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.

Thank you so much, Nia! Your experience with PSERS and the 4-year gap between starting your pension and claiming Social Security is really insightful. I hadn't considered the advantage of having that actual payment history to report rather than estimates. That's a great strategy that seems to have worked well for you. Your point about substitute teaching potentially counting toward Social Security is fascinating - I definitely need to look into that! I did some substitute work early in my career and just assumed it was all under STRS, but you're right that the district might have handled substitutes differently for Social Security purposes. That could potentially give me additional years of substantial earnings and reduce my WEP penalty. It's so encouraging to hear that you're receiving 70% of your original SS estimate even with WEP. Combined with all the other real-world examples shared in this thread (ranging from 60-70% of original estimates), it's clear that while WEP is frustrating, it's definitely not devastating and still provides meaningful additional retirement income. Your advice about getting everything in writing from both systems before making final decisions is excellent. This entire discussion has really shown me the importance of thorough preparation and documentation. Thank you for adding your experience to this incredibly helpful conversation!

I'm a recently retired teacher from Texas (TRS) who went through this exact situation last year, and I wanted to share some specific insights that might help you navigate the process more smoothly. With your 12 years of Social Security coverage, you're actually in a relatively good position compared to many educators - I had only 8 years of SS-covered work and still received about 55% of my original estimate after WEP. One thing I learned that wasn't immediately obvious is that STRS Ohio likely has their own pre-retirement counseling services that can walk you through both your pension calculation AND how it coordinates with Social Security. When I called TRS, they actually had specialists who understood WEP and could give me realistic projections before I ever contacted SSA. This saved me a lot of anxiety because I went into my Social Security appointment with realistic expectations rather than being surprised by the reduction. Also, since you're so close to 66, I'd recommend calling STRS this week to start your pension application process - even if you don't want payments to begin immediately, getting the paperwork started now will give you the exact monthly amount you'll need when you apply for Social Security. Having that precise number makes the WEP calculation much cleaner and helps avoid any recalculations later. With your strong STRS pension of $4,300 monthly plus whatever you receive from Social Security after WEP, you'll have a solid retirement income foundation.

One more thing to consider - regardless of the earnings test, there's no financial advantage to waiting past your FRA unless you want to earn delayed retirement credits (8% per year until age 70). Since you're retiring anyway, if you're at FRA, you might as well start benefits in May because: 1. You'll get an extra month of benefits compared to starting in June 2. The earnings test won't impact you once you reach FRA 3. There's no advantage to waiting unless you're specifically trying to maximize your benefit by waiting until 70 You can apply up to 4 months before you want benefits to begin, so you could actually submit your application now and specify May as your start month.

Here's what the SSA website says exactly about the earnings test in the year you reach FRA: "In the year you reach full retirement age, we deduct $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above a different limit, but we only count earnings before the month you reach your full retirement age." So just to be 100% clear - they only count earnings BEFORE the month you reach FRA. If you reach FRA in May, they only count January through April earnings. May earnings don't count AT ALL, even if your birthday is May 31st. This is one of the few Social Security rules that actually works in our favor!