Can my husband withdraw Social Security benefits after FRA if already collecting reduced retirement for 11 months?

Yes, he absolutely can withdraw his application as long as it's within 12 months of when he FIRST started receiving benefits. The fact that he's already past his FRA doesn't matter - the 12-month clock started ticking when he received his first payment. He'll need to submit Form SSA-521 (Request for Withdrawal of Application) and be prepared to repay ALL benefits received so far, including any Medicare premiums deducted or tax withholding. This is actually one of the few do-overs the SSA allows!

my sister tried 2 do this and the SSA office told her NO way because she was past FRA. had to talk to 3 different ppl before someone knew the actual rules. keep trying if they say no at first

I WENT THROUGH THIS EXACT THING LAST YEAR! The 12-month rule is from first payment, NOT tied to your FRA. But let me tell you, the local office had NO CLUE about this rule. They kept telling me I couldn't do it because I was past my FRA. I had to print out their own policy from their website and bring it in! The supervisor finally had to get involved. Such a frustrating process but worth it in the end because my new benefit amount is MUCH higher. Just be prepared to FIGHT for it.

The above advice is correct. SSA's rules clearly state that a request for withdrawal can be submitted within 12 months of initial entitlement, regardless of whether you've reached FRA during that period. This is under 20 CFR § 404.640. However, there are three important considerations in your husband's case: 1. The withdrawal must be requested within 12 months of the first month he was entitled to benefits (not the application date, but when benefits started) 2. He must repay ALL benefits received, including any benefits family members received on his record 3. After withdrawal, he can immediately reapply for retirement benefits at his current age (FRA+3 months), which would give him a higher monthly benefit than his reduced amount I'd recommend completing Form SSA-521 as soon as possible if you're approaching that 12-month deadline.

Wait im confused... if ur husband is already AT his FRA why would he want to withdraw now? Doesnt he get full benefits at FRA? Why go thru all the trouble

I had such a nightmare trying to reach someone at Social Security to discuss this exact situation last year! Ended up calling for weeks and getting disconnected every time. Finally tried Claimyr (claimyr.com) after seeing it recommended here. They got me connected to an actual SSA agent in under 10 minutes! You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed that withdrawal is allowed within 12 months regardless of FRA status, but warned me that not all reps understand this rule correctly. Having that direct conversation with a knowledgeable rep made all the difference in getting my withdrawal processed correctly.

My dad tried to do this and regretted it. The tax implications were a mess. Had to amend previous year's tax returns because the repayment crossed calendar years. Plus they took forever to process everything and he ended up with gaps in payments. Just be prepared for headaches...

Update: We submitted the SSA-521 form yesterday! Thank you everyone for your advice. The rep we spoke with initially tried to tell us we couldn't withdraw after FRA, but we politely asked to speak with a technical expert and showed them the regulation numbers that were mentioned here. The technical expert confirmed we're within our rights to withdraw within the 12-month window regardless of FRA status. Now we're just waiting for the repayment letter so we know exactly how much to send back. I'll update again once everything is processed!

Good job being persistent! That's exactly the right approach - politely escalate when you know the rules. Please do update us on how it goes. Make sure to keep copies of EVERYTHING, including certified mail receipts if you mail the payment.