Social Security not paying 2025 Delayed Retirement Credits in February benefit - anyone else affected?

Oh yes, I'm dealing with the EXACT same thing!!!! I waited till I was 69 and 4 months to file, was supposed to get about 22% more than my FRA amount. January payment was normal, but I thought February would include the DRCs. NOPE! Nothing on my account shows the increase either. Called SSA three times and got disconnected EVERY SINGLE TIME after waiting 1+ hour. This system is BROKEN!!!

same happened to my dad last year actually. took until april to get the proper increase. they did pay retroactively tho

Social Security processes Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs) in batches, and there's often a backlog after the new year. The good news is that they will automatically adjust your benefit amount retroactively once they process your case. Typically, this happens within 1-3 months, but this year they're experiencing additional delays due to staffing shortages and the implementation of new processing systems. I would recommend checking your online account weekly. If by mid-March you don't see any updates, then it's time to contact them. When they do process the increase, you'll receive a letter explaining the adjustment and any retroactive payment owed to you. Make sure you have documentation of your application date and work record in case you need to discuss specifics with a representative.

After trying to call SSA for THREE WEEKS about a similar issue (mine was about incorrect Medicare premium deductions), I finally used this service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in about 15 minutes. Apparently they navigate the phone tree and wait on hold for you, then call you when an agent is on the line. Saved me hours of frustration. Their website is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with said they're definitely behind on processing DRCs this year because of a system update they implemented in December. They told me all affected beneficiaries should see the correction by April, with retroactive payments included. Might be worth calling to check on your specific situation.

This is a known issue affecting beneficiaries who turned 70 in the last quarter of 2024. SSA implemented a new DRC processing system in December, and there are integration problems with the legacy payment system. Here's what you should know: 1. The delay is systemic, not specific to your case 2. All DRCs will be paid retroactively once processed 3. You do not need to file any special request - the correction will happen automatically 4. The target completion date for all affected accounts is April 15, 2025 5. Your MySocialSecurity account will update about 7-10 days before you receive the adjusted payment If you don't see any update by mid-April, then you should contact SSA. Until then, continuing to call won't expedite the process as representatives cannot manually override the automated DRC calculation system.

my neighbor had this problem but it was because they had his birthday wrong in the system! might want to check that all your info is correct in your account

So my husband and I both delayed until 70 (I'm 72 now, he's 71). We BOTH had this exact problem last year! His DRCs showed up in March, mine not until JUNE! The really frustrating part was that we filed on the SAME DAY. When I called about why his was processed so much earlier than mine, they said my account had been randomly selected for "additional verification" but couldn't tell me what that meant or why it took 3 extra months. They did eventually pay everything retroactively, but it was really stressful. Make sure you check your mail carefully - they sent me a form to fill out that I almost threw away thinking it was junk mail.

Update: just got off the phone with SSA (finally!!). They said there's a MAJOR backlog of DRC processing affecting thousands of people who turned 70 in the last half of 2024. The rep said their systems are giving priority to people with lower benefit amounts first (supposedly to help those who need it most) and working up to higher benefit amounts. So apparently if your regular benefit is on the higher end, you might wait longer! So ridiculous.