Social Security delayed retirement credits missing from benefit verification letter after FRA - will my December payment be correct?
I'm really worried about my delayed retirement credits not showing up in my benefit verification letter. I turned 66 and 4 months (my FRA) back in March 2025, but decided to delay starting my benefits until September 2025 to get those extra credits. I filed my application in July and got approved in August, which seemed to go smoothly. However, when I checked my MySocialSecurity account yesterday, my benefit verification letter ONLY shows my full retirement age amount ($2,465) with no mention of the additional 4% I should be getting for delaying 6 months past my FRA. According to my calculations, I should be getting around $2,563. My first payment is scheduled to arrive in October, so I'm getting nervous. Has anyone experienced this discrepancy between what their benefit verification letter shows versus what they actually receive? Should I wait for my first payment to see if the correct amount appears, or should I go to my local SSA office now to try and fix this before my payments start? I don't want to be fighting for backpay later if they start me at the wrong amount.
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Aisha Mahmood
the letter might just be showing the base amount at fra not your actual payment amount with the credits. my husband had something similar happen but his first check had the right amount
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Mateo Sanchez
•That's a relief to hear! Did your husband have to do anything to make sure the correct amount was paid, or did the system just automatically apply the credits?
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Ethan Clark
This is a common concern, but there's a good explanation. The benefit verification letter typically shows your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is your benefit at full retirement age. The Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs) are often applied separately in the payment system, rather than being reflected in that letter. I would recommend waiting until your first payment arrives in October before becoming too concerned. The SSA's internal payment systems and their online documentation systems don't always sync perfectly. If your payment doesn't include the DRCs, then you should definitely contact SSA right away. For reference, the DRC is 2/3 of 1% per month (or 8% per year) that you delay past FRA, so your calculation of approximately 4% for 6 months looks correct.
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Mateo Sanchez
•Thank you! That's really helpful to know about the PIA. I didn't realize the verification letter might just be showing that base amount. I'll wait for my October payment and see what happens.
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AstroAce
My sister went through this EXACT same thing last year!! She freaked out for nothing because her first check came with the right amount. The SSA computers are ancient and the online stuff doesn't always match what actually happens when they send the money. Just wait for your first deposit before panicking.
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Yuki Kobayashi
I had a similar situation but it was actually a MISTAKE!!! The SSA did NOT calculate my delayed credits correctly and I had to fight for 3 months to get it fixed. Don't listen to people telling you to just wait - CALL THEM NOW and verify they have your correct start date in the system! The problem is that sometimes the claims representatives input the wrong month or don't code the delayed retirement properly in their system. They're human and make mistakes. The worst part is once they start paying you the wrong amount, it takes FOREVER to fix it and get backpay. Trust me, I've been through this nightmare!
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Ethan Clark
•While it's true that mistakes can happen, most often the benefit verification letter just shows the PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) without the DRCs applied. The actual payment calculation typically happens in a different part of their system. Before assuming there's an error, it's reasonable to wait for the first payment to arrive since that's just a few weeks away. If the payment is incorrect, then yes, contacting SSA promptly would be important.
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Mateo Sanchez
•Now I'm worried again! Maybe I should try calling them just to confirm everything is set up correctly in their system before my first payment? Though from what I hear, getting through to SSA on the phone these days is practically impossible.
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Carmen Vega
I had trouble reaching SSA about my delayed retirement credits too. After spending DAYS trying to get through on their 800 number with no luck, I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA agent in under 10 minutes! They have a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU When I finally got through, the agent confirmed my benefit amount would include the delayed credits even though my verification letter didn't show it. She explained the letter just shows the base amount. My first check came with the full amount including my delayed credits, so everything worked out. Might be worth using this service for peace of mind rather than waiting and worrying.
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Aisha Mahmood
•is that service legit? seems weird to pay someone just to make a phone call
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Carmen Vega
•Yes, it's legitimate. I was skeptical too, but after waiting on hold for hours multiple days in a row, it was worth it to me. They basically call SSA for you and when they get through, they connect you. I was able to speak directly with an SSA agent without the usual 2+ hour wait.
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Andre Rousseau
I work with Social Security issues regularly, and I can explain what's happening here. The benefit verification letter generated from the MySocialSecurity portal shows your PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) - which is your FRA benefit amount. The delayed retirement credits are applied to your actual payment through a separate calculation process that isn't reflected in that standard letter. You have three options: 1. Wait until October to see if your payment includes the DRCs (most likely it will) 2. Visit your local SSA office with an appointment to verify (can take weeks to get in) 3. Call the national number (expect long waits) If you're just a few weeks away from your first payment, option #1 is most practical. If the payment is wrong, you can address it immediately and any correction will be retroactive. If peace of mind is worth the effort of contacting them now, then options 2 or 3 are available. One additional note: The online benefit verification letter has been problematic for many delayed retirement cases. This is a known limitation of the current system.
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Mateo Sanchez
•This is so helpful, thank you! I think I'll wait until October since it's only a few weeks away. If the amount is wrong, I'll immediately contact them. It's good to know this is a known limitation of their system rather than necessarily an error with my specific case.
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Zoe Stavros
My friend just went through this! Her letter showed one amount but her payment had the delayed credits added. Their system is weird. But if you're super worried, why not just go to the local office? Thats what I always do - I NEVER trust the phone people!
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Mateo Sanchez
Thank you all for the helpful responses! I feel a lot better knowing this seems to be a common experience. I'm going to wait for my first payment in October to see if the delayed retirement credits are included automatically. If not, I'll either visit my local office or try that phone service someone mentioned. It's frustrating that the SSA systems don't show a more complete picture online, but at least I know what to expect now. I'll update this thread after I get my first payment so others with the same question can see how it turned out.
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