Social Security application stuck in Step 2 for months - retirement plans on hold

Same thing happened with my husband last year!! His app got stuck in step 2 for like 2 months. So annoying! We finally had to go to the local office and make a scene. The lady said the system flagged something in his employment history that needed verification but nobody ever contacted us about it 🙄 typical government efficiency lol

This is a common issue right now due to the backlog from the system update they implemented in October 2024. Applications from that period are experiencing longer processing times than normal. Here's what you should do: 1. Continue checking your MySocialSecurity account daily for updates 2. Send a secure message through the portal specifically asking for status update (this creates a task for an agent) 3. Request an in-person appointment specifically for "retirement application status review" 4. Try calling right when they open at 8:00am Eastern time - the hold times are usually shorter Don't panic about your February 1st deadline. Once approved, your benefits will be paid retroactively to your entitlement date. So even if the approval comes after your retirement date, you'll still receive all payments you're due.

YOU NEED TO KEEP CALLING!!!! The website is useless and they NEVER update it!! I was stuck for THREE MONTHS and nobody did ANYTHING until I managed to get through to them!!! The callback option is a JOKE - they NEVER call back when they say they will!!! The whole system is broken and they DON'T CARE about making seniors wait for their money!!!

I discovered a service called Claimyr that actually helped me get through to SSA after weeks of trying. You go to claimyr.com and they basically wait on hold for you and call when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. I was skeptical but it actually worked when I needed to sort out an issue with my deceased spouse's survivor benefits. Way better than the callback option which never seems to happen.

I've worked as a claims specialist for years (though not with SSA directly), and I can tell you this prolonged Step 2 indicates one of several issues: 1. Earnings record discrepancy requiring manual verification 2. Identity verification flags in the system 3. A non-covered pension that needs to be calculated (WEP/GPO considerations) 4. System processing delays from the October modernization project The most important thing - your application IS being processed. It's not lost or forgotten. The MySocialSecurity portal updates are notoriously slow even when work is happening behind the scenes. Regarding your retirement plans, you can proceed with your retirement date. Once approved (which WILL happen), your benefits will be paid from your entitlement month regardless of when the approval occurs. If you elected benefits to begin in March 2025, that's when they'll start even if approval happens later. For expediting, try faxing a letter to your local office referencing your pending application and explaining the employer deadline situation. Include your SSN, application date, and contact information. Faxes often get faster attention than calls.

my mom had this happen and turns out they sent her a letter requesting more info but it got lost in the mail!! check if maybe they sent you something that you didnt get??

lol welcome to dealing with social security. get used to it. this is just how they operate... slow as molasses. my wife and i both dealt with this. hers took 3 months in step 2 and mine took almost 4!! no explanation ever given. good luck with your retirement thats all i can say!!

To answer your question about retroactive benefits - they'll be paid from your chosen start date (March 2025), not from when you applied. However, if you're already 67 (past Full Retirement Age), you could potentially request up to 6 months of retroactive benefits if that would be advantageous for your situation. That's something to discuss with the SSA representative when you reach one. Regarding the secure messaging, be very specific in your message. Include your application date, confirmation number if you have it, and mention your employer's February 1st deadline as a hardship reason for needing expedited processing. This creates a "critical case" flag in their system.

anyone else notice how the ssa website is sooooo slow lately?? like it literally times out half the time i try to log in. government technology at its finest lol

UPDATE: Success! I finally got through this morning (took 3 attempts) and spoke with a very helpful agent. Turns out there was an earnings discrepancy from 2022 they needed to verify, but the letter requesting information was sent to my old address despite me updating it online. The agent processed the verification while I was on the phone and moved my application to step 3! She said I should receive my award letter within 7-10 days and my first payment will arrive as scheduled in March. Such a relief to finally know what's happening. For anyone else stuck in this situation, keep trying to call right when they open at 8am. That's when I finally got through with only a 15-minute wait.