How to change Social Security start date from January back to FRA in November? Withdraw vs. amend application?

You have 12 months from when benefits start to withdraw an application. Since your husband just started receiving benefits, you're well within that window. However, you don't need to withdraw the entire application just to change the start date. The better option is definitely #2 - call and request to amend the start date. This is considered a simple administrative adjustment. Your husband will need to be on the call since it's his record, but it can typically be handled without a formal appointment. One important note - if his FRA was in mid-November, benefits would start for December (paid in January). Social Security pays the month after eligibility. So you'd be requesting a start date of December 2024 (not November).

my sister did this exact thing last year!! she changed her mind after getting her first check. she just called the 800 number and they fixed it over the phone. took about 3 weeks to get the adjustment and they sent her a small backpay for the difference. way easier than she thought it would be!

I strongly recommend WITHDRAWING the application entirely and refiling. The amendment process is EXTREMELY inconsistent and I've seen multiple cases where the backpay calculations were wrong. Withdrawal is cleaner and you don't risk them messing up the math. Yes, it might take longer, but you're talking about potentially thousands of dollars difference over your husband's lifetime. Worth doing it the right way. The local offices are TERRIBLE at processing amendments correctly. Just my experience after dealing with SSA for 20+ years.

when i did this they told me i had to come in person with id and stuff and sign papers but that was back in 2022 so maybe its different now? took forever to get the appointment tho, like 3 months cause our office is always packed

If you're having trouble getting through to SSA by phone (which is super common these days), I've had good results using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They basically hold your place in line and call you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of hold time when I needed to adjust my wife's benefits start date earlier this year. They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU For your actual question - we definitely did NOT need to withdraw the application. The agent was able to change the start date over the phone in about 15 minutes. The adjustment showed up in my wife's online account after about 2 weeks, and the payment difference came the following month.

I tried to change my benefir date and they said I couldnt do it because it was too late. But mine was alredy 6 months so maybe thats why. Did u already get a payment? If you did maybe u have to pay it back first.

Here's the technical explanation of what you need to do: 1. This is a simple benefit month of election (BMOE) change, not a full withdrawal and reapplication. The official term helps when speaking with SSA. 2. For someone whose FRA falls mid-month (like your husband in November), entitlement for full benefits begins the following month (December). So you're requesting a BMOE change from January 2025 to December 2024. 3. Call the national number (800-772-1213) and specifically request a "month of election change." Have your husband prepared to verify his identity. 4. The retroactive adjustment will be calculated as: December's full FRA amount, minus any January benefit already received. 5. You'll receive a new award letter showing the adjusted start date and payment amount within 2-3 weeks. Any retroactive payment typically comes with the following month's regular payment. This is a routine administrative adjustment that does not require a formal appointment or withdrawal of application.

Just wanted to ask - are you guys SURE the difference is worth all this hassle? How much more would he actually get each month? Sometimes its only like $20-30 difference.

Wow, $175/month is definitely worth pursuing! That's over $2,000 per year. I went through something similar with my mom's benefits last year. We were able to get her start date moved back by two months with just a phone call - no appointment needed. One thing I'd suggest is calling early in the morning (like right when they open at 7am) or late in the afternoon. The wait times are usually shorter then. Also, if the first person you talk to says it can't be done over the phone, politely ask to speak with a supervisor. Sometimes the front-line agents aren't as familiar with these adjustment procedures. The whole process took about 3 weeks for us, and she got a nice retroactive payment that made up the difference. Good luck!

I work at a local SSA field office and can confirm that what most people are saying here is correct. For a simple month adjustment like yours (January to December), you definitely don't need to withdraw and reapply - that's overkill and creates unnecessary paperwork. The technical term is "protective writing date" adjustment, and it's handled routinely over the phone. Since your husband's FRA was mid-November, his full benefit entitlement would begin December 2024 (we always start benefits the month after FRA when FRA falls mid-month). A few practical tips from the inside: - Call the national 800 number rather than your local office - they handle these adjustments faster - Have your husband's Social Security number and some basic info ready (birthdate, mother's maiden name, etc.) - If you get an agent who seems unsure, ask for a "Benefit Authorizer" - they're specifically trained for these situations The system will automatically calculate the difference between his reduced January amount and his full December amount. Processing time is typically 10-14 business days, and any retroactive payment comes with the next regular monthly payment. $175/month difference is absolutely worth the phone call!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a very similar situation with my father - his FRA was in October 2024 but we filed for January 2025 benefits. After reading through everyone's experiences, I'm feeling much more confident about calling SSA to request the month adjustment. Just wanted to add one more data point: I called the 800 number last week for a different question and the wait time was about 45 minutes around 2pm. So the earlier morning suggestion definitely sounds worth trying! @Isabella Ferreira - thank you so much for the insider tips about asking for a "Benefit Authorizer" and using the term "protective writing date adjustment." Having worked in customer service myself, I know how much the right terminology can help get things done efficiently. For anyone else in this situation, I'm planning to call Monday morning and will update this thread with how it goes. Fingers crossed it's as straightforward as everyone is saying!

I'm in a similar situation but wondering about one detail - if someone's FRA is early in the month (like November 3rd) versus late in the month (like November 28th), does that affect when benefits can actually start? I've seen conflicting information about whether SSA uses the exact FRA date or just the FRA month for determining eligibility. Also, for those who have successfully made this change, did you notice any impact on your Medicare premiums or other deductions? I'm trying to understand if changing the benefit start date affects anything else beyond just the monthly payment amount. The $175/month difference mentioned earlier really puts this in perspective - that's definitely worth a phone call!