Social Security application stuck on step 2 since December - normal processing time?

yes totally normal mine took 3 months to go from step 2 to 3, dont worry about it

I had the exact same experience last year! Applied in October for January benefits and it sat at step 2 forever. I freaked out and called SSA every week - which was IMPOSSIBLE to get through to anyone!!! They either disconnected me or I waited 2+ hours only to be told "it's processing normally" with zero details. My application finally moved to step 3 after about 10 weeks, and my benefits still started on time. The online status bar is useless.

The MySocialSecurity portal status updates don't always reflect the actual processing activity happening behind the scenes. For retirement benefits, SSA aims to process applications within 4-6 weeks, but current processing times are averaging 8-12 weeks due to staffing shortages and increased application volume. A few things to know: 1. Your application is timestamped when received, so your intended start date should be preserved 2. Sometimes applications move directly from step 2 to completion without showing step 3 3. They generally prioritize applications based on the benefit start date, so yours will get more attention as March approaches If you're approaching the 12-week mark with no movement, that's when I'd suggest more aggressive follow-up.

my daughter works for ssa and says they are SUPER backed up right now. jan-march is their busiest time for new applications so everything is slower than normal. if your benefit start date is in march they prob wont even look at your application until mid-february tbh

I had EXACTLY the same experience in 2023! Applied Nov 10th and sat on step 2 until February. I tried calling SSA like 20 times and never got through - their phone system is the worst thing I've ever experienced. Complete disaster! I was panicking because I needed to make decisions about healthcare enrollment that depended on knowing my SS benefit was approved. When I finally got through after trying for WEEKS, they told me everything was fine and on track. Did my benefits start on time? YES! Did the website update properly? NO! The whole system is broken and somebody needs to FIX IT!!! But your benefits will likely start on time if that helps ease your mind.

If you're worried about your application status and can't get through on the normal SSA lines, I'd recommend using Claimyr.com. I was in exactly your situation last year (stuck on step 2 for months), and after trying for days to reach someone, I found this service that actually got me through to an agent in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. The agent was able to tell me exactly what was happening with my application and gave me a timeframe for processing. Totally worth it when you're feeling anxious about these delays.

my app sat at step 2 for like 4 months lol and then one day bam just got the approval letter in the mail. the website never even updated. ssa computer systems are from like 1982 i swear

One additional point: if you do need confirmation of your application status for financial planning purposes, you can request a "Benefit Verification Letter" once your application is processed. This official document confirms your benefit amount and start date, and many financial institutions accept it as proof of income for loans, housing applications, etc. You may be able to get this even before your first payment is issued. If your application isn't showing progress within 30 days of your intended start date (so by early February), that would be a good time to make a more concerted effort to speak with an SSA representative.

btw i think FRA is 67 not 65 now so r u taking early benefits at 65? that might be why its taking longer cuz they have to calculate the reduction

I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Filed my application in early December for March benefits and it's been stuck on step 2 for weeks. Reading everyone's experiences here is actually really reassuring - it sounds like this is unfortunately just how SSA's system works these days. The consistent theme seems to be that benefits start on time even when the online tracker doesn't update properly. I've been losing sleep over this but now I feel like I can relax a bit and just wait it out. Thanks everyone for sharing your stories!

I'm in a similar boat - applied in November for February benefits and my application has been stuck on step 2 for over 6 weeks now. After reading all these responses, I'm feeling much more confident that this is just how their system works. It's frustrating that SSA's online portal is so unreliable when people are making major life decisions based on these timelines. But hearing from so many people who had the same experience and still got their benefits on time is really reassuring. I think the key takeaway is that the actual processing happens behind the scenes regardless of what the website shows. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread should be required reading for anyone applying for Social Security!

I'm new to this community but found this thread while searching for answers about my own Social Security application delays. Applied in mid-December for April benefits and have been stuck on step 2 for about 6 weeks now. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly helpful and reassuring! It's amazing how many people have gone through the exact same thing. I was starting to think there was something wrong with my application or that I had made some mistake in the process. But seeing that this seems to be the norm rather than the exception with SSA's system makes me feel so much better. The consistent message that benefits typically start on time despite the website delays is exactly what I needed to hear. Thank you all for creating such a supportive discussion - it's clear that SSA's online portal needs serious improvements, but at least we can help each other navigate this stressful process!

Welcome to everyone who's new to this community! I'm also a newcomer here but found this thread while searching for information about Social Security application delays. I applied in late December for April benefits and have been experiencing the exact same issue - stuck on step 2 for about 8 weeks now with zero movement on the MySocialSecurity portal. Reading through all of these responses has been incredibly reassuring and educational. It's clear that this is unfortunately just how SSA's system operates these days, with the online status tracker being completely unreliable while the actual processing happens behind the scenes. What strikes me most is how consistent everyone's experiences are - long delays on step 2, difficulty reaching SSA by phone, but ultimately benefits starting on time as promised. This thread should honestly be pinned as a resource for anyone going through the Social Security application process. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and advice - it's made this stressful waiting period so much more manageable knowing we're all in the same boat!

Welcome to all the newcomers! I'm also new to this community and stumbled across this thread while frantically googling about my own Social Security application delays. Applied in mid-January for July benefits and yep, you guessed it - stuck on step 2 for about 4 weeks now. Reading through everyone's experiences has been like finding a support group I didn't know I needed! It's both maddening and reassuring to see that literally EVERYONE goes through this same nerve-wracking process with SSA's ancient online system. What really gets me is how we're all making major life decisions based on these benefit timelines, yet the system designed to track our applications is completely unreliable. But the consistent message here that benefits actually start on time despite the website being useless has saved my sanity. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - this thread is worth its weight in gold for anyone navigating the SSA application process. It's wild that we have to rely on community forums to get real information about how government systems actually work!

Welcome to everyone who's joined this discussion! I'm also new to this community and found this thread while desperately searching for answers about my own Social Security application. I applied in late January for September benefits and have been stuck on step 2 for about 3 weeks now. Like so many others here, I was starting to panic thinking I'd done something wrong or that my application had fallen through the cracks somehow. Reading through all of these experiences has been such a relief - it's clear that SSA's online portal is just fundamentally broken and doesn't reflect what's actually happening with our applications behind the scenes. The fact that so many people have had months-long delays on step 2 but still received their benefits on time is incredibly reassuring. What really strikes me is how this thread has become an invaluable resource that fills the gap left by SSA's inadequate communication systems. The official website tells us nothing useful, their phone lines are nearly impossible to get through, yet here we all are finding the real information we need from each other's shared experiences. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their stories and advice - this discussion has probably saved dozens of people from unnecessary stress and anxiety during an already overwhelming process!

Welcome to all the newcomers joining this discussion! I'm also new to this community and found this thread while frantically searching for answers about my own Social Security application delays. I applied in mid-February for November benefits and I'm already experiencing the same frustrating pattern - stuck on step 2 after just 2 weeks with absolutely no movement on the MySocialSecurity portal. Reading through everyone's shared experiences here has been incredibly enlightening and reassuring. It's both shocking and oddly comforting to see how universal this problem is with SSA's online system. What really stands out to me is how this community discussion has become an essential resource that fills such a huge gap in official information. The SSA website provides almost no useful guidance about realistic processing times, and as many have mentioned, their phone system is practically unusable. The consistent theme throughout all these stories - that benefits typically start on time despite the completely unreliable status tracking - has given me tremendous peace of mind during what was becoming a very stressful waiting period. It's amazing how much anxiety can be relieved just by knowing that dozens of other people have gone through this exact same experience and come out fine on the other side. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their stories and advice. This thread has become an invaluable community resource that honestly should be linked from the official SSA website! It's saved so many of us from unnecessary panic during an already overwhelming life transition.