How to suspend Social Security benefits after FRA to earn delayed retirement credits?

You're absolutely right about the difference between suspending benefits vs. withdrawing an application - they're completely different processes! To suspend your Social Security retirement benefits after reaching your FRA: 1. No specific form is required for suspension 2. You can request suspension by calling SSA at 1-800-772-1213 3. You can also visit your local SSA office in person 4. You can mail a signed, written request to your local office The suspension will typically take effect the month after you make the request. Your Medicare premiums (if applicable) will no longer be deducted from your SS payment, so you'll need to make arrangements to pay those separately. Your benefits will automatically restart at age 70 if you don't request to restart them earlier. And yes, you'll earn those valuable delayed retirement credits of 8% per year (prorated monthly).

i did this last yr when i went back to work. just called ssa and told them to stop my checks. took like 5 minutes once i finally got thru to someone. didn't need any paperwork. my checks stopped next month. easy peasy!

Just to add some important details here: when you suspend your Social Security benefits after FRA, your benefits increase by 2/3 of 1% for each month of suspension (which equals the 8% per year you mentioned). This can be a smart financial move if you don't need the income now. You should also be aware of a few other points: 1. If you provide benefits to any auxiliaries (like a spouse or dependent child), their benefits based on your record will also be suspended when you suspend yours 2. Any Medicare premiums normally deducted from your SS will now need to be paid directly 3. The suspension takes effect the MONTH AFTER you request it To restart benefits before age 70, you simply make another request. No waiting period.

Sounds like you're making a good choice! I suspended mine last year and it was pretty simple. Just called SSA.

WAIT people, BE CAREFUL with this!!! My uncle tried to suspend his SS and ended up with a HUGE mess. They somehow TERMINATED his benefits completely instead of just suspending them and it took 4 MONTHS to fix!!! The SSA is completely incompetent and understaffed. Make sure you talk to someone who KNOWS what they're doing not just any random rep!!! And get EVERYTHING in writing!!!

My sister wanted to do this but her financial advisor told her not to bother. Said the break-even point is somewhere in your late 70s or early 80s, and if you don't live that long, you actually lose money overall. Might want to do those calculations first.

I went through this exact situation last year! Called SSA multiple times but kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in under 10 minutes. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The SSA agent confirmed there's no specific form - they just put the request in their system. My benefits were suspended starting the following month. When I checked my SSA account online a few days later, it showed the updated status. The whole process was super simple once I actually reached someone.

make sure u think about medicare if u have it. when i suspended my SS i had to start paying medicare premium directly instead of it coming out of my check. almost missed that detail!

What about taxes? Does suspending change how your benefits are taxed when you start them up again?

Thanks for all the helpful responses! I appreciate everyone sharing their experiences. Sounds like calling is my best option, but I'll try that service if I can't get through. I'll make sure to verify the suspension took effect by checking my online account afterward. And I'll definitely set up separate Medicare premium payments right away so there's no gap in coverage. Thanks again!