Applied for SS retirement in December - no correspondence after 7 weeks - normal wait time?

This is pretty typical right now. SSA is backed up with applications. When I applied last year, it took almost 10 weeks to get anything beyond the initial confirmation. As long as your mySocialSecurity account shows it as 'processing,' your application is in their system. The good news is that even if the processing takes time, they'll still pay you starting from your requested benefit month (March 2025).

mine took like 3 months! don't worry yet

Did you submit your application online or did you mail it? That could make a big difference in processing time. Either way, the SSA is RIDICULOUSLY slow with everything these days! They're probably just backlogged as usual, but definitely keep checking your mySocialSecurity account every week or so. Sometimes they'll update the status there before sending anything in the mail.

I know it's frustrating to wait with no updates, but this is unfortunately very normal right now. SSA has been dealing with staffing shortages and increased application volume. If you're concerned, you might want to try reaching them by phone again. I've had success using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent without the long wait times. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. It really helped me when I was trying to check on my disability application status last month - got through to a representative in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours.

The current processing time for retirement applications is approximately 6-8 weeks, though it can vary by location and complexity of your work history. Since you're about 7 weeks in, you're still within the normal processing window. It's unusual that you haven't received ANY correspondence though. Typically, you should have received an acknowledgment letter within 2 weeks of application submission. A few questions that might help troubleshoot: 1. Have you verified your mailing address is correct in your mySocialSecurity account? 2. Did you receive the initial email confirmation when you first submitted? 3. Were there any special circumstances in your application (foreign work, government pension, etc.)?

I waited 9 weeks and then got 3 different letters all on the same day!! The SSA is just overwhelmed. As long as you got that initial confirmation, you should be fine. And remember that even if your application processing takes longer, they'll still pay you for March onward as long as that's what you requested. I was so nervous too but it all worked out!

While waiting periods can vary, it's actually good practice to follow up if you haven't received any correspondence after the initial confirmation. The official SSA guideline is that you should receive some form of acknowledgment letter within 3-4 weeks of application submission. One thing to check: did you opt for electronic communication in your mySocialSecurity settings? If so, check your spam/junk folders - sometimes SSA notifications get filtered there. Also, not all correspondence appears in the mySocialSecurity portal. If you're approaching the 8-week mark with no updates, I'd recommend: 1. Trying to reach SSA by phone first thing in the morning (7:00-7:30am EST when they open) 2. Contacting your local SSA office directly 3. Setting up an in-person appointment if options 1 and 2 don't work It's better to be proactive than to discover there was an issue with your application that could delay your benefits.

Anyone else notice how the SSA seems to work SLOWER every year despite supposedly having better technology? When my mom applied for Social Security 15 years ago, she had everything processed in like 3 weeks. Now they're taking MONTHS to do the same thing. It's ridiculous!!! And good luck trying to talk to anyone on the phone.

UPDATE: I've been checking with SSA colleagues, and there was actually a systems issue affecting some online applications submitted in mid-December 2024. Some notification letters were generated but not properly queued for mailing. This might explain why you received the initial confirmation but nothing after. The good news is that affected applications are still being processed normally even though the correspondence system had issues. They've fixed the technical problem, but it means some applicants may suddenly receive multiple letters at once as the backlog clears. If your benefit start date is March 2025, you should definitely receive determination letters by late February at the latest. If not, that would be the appropriate time to escalate your inquiry.

I just checked with my neighbor who also applied recently (November 2024) and she just got her first official letter last week. So about 10 weeks for her. She said they're processing everything but just very slow with the paperwork and notifications. As others have said, you'll still get paid starting from your requested month even if the processing takes longer.