SS benefit application stuck at step 2 for over 45 days - did anyone who filed in January get approved yet?
I've been waiting to start collecting my Social Security retirement benefits until age 70 to maximize my monthly amount. I finally submitted my application online on January 15th, 2025 (about 6 weeks ago), and I'm getting a bit frustrated with the process. When I log into my account, my application shows it's still stuck on step 2 of their 3-step review process. According to everything I've read, this review should typically take around 30 days to complete. I'm starting to worry something went wrong with my application. Has anyone else submitted their retirement benefits application since the beginning of January? If so, has your application made it past step 2 or been completed yet? I'm wondering if there's some system-wide delay or if it's just my application that's hung up somewhere. Getting nervous since my 70th birthday is coming up in April and I was counting on those payments starting on time!
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Lucas Schmidt
I filed for my retirement benefits back in December and mine took about 35 days to get fully processed. When I called the SSA about it (which took FOREVER to get through), they said they were experiencing higher than usual application volumes because of all the boomers turning 70. Have you tried calling them? You might want to check if there's anything missing from your application that's causing the delay.
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Eloise Kendrick
•Thanks for the info. I've tried calling three times, but I always get disconnected after being on hold for over an hour. I don't think anything's missing from my application - it shows 'processing' not 'incomplete' - but maybe there's some verification they need that I don't know about? Did your online status move from step 2 to step 3 before approval, or did it just jump to completed?
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Freya Collins
my wife applyied in janurary to and its still on step 2 also. were getting worried because we need that money for our prperty taxs coming due soon. this is ridiculous!!!
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LongPeri
•This is unfortunately becoming common. Applications submitted in January are facing longer processing times. The SSA typically processes applications faster at the beginning of the quarter, so December applications like the one mentioned above moved more quickly. For context, the average processing time has increased from 24 days in 2024 to about 45-60 days currently for retirement benefits applications.
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Oscar O'Neil
Same boat here! Applied January 3rd and still stuck on step 2. I was starting to think it was just me having an issue. Glad (but not glad) to hear I'm not alone in this. Have you tried reaching out to your local SSA office directly? I'm thinking about scheduling an in-person appointment if mine doesn't move forward by the end of the week.
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Sara Hellquiem
•Scheduling an in-person appointment is actually a good suggestion, but be aware that many local offices are booking 4-6 weeks out right now. Another option is to request an urgent call back through your MySocialSecurity message center. Make sure to specifically state that your application has exceeded the normal processing time and you're approaching age 70. This sometimes gets faster attention than the general inquiry option.
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Charlee Coleman
I successfully used a service called Claimyr when I was facing a similar situation with my disability application being stuck. Instead of waiting on hold for hours or being disconnected, Claimyr had a Social Security agent call me directly. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. I got a call back within 2 hours and was able to find out exactly what was causing my delay and got it resolved. Might be worth trying if you're continuing to have trouble getting through by phone.
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Eloise Kendrick
•That sounds interesting - I've never heard of this service before. Did they need a lot of personal information? I'm always a bit cautious with third-party services when it comes to Social Security stuff, but at this point I'm getting desperate to talk to a real person!
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Liv Park
WELCOME TO THE WONDERFUL WORLD OF SSA BUREAUCRACY!!! I waited almost 3 MONTHS for my application to process last year!!! Every time I called they gave me different excuses - system updates, staffing shortages, additional review needed, blah blah blah. The website is USELESS for telling you what's actually happening. My advice? Keep calling EVERYDAY until someone helps you!!!
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Freya Collins
•this is so frustrating, they expect us to plan for retirment but then they cant even process are applications on time!!! my brother had the same problems last year to
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LongPeri
To provide some clarity on the current situation: The Social Security Administration is indeed experiencing significant processing delays for retirement benefits applications submitted in January 2025. There are several factors contributing to this: 1. January typically sees higher application volumes as people implementing new year financial plans 2. The SSA implemented system updates in late December that affected processing speed 3. There's currently a backlog from staffing shortages during the holiday season For applications currently in Step 2, this often means they're in the earnings verification stage, where SSA confirms your lifetime earnings record. This particular step can take longer if you have any years where reported earnings don't match their records. If your 70th birthday is approaching in April, you should still be fine - benefits will be paid retroactively to your entitlement date even if processing takes longer. However, I would recommend trying to speak with a representative to confirm everything is in order.
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Eloise Kendrick
•Thank you for this detailed explanation! That makes me feel a bit better knowing the delay isn't specific to my application. The earnings verification makes sense - I did work for several small companies in the 1980s that might be harder to verify. As long as I'll get the retroactive payment, I can be a bit more patient. Really appreciate the insights!
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Oscar O'Neil
Quick update to my situation - my application finally moved to step 3 yesterday! Applied Jan 3rd and took exactly 50 days to reach step 3. Hoping the final approval comes through soon.
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Eloise Kendrick
•That's encouraging news! Thanks for sharing the update. I'll keep checking my account daily and hope mine moves forward soon too. Did you do anything specific to get it moving, or did it just update on its own?
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