Social Security retirement application stuck in processing for 2 months despite approval confirmation - no payment received

The same thing happened to me last year! I applied in March, got verbal approval in April, but didn't get my first payment until almost end of June. The SSA phone reps will tell you anything to get you off the phone. I finally got fed up with the constant disconnects and hours of hold time and used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to someone who actually knew what was happening. Worth every penny because I had a callback from SSA within 20 minutes instead of spending another day on hold. There's a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. My application was stuck in their final processing queue and needed to be expedited - something the first rep never mentioned.

Unfortunately, this is extremely common right now. The 30-day estimate on the website hasn't been accurate for years, and even the 60-day estimate you were given is often optimistic. Here's what you should know: 1) Your online status will likely show "in process" until the day your payment is actually issued - it rarely updates in real-time 2) If a representative confirmed you were approved, that's generally reliable information, but the payment processing is handled by a different department 3) First payments are typically scheduled for your payment date based on your birth date (https://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10031.pdf) I would recommend: - Checking any bank accounts you've linked to SSA (they sometimes deposit without notification) - Visiting your local field office in person with your application confirmation number - Requesting to speak with a Tier 2 representative if you call again (frontline reps have limited access

THIS IS TOTALLY TYPICAL SSA INCOMPETENCE!!! I spent 5 MONTHS trying to get my benefits started last year. Every single rep told me something different. One said I was approved, one said they needed more docs, another said my app was perfect. NOBODY KNOWS WHAT'S HAPPENING OVER THERE!!! Their systems are from the STONE AGE and half the time they can't even see your file. The ONLY thing that worked was showing up at my local office at 6:30am (they open at 9am) and waiting in line. Even then I had to go TWICE because the first time they said their "system was down"!!! DON'T trust what they tell you on the phone. GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING!!!

There's actually a big backlog at SSA right now. What the representative told you about 60 days instead of 30 is correct, but even that is optimistic sometimes. The approval process has three distinct phases: 1. Initial application review (where they verify your eligibility) 2. Benefit computation (where they calculate your PIA based on your earning record) 3. Payment processing (where they set up the actual payment schedule) It sounds like you're in phase 3, which is good news! If you were approved on Dec 30th, and considering today's the 17th, you're approaching the 3-week mark for payment processing. Payment dates are determined by your birth date: - Birth dates 1-10: Second Wednesday - Birth dates 11-20: Third Wednesday - Birth dates 21-31: Fourth Wednesday If your birth date falls between the 21st-31st, your payment would be scheduled for the fourth Wednesday of the month.

First payments are a bit different - they often come as a one-time deposit that doesn't follow the regular schedule. But if they just recently finished processing your application, they might have rolled you into the regular schedule. With your birth date on the 22nd, your regular payment day would be the fourth Wednesday (January 24th this month). I'd suggest waiting until after the 24th before taking further action. If nothing arrives by then, definitely visit your local office in person with your application confirmation information.

my husbent had the same thing happen last yr. they kept saying he was approved but no $ came. then we got a letter saying they needed more papers but never said what papers!! called 5 times and nobody new what papers! ended up having to start the hole application over again!! took 4 months to get first check. so frustrating

I'm in the exact same boat but been waiting since October! Every time I call they tell me something different. First it was "just wait 30 days" then it was "we need more documents" (which I sent) then it was "everything looks good, payment coming soon" but still nothing! The website never updates. So frustrating!!

check your my social security account. sometimes the payment shows up there before it hits your bank. also the website status is useless, never updates right. good luck!

One additional point: Since we're now past January 15th, if your application truly is fully processed but you haven't received payment, you might need to check if there's an issue with your direct deposit information. Sometimes applications get held up in the final stage due to payment delivery problems. If you visit your local office, ask specifically if there are any "payment exceptions" or "non-receipt" issues with your record. These are specific technical terms that might help the representative identify if there's a payment that was approved but not properly delivered.