Social Security retirement payment delay after September approval - first $0 test deposit received but no actual payment

Your approval on the 12th was likely too late to make it into the September payment cycle. The payment schedules are determined well in advance, and the cutoff for September payments was probably earlier in the month. Since you just got approved, your first payment will most likely arrive on the 3rd Wednesday of October. The $0 test deposit is a good sign - it means your banking information is verified in their system. You should be all set for next month!

yeah same thing happend to me last year. dont worry its normal. they do the little test deposit to make sure they got the right acct. your first real payment will come next month. the SSA wheels turn sloooooowly lol

This is completely normal. For Social Security retirement benefits, there's what we call a "processing cycle" that determines when payments are released. If your approval came after their cutoff date for the September cycle, you'll receive your first payment in October. A couple things to note: 1. SS benefits are paid the month AFTER they are due. So September benefits are paid in October. 2. Your first payment should include any retroactive benefits you're entitled to. Since you applied in August but were eligible in July (your birth month), you might see back payments included. 3. The payment date depends on your birth date: - Born 1st-10th: Second Wednesday - Born 11th-20th: Third Wednesday - Born 21st-31st: Fourth Wednesday Don't worry about the $0 test deposit - that's just their system verifying your bank information is correct before sending real payments.

I WENT THROUGH THE EXACT SAME THING!!! Applied in June, got approved July 8th, saw the test deposit but no money until August. SSA doesn't tell you this but there's like a 2-3 week processing time AFTER approval before your payment actually gets scheduled. So frustrating! They should explain this better in their approval letters instead of leaving us hanging and worried.

have you tried calling ssa? sometimes they can tell you exactly when to expect payment. i know its hard to get thru to them tho

The way SS works can be confusing for first-timers. Your September 12th approval definitely missed the cutoff for September payments. Here's what likely happened: 1. You applied in August 2. Got approved Sept 12 3. Your first eligible month is August (they pay one month behind) 4. The $0 deposit confirms your bank info is correct 5. Your first payment will arrive in October The timing depends on your birth date as mentioned above (2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday). Your first payment should include any benefits owed from your eligibility date through September. One thing to remember - SS benefits are paid in the month FOLLOWING the month for which they are due. So October's deposit will be for September's benefits.

When I started receiving my SS retirement last year, my first payment was delayed similar to your situation. My approval came mid-month and payment didn't arrive until the following month. What others have said about the payment schedule is correct - it depends on your birth date. However, I want to clarify something important about your first payment: it SHOULD include any retroactive benefits you're entitled to from your eligibility date (usually your application month, unless you specified a later start date). If you're concerned about the timing or want confirmation about your payment amount, I'd recommend contacting SSA directly. I know their phone lines are notoriously difficult to get through. After struggling with long hold times myself, I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that waits on hold with SSA for you, then calls you once a representative is on the line. They have a video demonstration at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. This saved me hours of frustration when I needed to resolve issues with my benefits calculation.

To clear up some confusion in this thread: for Social Security retirement benefits, if you apply after your Full Retirement Age (which at 67, you have), you can receive up to 6 months of retroactive benefits. However, they don't automatically pay back to your eligibility date - only to your application date unless you specifically requested retroactive benefits during your application. Since you applied in August, your first payment should include August benefits (paid in October). There is no "waiting period" for retirement benefits like there is for disability. Also, to answer your question about payment dates: If you were born on the 15th, you'll receive payments on the 3rd Wednesday of each month going forward.

Don't stress too much about the delay - this is totally normal! I went through the same thing when I started my benefits two years ago. The $0 test deposit means everything is set up correctly on their end. Since you were born on the 15th, your payments will come on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Your first real payment should arrive October 16th and will likely include your August benefits since that's when you applied. The key thing to remember is that SS always pays one month behind - so October's payment covers September's benefits. I'd suggest checking your my Social Security account online around October 10th to see if your payment has been scheduled. That usually shows up a few days before the actual deposit hits your bank account.

I'm currently going through something similar! Applied for my retirement benefits in early September after turning 67 in August, got my approval letter on September 20th, and also received that $0 test deposit. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - sounds like we're both just caught in the normal processing timeline. Based on what everyone's shared, it looks like we'll both be waiting until October for our first real payments. The birth date payment schedule explanation was especially useful since I was born on the 8th, so I'll be watching for the 2nd Wednesday. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's such a relief to know this delay is completely normal and not something to worry about!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share that I'm in a very similar boat! Just turned 67 last month and applied for my retirement benefits about 3 weeks ago. Haven't gotten my approval letter yet, but reading through everyone's experiences here is really helping me understand what to expect. It sounds like even after approval, there's still a waiting period before the first payment hits, which is good to know so I don't panic when that happens. The explanation about the $0 test deposit being a good sign is particularly helpful - I'll know what it means when I see it. Thanks to everyone who shared their timelines and experiences. This community seems like a great resource for navigating the Social Security process!

I just went through this exact same situation last year! Got my approval in mid-September but didn't see my first payment until October. That $0 test deposit you received is definitely a good sign - it means your banking info is verified and ready to go. The timing makes perfect sense based on what others have explained about the payment cycles. Since you were approved on September 12th and were born on the 15th, your first payment should arrive on October 16th (the 3rd Wednesday). One thing I learned during my experience is that your first payment will likely be larger than your regular monthly amount because it should include any retroactive benefits from August. Since you applied in August but didn't get approved until September, they owe you for that month. Don't worry about the delay - it's completely normal and just part of how their system works. The waiting is nerve-wracking when you're budgeting around that income, but everything should smooth out after that first payment arrives!

I'm experiencing the exact same situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! Applied in late August, got approved September 18th, received the $0 test deposit, and have been anxiously waiting for my first payment. Reading everyone's experiences here has really put my mind at ease - it sounds like this timing is completely normal when your approval comes after the monthly payment cycle cutoff. I was born on the 22nd, so based on the birth date schedule explained here, I should expect my first payment on the 4th Wednesday of October (October 23rd). It's such a relief to know that the delay doesn't mean something went wrong with my application, and that the first payment will likely include retroactive benefits from August. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - this community is such a valuable resource for understanding the Social Security process!

I'm new to this community and just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been! I'm currently in the application process myself (just submitted my retirement benefits application last week after turning 67) and was already wondering about timing and what to expect. Reading through everyone's real experiences here has given me such a clear picture of the process - from the approval letter to the $0 test deposit to the actual payment timing based on birth dates. It's reassuring to know that delays are completely normal when approvals come after the monthly payment cutoffs, and that the first payment often includes retroactive benefits. This community seems like such a valuable resource for navigating Social Security. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - you've probably saved a lot of us from unnecessary worry and confusion about the process!

I'm going through this exact same situation right now! Applied for retirement benefits in early September after turning 67, got my approval letter on September 25th, and just received that mysterious $0 test deposit yesterday. I was starting to panic thinking something went wrong, but reading through all these experiences has been such a huge relief. It's clear that the timing of approvals relative to payment cycles is everything, and that these delays are completely normal when you get approved after the monthly cutoff dates. Based on what everyone has shared about the birth date payment schedule, I should expect my first payment on the 2nd Wednesday of October since I was born on the 5th. Really appreciate this community for sharing such detailed real-world experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to decipher the official SSA documentation! Looking forward to finally seeing that first payment with the retroactive benefits included.

I'm new to this community but currently going through the Social Security retirement application process myself, so this entire discussion has been incredibly valuable! I just submitted my application last week after turning 67 in August, and reading through everyone's real experiences here has given me such a clear roadmap of what to expect. It's reassuring to know that the $0 test deposit is actually a positive sign, and that timing delays between approval and first payment are completely normal when approvals come after monthly payment cycle cutoffs. The explanation about payment dates being tied to birth dates is particularly helpful - I was born on the 18th, so I now know to expect payments on the 3rd Wednesday of each month once things get rolling. Thanks to everyone who shared their detailed experiences and timelines. This community seems like such a supportive resource for navigating what can be a confusing process. I'll definitely update with my own experience as I go through the approval and payment stages!

I'm new here but wanted to jump in since I'm dealing with this exact situation right now! Applied for my retirement benefits in mid-August after turning 67, got approved on September 20th, and received that confusing $0 test deposit last week. I was really starting to worry that something had gone wrong with my application, but reading through all these detailed experiences has been such a relief. It's clear that the timing of when your approval comes through relative to the monthly payment cycles is the key factor, and these delays are completely normal. Based on the birth date payment schedule everyone has explained (I was born on the 12th), I should expect my first payment on the 3rd Wednesday of October. What really puts my mind at ease is learning that the first payment will likely include retroactive benefits from August - that makes the wait feel much more worthwhile! Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences and timelines. This community has been incredibly helpful for understanding what is clearly a confusing process for many first-time Social Security recipients.

I'm going through this exact same situation and this thread has been a lifesaver! Applied in late August after turning 67, got my approval letter on September 22nd, and received that mysterious $0 test deposit a few days ago. I was really starting to panic thinking something went wrong with my banking information or application, but reading everyone's experiences here has completely put my mind at ease. It's so clear now that the timing between approval and first payment is just how the system works - if your approval comes after the monthly payment cycle cutoff, you wait for the next month. Since I was born on the 28th, I should expect my first payment on the 4th Wednesday of October (October 23rd). What really helps is knowing that first payment will likely include retroactive benefits from August when I originally applied. Thanks to everyone who shared their detailed timelines and explanations - this community has been incredibly helpful for understanding what can be a really confusing process for first-time Social Security recipients!