Social Security benefit amount confusion after stopping work at 64 - SSA phone info contradicts my SS app

The phone rep was probably referring to your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) based on the earnings you've already accumulated. This generally won't decrease if you stop working. However, the app might be showing a recalculated projection because it's now accounting for zero future earnings instead of projected continued work. Your actual benefit depends on your highest 35 years of earnings. If you don't have 35 years of work, zeros get averaged in, which could explain the drop in the app projection. Check how many years of earnings you have on your Social Security statement.

the app is usually right but sometimes it takes time to update. my benefit amount changed 3 times in one month on the app lol. call them again and ask for a supervisor maybe??

I had EXACTLY the same thing happen!!! The numbers on my SS app kept changing and gave me different amounts every time I logged in. It was giving me a HEART ATTACK because I was trying to decide when to retire. I was 63 and the difference was almost $300/month between what the rep told me and what the app showed. I STILL don't know which one is right and I already filed for benefits. The whole system is a MESS!!

The discrepancy you're seeing is probably due to how the app calculates projected benefits versus what the SSA representative was explaining. The app likely adjusted its projection when your employment status changed. However, your actual benefit at FRA is based on your highest 35 years of indexed earnings. If you have 42 years of work history, stopping now shouldn't reduce your benefit unless your recent earnings were among your highest 35 years (which is possible if your salary increased over time). To get clarity, I recommend requesting a detailed earnings record and benefit calculation from SSA. This will show exactly which years are being counted in your top 35 and how your PIA is calculated.

I had a similar issue trying to reach SSA about benefit calculations. After being on hold forever and getting disconnected repeatedly, I tried a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a real person at SSA in about 20 minutes instead of hours. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. This saved me so much frustration when I needed to get definitive answers about my retirement benefit calculations that the app wasn't explaining clearly. Worth considering since you need an actual explanation from a knowledgeable representative.

My wife went through this exact thing last year. Quit her job at 63 to take care of her dad and was worried about her SS amount. We ended up going to the local office in person and they printed out her actual benefit calculation based on her work record. Turned out her benefit DID go down slightly from what she had seen before because her last 2 years of work were actually her highest earning years. But it wasn't a huge difference. But yeah the app and the phone people don't always match up.

WAIT! You need to know about the recalculation they do! When you stop working they recalculate your benefit based on your HIGHEST 35 years of adjusted earnings. If your recent years were higher than some older years (they adjust for inflation btw), then yes, stopping work NOW means those potential higher earning years won't replace lower ones from the past. The SSA phone people just give generic answers sometimes without looking at YOUR SPECIFIC earnings history. The app is probably showing a more accurate projection because it's updated based on your current situation!!

anybody know if taking care of a sick parent counts for anything with social security? like do u get credits or something for being a caregiver?

To definitively resolve this, you need to request a detailed earnings record and benefit calculation from SSA. They can provide a year-by-year breakdown showing exactly which 35 years are being used in your calculation and how changes in future earnings might affect your benefit amount. This is the only way to get complete clarity on your specific situation. One tip: When you speak with SSA, specifically ask for your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) based on your current earnings record, and ask them to explain how continued work until FRA might have changed that amount. Be persistent in getting a detailed explanation rather than a general answer.