wait ur blind? how r u typing all this?? just curious

Have you received any update on this situation? Were you able to reach someone at SSA to explain the payment?

I'm new here but wanted to share my recent experience since it mirrors yours so closely! I just turned 65 in November and was absolutely terrified about the same thing - whether my widow benefits would automatically change or get converted to something else. I'm happy to report that nothing whatsoever changed with my Social Security payments! They continued exactly as they were before my birthday, just like everyone here has confirmed. The only thing I had to deal with was Medicare enrollment, which honestly ended up being much simpler than I'd built it up to be in my mind. What really gave me peace of mind was calling SSA about two months before my birthday (I did use that Claimyr service that's been mentioned - it really does work for getting through quickly) and having them walk me through exactly what to expect. Since you mentioned your husband worked in finance while you had years out of the workforce, your situation sounds very similar to mine - my late husband was in engineering while I had significant career gaps for childcare. The SSA representative confirmed that staying on his record was definitely the better financial choice for me long-term. Don't let the worry consume you like it did me - your widow benefits will absolutely continue unchanged at 65, and you maintain complete control over if and when to make any benefit switches in the future. You're asking all the right questions!

I'm new to this community but wanted to add my experience as someone who just went through this exact situation! I turned 65 three months ago and had the same fears about my widow benefits automatically changing. I'm happy to confirm what everyone here has said - absolutely nothing changed with my Social Security payments at 65! They continued exactly as before. The only thing I had to handle was Medicare enrollment, which turned out to be much more straightforward than I expected. What really helped me was using that my Social Security online account tool that several people mentioned to compare my potential retirement benefits vs my current widow benefits. Since my late husband had a strong career in accounting while I had years out of the workforce raising our children, staying on his record was clearly the better choice financially. I also called SSA about 8 weeks before my birthday using that Claimyr service (it really does work!) and the representative was very helpful in explaining that I have complete control over any future benefit decisions. Don't let the anxiety overwhelm you - your widow benefits will continue unchanged and you have plenty of time to make informed decisions on your own timeline!

As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to add my voice to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm turning 67 in October 2025 and was really stressing about the Social Security application process - I kept finding conflicting information online and wasn't sure what to believe. Seeing so many community members consistently confirm that you only need to specify the month (not the day) has been such a relief. I was definitely overthinking that part! The practical advice that keeps coming up - apply 3-4 months early, create your my Social Security account first to verify all information, use the online application - gives me such a clear action plan to follow. I also learned so much about payment timing from this discussion that I never would have found elsewhere, like how benefits are paid for the previous month and the Wednesday payment schedule based on birth date. It's amazing how much real-world knowledge this community shares. Thank you everyone for making what seemed like an overwhelming bureaucratic process feel much more manageable. I feel so much more confident about starting my application process now!

As a newcomer to this community, I wanted to jump in and say how incredibly valuable this entire discussion has been! I'm approaching my FRA later this year and was getting really anxious about the Social Security application process - there's so much conflicting information out there that it's hard to know what's accurate. Reading through everyone's real experiences has been such a relief, especially seeing the consistent confirmation that you only need to specify the month, not a specific day. I was definitely overcomplicating that aspect! The practical roadmap that's emerged from all the shared advice is so clear: create the my Social Security account first to verify all information, gather necessary documents, then apply online 3-4 months before your target start date. I had no idea about the payment timing details either - that benefits are paid for the previous month and follow the Wednesday schedule based on your birth date. This kind of firsthand knowledge from people who've actually navigated this process recently is exactly what I needed to feel confident about moving forward. Thank you all for creating such a supportive environment where newcomers can learn from your experiences - it's made what seemed like an overwhelming bureaucratic maze feel much more manageable!

As a newcomer to this community, I'm incredibly grateful for this comprehensive and reassuring discussion! I'm 67 and have been collecting Social Security for about 8 months while working part-time at a local hardware store. Reading through all these responses has completely put my mind at ease - I was actually convinced I'd need to fill out some kind of "retirement cessation form" when I eventually stop working, but everyone's real-world experiences make it clear that's not necessary once you're past FRA. The practical tips shared here are gold, especially about checking your earnings record after your final tax filing and considering a W-4V adjustment when your income drops. I hadn't even thought about how IRMAA might affect my Medicare premiums down the road with that two-year delay! It's wonderful to find a community where people share actual experiences rather than just policy jargon. That SSA publication reference is definitely going on my reading list. Thank you all for making this transition feel so much more manageable!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly informative and helpful discussion! I'm 65 and planning to start collecting Social Security at my FRA while continuing to work part-time as a dental hygienist. This thread has been such a relief to read - I was actually worried there might be complicated forms or official notifications required when I eventually stop working completely, but all the real-world experiences shared here make it clear that SSA doesn't need to be notified once you're past FRA. The practical advice throughout this discussion is invaluable, especially the tips about checking your earnings record after filing your final tax return and potentially adjusting your W-4V for Social Security withholding when your income changes. I hadn't considered the IRMAA implications for Medicare premiums with that two-year lag either - that's definitely going into my planning notes! It's wonderful to find a community where people share genuine experiences and actionable insights rather than just policy summaries. The reference to the SSA publication "What You Need to Know When You Get Retirement Benefits" is going straight to my reading list. Thank you to everyone who has contributed their knowledge and made this such a comprehensive resource for those of us preparing for this important transition!

I'm going through the exact same situation! I delayed 8 months past my FRA and started collecting benefits in October 2024. My MySocialSecurity account is still showing my original benefit amount with no delayed retirement credits applied yet. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief - I was honestly starting to panic that I'd made some mistake in my application or that there was an issue with my delayed retirement credit calculation. It's incredible to see how many of us are experiencing the identical situation right now! The consistency of everyone's experiences really confirms that SSA's January processing routinely extends well into February or even March before online accounts get updated. Based on all the helpful advice shared here, I'm definitely going to wait until mid-February before reaching out to SSA. With 8 months of delay, I should be expecting about a 5.33% increase in my monthly benefit when it finally processes. It's clearly worth being patient to let their system work through everything properly rather than potentially creating confusion with premature phone calls. Thanks to everyone who has shared their experiences and timelines - this community has been invaluable for understanding that these processing delays are completely normal rather than cause for immediate concern. I'll try to update this thread when my credits finally show up to help others with timing expectations!

I'm experiencing this exact same situation! I delayed 6 months past my FRA and started collecting benefits in December 2024. My MySocialSecurity account still shows my original benefit amount with no sign of delayed retirement credits being processed yet. This entire thread has been incredibly reassuring - I was starting to get really anxious that I'd made some error in my application or that something had gone wrong with my delayed retirement credit calculation. It's so comforting to see that literally dozens of us are going through nearly identical experiences right now! The overwhelming consistency of everyone's stories really confirms that SSA's January processing routinely extends well into February or even March before online accounts reflect the changes. Reading about people who went through similar delays last year and had everything work out correctly gives me confidence that we just need to be patient. I'm definitely going to follow the collective advice here and wait until mid-February before getting concerned or trying to contact SSA. With 6 months of delay like the original poster, I should also be expecting about a 4% increase in my monthly benefit when it finally processes. 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'll make sure to update this thread when my delayed retirement credits finally appear in case it helps others who are wondering about timing.