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.