Social Security retirement application stuck in review since November - still no contact from SSA

Unfortunately, this is pretty common right now. SSA is experiencing significant backlogs with processing retirement claims. My application took almost 11 weeks from submission to approval last month. The most important thing to remember is that even if your approval comes late, you'll still receive your benefits retroactive to your start date (February 1st in your case). If you're concerned, you can try calling the national number (1-800-772-1213), but be prepared for very long wait times. Another option is to contact your local office directly. The MySocialSecurity message center is also worth trying, though responses can be slow.

i went thru this same thing in december!!! waited 10 weeks and nothing hapend. then i called and they said my app was just sitting there and nobody looked at it!!! make sure u call them dont just wait or it might never get done thats what they told me

I've been through this recently and can offer some practical advice. First, check your application again to make sure it's complete - sometimes they're waiting on additional documentation but the notification doesn't show clearly in your account. Second, try contacting your local office directly instead of the national number - look up their direct line on the SSA website under "Find an Office." Third, if your planned start date is coming up soon, you should definitely be proactive rather than waiting. The current processing time for straightforward retirement applications is running 8-12 weeks, but applications with any complications can take much longer. If you're within 30 days of your payment start date, it's reasonable to follow up.

I had the EXACT same issue last month. Called and called the SSA number but couldn't get through to anyone. I was about to give up when a friend told me about this service called Claimyr that got me connected to a live SSA agent in less than 10 minutes! I was skeptical but desperate, so I tried it. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU and their website is claimyr.com. The agent I spoke with was able to look at my application and tell me exactly what was causing the delay (they needed verification of something that wasn't clear in my application). Problem solved in one call!

Social Security is a complete mess right now!! My retirement application took 14 WEEKS to process last year. Called multiple times and got different answers every time. One rep told me it was "almost done" and another told me the next day they hadn't even started reviewing it yet! You can't trust anything they tell you. The whole system is broken. Best advice is to apply at LEAST 4 months before you need the money. Hope you didn't need those payments right away because they might take forever!!

same thing happend to my sister but hers took 13 weeks!!!!! they never even called her for anything just suddenly got aproved out of nowhere

Update on processing times: I just attended a community presentation by our local SSA office last week, and they stated the current national average for processing straightforward retirement applications is 9.6 weeks. Applications with any complications (multiple marriages, non-covered employment like government pensions, foreign work history, etc.) are averaging 11-15 weeks. If you've provided all required documentation and your case is straightforward, you should be nearing completion. One important tip they shared: if you filed online, double-check your MySocialSecurity account to make sure no messages were sent requesting additional information. Sometimes these notifications don't trigger email alerts even if you have that option selected.

This happened to my husband too! His application just sat there for months. We thought it was being processed but when we finally got through to someone they said it was just waiting in a queue and nobody had looked at it yet! So frustrating!!!

One important piece of information I'd like to add: regardless of how long the processing takes, your benefits will be paid retroactive to your selected start date (February 1st). So while the delay is frustrating, you won't lose any money you're entitled to. When your application is finally approved, you'll receive a lump sum payment for any months that have passed since your start date, followed by regular monthly payments thereafter. Make sure when you do call that you confirm they have your correct direct deposit information on file, as this will ensure the fastest payment once approved.

Update: I finally got through to someone at my local office this morning! They told me my application is actually complete and was approved last week, but the final processing is taking additional time because of system updates they're doing. They said I should receive my award letter within 10 days and my first payment (including the retroactive amount) within 2-3 weeks. Such a relief! Thanks to everyone for your advice and support through this stressful time!