Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs) missing from SS retirement benefit - only got 2023 credits not 2024
I'm so confused about my Delayed Retirement Credits calculation! My Full Retirement Age was in December 2022, but I waited until September 2024 to start collecting my Social Security retirement benefits (first payment came in October). When I got my benefit amount, I noticed it included the DRCs through 2023, but nothing for the 9 months I waited in 2024. I was under the impression that the additional DRCs for 2024 would show up in my February 2025 payment. However, when I logged into my MySocialSecurity account, there's no mention of these additional credits coming. The February payment amount showing online is exactly 3.1% higher than my 2024 amount, which is just the COLA increase with no additional DRCs. Shouldn't I have received some kind of notice about the remaining DRCs? Will they just magically appear in my February payment? Has anyone else experienced this delay with their Delayed Retirement Credits?
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
DRCs work differently than most people think. SSA applies DRCs earned through December of the prior year when you first file. Then any additional DRCs earned in your filing year get added in the following January payment (which you receive in February). So in your case, you should see the extra credits for Jan-Aug 2024 in your February 2025 payment. The online account doesn't usually show this pending adjustment until it actually happens. If your February payment doesn't include the additional DRCs, then you should contact SSA.
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NebulaNinja
•Thank you for explaining! So if I'm understanding correctly, I should wait until my February payment arrives before worrying? It's just frustrating that there's no indication of this pending adjustment anywhere in my account. I was expecting to see at least some kind of notice.
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Dylan Mitchell
the same exact thing happened 2 me when i filed!!! waited til 68 to file but only got partial DRCs at first. the rest showed up in my february check but nothing told me that would happen. ss online accts never show future changes they just happen
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NebulaNinja
•That's reassuring to hear you eventually got yours! Did your February payment amount suddenly change online right before you received it, or did the higher amount just show up in your bank account with no warning?
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Dylan Mitchell
•just showed up higher! was a nice surprise lol. the online acct updated after i got paid
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Sofia Morales
SSA's handling of Delayed Retirement Credits is TERRIBLE and inconsistent! When I filed after waiting until 70, they completely forgot some of my DRCs. Had to fight for 8 months to get them added correctly. The system is broken and they don't care about making people wait for money they've EARNED by delaying benefits. Just another way they make the process frustrating and keep money from seniors for as long as possible! I would call them NOW and document everything.
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NebulaNinja
•Oh no, that sounds awful! Did you have to visit an office in person to get it resolved? I'm getting worried now that I might need to be more proactive about this.
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Sofia Morales
•YES! Phone calls did NOTHING. They transferred me around for weeks until I finally went to my local office and even then it took 3 visits and bringing printouts of the DRC rules from their own website!!! The right hand doesn't know what the left is doing at SSA.
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Dmitry Popov
I've been trying to reach SSA about a similar issue with my DRCs for weeks with no luck. Every time I call the 800 number, I'm on hold for hours only to get disconnected. I tried using Claimyr.com to help me get through to an agent faster and it worked amazingly well. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Saved me hours of frustration and I finally got answers about my missing credits. The agent confirmed that DRCs earned in the year you file get applied in the following January.
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Ava Garcia
•does that claimyr thing really work? ive been trying to get through to ss about my disability review for like 2 weeks
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Dmitry Popov
•Yes, it actually worked for me after I'd wasted days trying to get through on my own. They got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes when I had been waiting hours before. Definitely worth it for something as important as disability reviews.
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StarSailor}
Something everyone is missing here - the 2.5% increase you're seeing is most likely just the 2025 COLA (Cost of Living Adjustment), not related to your DRCs at all. For DRCs, you earn 2/3 of 1% for each month you delay beyond FRA (8% per year). So for 9 months in 2024, you should get an additional 6% increase on top of your base benefit. This should appear in your February payment as others have mentioned, but the online account won't show this in advance.
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NebulaNinja
•Yes, that's exactly what I meant - the only increase showing is the 3.1% COLA for 2025, not my additional DRCs. So I should be getting both the COLA and the additional DRCs for 2024 in my February payment? That would be a nice bump!
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StarSailor}
•Correct. Your February payment should include both the 3.1% COLA and your additional DRCs for the 9 months in 2024 (approximately 6% more). If you don't see both increases in your February payment, then you should contact SSA immediately.
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Ava Garcia
i think u people r mixng up SSI and regular retirement. SSI dosnt hav delayed credits it's diffrent program with asset limits and stuff. My mom gets SSI and they never gave her any extra for waiting.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
•You're confusing the programs. The original poster is talking about Social Security retirement benefits (sometimes called OASDI or Title II benefits), not Supplemental Security Income (SSI). SSI is a needs-based program that doesn't have delayed retirement credits. Regular Social Security retirement benefits do increase if you delay taking them past your full retirement age.
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Miguel Silva
have u checked ur my social security account message center??? sometimes they send notices there about benefit changes but dont mail anything. i found out about my benefit increase that way last year.
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NebulaNinja
•I did check there - nothing about the DRCs at all! Just the regular COLA notice for 2025. That's part of what has me worried.
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Fatima Al-Suwaidi
Just to clarify for everyone: DRCs are only earned for months AFTER your Full Retirement Age up to age 70. If your FRA was December 2022 and you filed in September 2024, you earned 21 months of DRCs (8% per year or 2/3% per month). The DRCs earned in 2023 (12 months = 8%) were included in your initial benefit calculation. The remaining 9 months from 2024 (approximately 6% more) will be added to your February 2025 payment. This is standard SSA procedure, not a mistake or oversight.
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NebulaNinja
•Thank you for spelling it out so clearly! I feel much better now knowing this is normal procedure. I'll wait until February and check my payment then before taking any action.
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Gabriel Freeman
This is exactly what happened to me when I filed for benefits last year! I was so worried when I didn't see the full DRC amount right away. The key thing to remember is that SSA processes DRCs in two parts - they include credits earned through December of the previous year when you first start receiving benefits, then add any remaining credits from your filing year in the following January payment. Since you filed in September 2024, you should definitely see those additional 9 months of DRCs (about 6% increase) in your February payment along with the COLA. The online account is notoriously bad at showing pending adjustments, so don't panic if you don't see it there ahead of time. I'd recommend waiting until you receive your February payment before contacting SSA, but if the increase doesn't show up then, definitely call them with your benefit calculation in hand.
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Connor Gallagher
•This is really helpful to hear from someone who went through the exact same situation! It's reassuring that you eventually got your full DRCs. I think I was just panicking because the online account doesn't show any indication that there's a pending adjustment coming. I'll definitely wait until my February payment arrives before calling SSA. Thanks for sharing your experience - it makes me feel a lot less anxious about the whole thing!
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Ava Martinez
I went through this exact same situation when I filed last year! The waiting and uncertainty is nerve-wracking, but what everyone is telling you is absolutely correct. SSA has a two-step process for DRCs - they calculate your initial benefit using credits earned through December of the prior year, then add any remaining credits from your filing year in the following January payment (which you receive in February). Your online account won't show this pending adjustment ahead of time, which is frustrating but normal. Since you delayed from January 2024 through September 2024 (9 months), you should see roughly a 6% increase on top of the 3.1% COLA in your February payment. If that doesn't happen, then it's time to contact SSA with your documentation. But based on my experience and what others here have shared, you should see that money in February!
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