Social Security retirement starting but got unexpected $288 deposit - Medicare premium refund?

That's likely your Medicare Part B premium refund. When your Medicare premium starts being deducted from your SS benefit, they refund any premiums you paid directly. The $20 difference could be prorated amounts or a timing issue. Your first regular monthly SS payment will still come in February as scheduled.

I had EXACTLY the same thing happen last summer! Random deposit shows up, no explanation. Turns out it was Medicare refund. The amount was off from what I expected too. SSA doesnt always communicate these things clearly...

Check if you had any Medicare payments taken out before your SS benefits started. When they switch to taking your Medicare premium from your SS check, they often refund premium payments you made separately. The difference might be due to the timing of when they processed your SS claim versus when you paid Medicare. BTW, keep a close eye on your first few SS payments to make sure everything looks right - sometimes adjustments can take 2-3 months to fully sort out.

sorta related but not really... when i started SS last yr they sent me a small check like that but it was back pay for the month i applied even tho i wasnt expecting it... check ur SS statement online maybe it shows someting

This is completely normal. When you transition from paying Medicare premiums directly to having them withheld from your Social Security benefit, SSA refunds any premiums you paid that would overlap with the new arrangement. The difference in amount could be related to the exact timing of when your benefits were approved versus when your last direct Medicare payment was processed. Your February payment (for January) will include a deduction for your Medicare premium. Everything should balance out by your second or third payment. If you want absolute confirmation, you can call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213, but be prepared for a very long wait time.

SSA CONSTANTLY does this kind of thing with NO explanation!!!! I got a random deposit of $177 when my benefits started and NOBODY could tell me what it was for until my third call to them. Turns out it was a Medicare adjustment but WHY can't they just include a note or explanation??? The left hand never knows what the right is doing there!!

btw did u just start Medicare Part B recently too? that might explain it

Just to follow up - this is definitely a Medicare premium refund. One thing to know is that SSA works on a month-behind schedule for Medicare premiums. So when you get your February payment, it will have January's Medicare premium deducted. The system is basically refunding you for premiums you directly paid that will now be covered through the automatic deduction system. It should all straighten out within 1-2 payment cycles.