I'm new to this community but going through a similar situation with my late spouse's benefits. The conflicting information from SSA reps is so frustrating - I've experienced this too where one rep tells you one thing and another says something completely different! From what I've learned through my own research and the excellent advice shared here, you're definitely dealing with survivor benefit rules, not regular retirement benefit rules. Since your survivor FRA is December 2025, the higher earnings limit should apply for all of 2025. One thing that helped me was calling the SSA national number (1-800-772-1213) and specifically asking to speak with someone about "survivor benefits" - not just "Social Security benefits." I found this got me connected to reps who were more familiar with these specific rules. Also, I kept detailed notes of every conversation including the rep's name and what they told me, which helped when I had follow-up questions. The documentation others have shared here (especially the POMS sections and SSA publications) will be invaluable for your appointment. Print them out and bring them with you! Don't let them brush off your questions - you deserve clear, consistent answers about something this important to your financial planning. Hang in there - it sounds like you're getting great guidance from this community to get through the process successfully.

I'm new to this community and dealing with a similar survivor benefit situation, so I wanted to share what I've learned from reading through all these helpful responses. The consistency in the advice here is reassuring compared to the conflicting information from SSA reps! It's clear that your survivor FRA (December 2025) is what determines your earnings limit, not your regular retirement FRA. The higher limit of around $62,000 applies for the entire 2025 calendar year, which is a huge relief for those of us who need to keep working. What I found particularly valuable from this thread is the specific documentation to bring: SSA Publication No. 05-10069 and POMS section GN 02602.020. Having these official references should help prevent getting another rep who doesn't understand the survivor benefit rules. I'm also planning to follow the advice about calling specifically for "survivor benefits" and asking for a specialist when I schedule my appointment. The tip about calling right when they open at 9am to minimize wait times is gold! Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge. It's unfortunate that we have to become experts on our own benefits because of inconsistent information from SSA, but this community makes the process much less overwhelming.

This has been such an incredibly comprehensive and helpful discussion! As someone who's completely new to the SSDI world, I'm amazed by the depth of practical knowledge shared here. I wanted to add one resource that might be helpful for others just starting this journey: many state disability determination services have their own websites with specific information about their processes and timelines. I discovered that my state's DDS site had detailed explanations of what happens at each stage of review, which helped me understand why certain requests (like the medical records gathering) happen when they do. Also, for anyone dealing with multiple chronic conditions like your daughter-in-law, I learned that it's important to explain how the conditions interact with each other to create limitations beyond what each individual condition might cause alone. For example, if someone has both physical pain and cognitive issues, the combination might make it impossible to maintain focus at work even when the pain is manageable on a particular day. The collaborative spirit in this thread and the willingness of experienced members to share both their successes and setbacks is exactly what newcomers need. It's clear that while the SSDI process is complex and often frustrating, having the right information and staying organized can make a significant difference in the outcome. Thank you to everyone who contributed their experiences - this thread should definitely be bookmarked as a resource for anyone navigating the SSDI application process!

This thread has been absolutely incredible to read through! As someone who's been considering applying for SSDI but felt completely overwhelmed by the process, seeing this real-time example of how things actually work has been so educational. The fact that your daughter-in-law was able to get through to SSA and receive an extension shows that they can be reasonable when you communicate proactively. I've been putting off my application partly because I was intimidated by stories of impossible deadlines and unresponsive bureaucracy, but this gives me hope that the process is manageable with the right approach. A few key takeaways I'm noting from everyone's experiences: 1. **Start organizing medical records NOW** - even before filing. That comprehensive provider list going back 5 years seems essential. 2. **The medical records request is actually good news** - I had no idea this meant SSA was actively working on the case rather than just letting it sit. 3. **Communication is key** - calling when you need clarification or extensions, keeping detailed logs, being proactive with follow-up. 4. **Consider the whole picture** - not just individual conditions but how they interact and affect daily functioning. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and expertise. This thread is going to help so many people feel more confident about navigating what can seem like an impossible system. Wishing your daughter-in-law the best outcome with her case!

This whole thread has been incredibly reassuring! I'm also a newcomer here and currently stuck in Step 2 for my retirement application (applied in November for March 2025 start). Reading everyone's experiences really helps normalize what feels like a very stressful waiting period. It's amazing how consistent the pattern is - long wait in Step 2, then sudden approval with no communication from SSA. Olivia, congratulations on finally getting approved! Your timeline matches almost exactly what I'm going through. I think I'll follow the advice here and wait another few weeks before trying to contact them. This community is such a valuable resource for understanding these government processes that seem designed to keep us in the dark. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

Hi everyone! I'm new to this community and currently going through the exact same situation. I filed my retirement application in December for a March 2025 start date and it's been stuck in Step 2 for about 12 weeks now. Reading through all of your experiences has been such a huge relief - I was starting to think something was seriously wrong with my application! It's incredible how consistent everyone's timeline seems to be with that long Step 2 wait followed by sudden approval. Olivia, congratulations on getting approved! Your timeline gives me a lot of hope since we have very similar filing dates. I think I'll take everyone's advice and try to be patient for another few weeks before attempting to contact SSA. This thread has been more informative than anything I could find on the official SSA website. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and creating such a supportive space for navigating these stressful government processes!

I'm currently going through this exact same situation! Filed for survivor benefits in March after my father passed away, got approved two weeks ago, and was told my backpay would be direct deposited in "3-5 business days maximum." It's now been 9 days and still nothing showing up in my account. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no idea that 2-3 week delays were so common despite the consistent timelines SSA reps give us. I was starting to worry that something went wrong with my banking setup or that there was an issue with my application. Just logged into my MySocialSecurity account after seeing that tip mentioned so many times here, and my payment shows as "processed" which gives me some peace of mind that it's at least working its way through the Treasury system. It's really frustrating when you have rent and medical bills waiting, and the money feels stuck somewhere in bureaucratic limbo. What's striking is how every person here seems to have gotten that exact same "3-5 business days" estimate from different SSA representatives, when clearly the actual processing time is much longer. When you're already dealing with grief and have urgent expenses, those unrealistic expectations just add unnecessary stress. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences - reading through all these stories makes me feel so much less alone in this process. It's reassuring to know that virtually everyone eventually received their payments, even with the delays. I'll wait another week before calling, but knowing this level of delay is completely normal for survivor benefit backpay gives me hope mine will arrive soon too!

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! Applied for survivor benefits in February after my mom passed, got approved last week, and was told my backpay would arrive in "3-5 business days" via direct deposit. It's been 6 days now and nothing in my account yet. This entire thread has been such a lifesaver - I had no idea these 1-3 week delays were so normal despite what every SSA rep tells us. I was getting really anxious thinking something went wrong with my application or banking info. Just checked my MySocialSecurity account after seeing that tip mentioned so many times here, and sure enough my payment shows as "issued" even though it hasn't hit my bank yet. At least that confirms it's moving through the Treasury system somewhere. It's honestly pretty frustrating that they consistently give those same unrealistic 3-5 day estimates when the reality is clearly much longer. When you're already dealing with grief and have bills piling up, those false expectations really add unnecessary stress to an already overwhelming time. But reading everyone's experiences here gives me so much confidence that my payment will show up soon - just need to be more patient than I initially expected. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories, it really helps knowing you're not alone in navigating these bureaucratic delays while trying to heal from such a significant loss!

I went through this exact situation and wanted to share my experience. I claimed at 62 and continued working part-time earning around $35,000 annually. The earnings test did withhold some of my benefits each year - roughly 3-4 months worth. When I reached my FRA at 66 and 8 months, SSA automatically recalculated my benefit and increased my monthly payment by about $280. However, looking back at the total dollars received over the entire period, I probably would have been better off just waiting until FRA to claim, especially since I was consistently earning above the limit. The one advantage was having some Social Security income during those early retirement years, which gave me peace of mind and flexibility with my other retirement accounts. But purely from a financial standpoint, the math favored waiting. My advice: run the numbers carefully using SSA's retirement estimator tool with your specific earnings projections. And if you do decide to claim early while working, keep good records of your earnings and withheld benefits so you can verify the adjustment is calculated correctly at FRA.

This is such valuable information - thank you all for sharing your experiences! As someone new to navigating Social Security, I had no idea about the earnings test adjustment at FRA. One question that came up for me reading through this thread: does the timing of when you earn the income during the year matter? For example, if someone earns $30,000 but most of it comes in the first half of the year versus spread evenly throughout the year, does that affect how many months of benefits get withheld? Also, I noticed several people mentioned calling SSA directly. For those who successfully got through, what time of day or day of the week seemed to work best? I'm trying to get some answers about my own situation but like Lena mentioned, the wait times have been brutal lately. The retirement estimator tool recommendation is gold - I'm definitely going to try that out. It sounds like the key is really running your own specific numbers rather than trying to apply general rules.