keep all the great advice from this thread handy when you call back, and remember that persistence will pay off!

This entire discussion has been a lifesaver! I'm new to receiving Social Security retirement benefits (just started 3 months ago) and have been so confused about why my deposit timing keeps changing. My bank used to deposit 2 days early consistently, then last month it came on the exact official date, and this month I'm still waiting even though it should have arrived yesterday according to my birth date. Reading through all these experiences, I now realize this is a widespread banking issue and not something wrong with my account or the SSA system. The explanations about FedNow implementation and banks changing their ACH processing policies really clarify what's happening across the industry. I'm going to try several of the strategies mentioned here: - Call my bank's ACH department specifically instead of general customer service - Download the official SSA payment calendar from ssa.gov and add those dates to my calendar - Set up my automatic bill payments for 3-4 days AFTER the official payment date instead of trying to time everything around early deposits - Start treating any early deposits as pleasant surprises rather than something to count on It's really frustrating that banks marketed early deposits as reliable benefits and then quietly changed their policies without proper notice to customers, especially those of us on fixed incomes who need predictable timing for budgeting. But this community has provided such practical solutions for adapting to these changes. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences and advice - this kind of collective knowledge sharing is exactly what newcomers like me need to navigate these confusing system changes!

This thread has been such an educational read! I'm not yet receiving Social Security benefits but my mom started getting her retirement payments about a year ago, and she's been experiencing the same exact frustrations everyone is describing here. Her credit union used to deposit her payments 3 days early like clockwork, but over the past 6 months it's become completely random - sometimes early, sometimes not, with no explanation from the bank. After reading through all these responses, I finally understand that this is a widespread banking industry issue caused by system changes like FedNow implementation, rather than anything wrong with individual accounts or SSA processing. The practical advice shared here is invaluable - I'm going to help my mom call her credit union's ACH department specifically (instead of general customer service) to get clearer answers about their new policy. The biggest takeaway for me is helping her shift from budgeting around hoped-for early deposits to planning everything based on the official SSA payment calendar dates. We're going to set up her bill payments for a few days AFTER her official payment date (3rd Wednesday based on her birth date) so she never has to stress about timing again. It's really frustrating how banks marketed early deposits as reliable benefits and then quietly changed their policies without proper communication, especially when this affects people on fixed incomes. But this community discussion has provided such practical strategies for adapting. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - this knowledge sharing is exactly what families like ours need to navigate these confusing changes!

I'm going through something very similar right now and this entire thread has been incredibly helpful! My application has been stuck on Step 2 for about 4 weeks after filing in late November. I also have government employment history - worked for a federal agency for 8 years early in my career with FERS retirement. Based on all the insights shared here, especially from the retired SSA specialist, it sounds like my application is probably in WEP review too. I had no idea this was even a thing until reading through these comments! I'm definitely going to send a message through MySocialSecurity today mentioning my federal employment history and asking for specific status information. The advice about contacting the retirement system directly to prioritize their response to SSA is genius - I'm going to try that approach as well. It's so frustrating that there isn't better communication about these potential delays upfront, but at least now I understand what's likely happening and that there are proactive steps I can take. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - it's made me feel much less anxious about the process!

I'm currently going through this exact same situation! Filed my application in mid-October and it's been stuck on Step 2 for about 8 weeks now. Like many others here, I also have government employment history - worked for a state agency for 11 years with a pension. Reading through all these comments has been so enlightening, especially the explanation from the retired SSA specialist about WEP reviews. I had no idea that government pensions could trigger such lengthy manual verification processes! The MySocialSecurity messaging approach sounds promising - I'm going to try that today and specifically mention my state employment history. It's incredibly frustrating not having transparency about what's happening, but at least now I understand this is likely a legitimate review process rather than my application being lost or forgotten. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and advice - it's reassuring to know I'm not alone in this waiting game!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how invaluable this discussion has been! I've been collecting Social Security for about 11 months and recently started working with a financial planner who asked for my PIA. I was completely lost - I didn't even know what those letters stood for initially! After reading through all these helpful responses, I feel so much more confident about finding this information. The benefit verification letter approach through MySocialSecurity sounds like exactly what I need to try first. It's really frustrating that SSA doesn't make such crucial financial planning information more accessible, but I'm grateful to have found this supportive community where people actually help each other navigate these confusing systems. I'll definitely try downloading that verification letter this weekend and will come back to share my experience. Thank you all for taking the time to share your solutions - this thread should be required reading for anyone starting Social Security benefits!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I've been collecting Social Security for about 9 months now and my estate planning attorney recently asked for my PIA information during our consultation. Like so many others here, I was completely stumped - I had no idea what PIA stood for or where to find it after already being on benefits for almost a year. Reading through everyone's experiences and solutions has given me such confidence that I can actually figure this out myself. The benefit verification letter approach through MySocialSecurity sounds perfect, especially since I really wanted to avoid those notorious SSA phone wait times. It's honestly pretty shocking that such crucial financial planning information isn't more prominently displayed in our online accounts - you'd think they'd want to make it easier for people to access something so important for retirement and estate planning! I'm definitely going to try downloading that verification letter this weekend and will bookmark this thread for future reference. Thank you all for creating such a supportive environment where people actually help each other navigate these bureaucratic challenges. This community is exactly what people need when dealing with confusing government systems!