Social Security retirement application stuck at 2/3 processing since November - should I be worried?

same thing happened to me last year, took almost 2 months to get my confirmation. SSA is just super slow with everything especially around end of year!!

I went through exactly this earlier this year. Application stuck at 2/3 for WEEKS! The confirmation letter finally arrived about 6 weeks after I applied. Here's what I found out when I managed to speak with an agent - the online status doesn't update in real-time, and at year-end they get swamped with people applying for January start dates (like you and me). Your benefits should still start in January as requested, and you'll get your first payment in February as you mentioned. If you're really worried, try using Claimyr to get through to an SSA agent without the hours-long hold times. I used them (claimyr.com) and got connected in about 15 minutes. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - totally worth it for peace of mind!

The delay you're experiencing is actually quite normal, especially for applications filed in November and December. The Social Security Administration experiences significant processing backlogs during this period due to a combination of holiday schedules, year-end processing requirements, and a surge in applications from people wanting January start dates. Your online status showing "2/3 process complete" is a good sign - it means your application has been received and is in the verification stage. The final third typically involves the payment processing setup, which often doesn't complete until closer to your benefit start date. Regarding the confirmation letter, current processing times for these notices are running 4-6 weeks from application date, sometimes longer during busy periods. As long as you have a record of your application (the online status proves this), your benefits will still begin as requested for January 2025, with your first payment arriving in February. If you haven't received anything by mid-January, then it would be appropriate to contact SSA directly. But at this point, everything sounds on track with normal processing timeframes.

My sister had THE EXACT same issue last year!!! Application stuck forever and no letter. Then TWO MONTHS LATER she got a letter saying she needed to provide MORE information before they could process her claim!!! By then she almost missed her start date! You should call them RIGHT NOW before it's too late!! Don't trust the online status!!!

i think january is like the busiest month for social security retirements so probably there backed up. i filed mine in march last year and got confirmation in like 3 weeks. maybe diferent time of year matters?

What I've observed from helping many clients with retirement benefits applications is that the SSA experiences predictable processing delays at certain times of the year, with November-January being particularly congested. The "2/3 process complete" status is actually a good indicator that your application is progressing normally. The three stages are roughly: 1. Initial receipt and basic verification 2. Earnings record review and benefit calculation 3. Payment processing setup The longest delay typically occurs between stages 2 and 3, especially for January benefit starts. This is because the SSA must coordinate all January-starting benefits with their annual COLA adjustments and payment schedule updates. Your benefit start date of January 2025 is secure as long as your application was received before January (which it was). The confirmation letter is often one of the last items generated in the process, sometimes not arriving until after the first payment is issued. I recommend waiting until mid-January before taking any action. If you haven't received anything by January 20th, then it would be appropriate to contact SSA directly to verify everything is on track.

are you sure you put the right address on your application? they wont email you they only do snail mail. check if maybe it went to old address?

Has anyone else noticed that the My Social Security online thing is SUPER unreliable lately??? Mine has been showing incorrect info for months and when I called they said just ignore the online status and wait for mail correspondence!

One additional point of clarification: The Full Retirement Age (FRA) benefit processing actually has a separate workflow from early retirement applications. Since you mentioned you're at your FRA, your application should follow the standard verification process without the additional reduction calculations required for early claims. This is generally a more straightforward process, but it still follows the same timeline backups around year-end. The fact that you're already at FRA is actually beneficial, as there are fewer potential issues that could delay processing. If you want to be proactive while waiting, you might want to verify that your direct deposit information is correctly set up in your My Social Security account. Sometimes missing or incorrect payment information can cause delays in that final processing stage.