Social Security terminology confusion - where to find glossary of SS acronyms and terms?

The Social Security Administration does have an official glossary here: https://www.ssa.gov/agency/glossary/ - but honestly, I found it doesn't cover everything. I learned most terms through necessity when trying to figure out my wife's and my retirement strategy. Don't feel bad - this stuff is deliberately complicated! Some key ones to know: FRA = Full Retirement Age (varies by birth year) PIA = Primary Insurance Amount (your base benefit) WEP = Windfall Elimination Provision (affects people with pensions) GPO = Government Pension Offset (reduces spousal benefits) COLA = Cost of Living Adjustment (annual increase) Any specific terms you're confused about? Happy to explain the ones that matter for your situation.

yeah i was lost too when i first came here lol. honestly i just keep a little notebook where i write down new terms as i learn them. took me about 3 months to feel like i understood most of what people talk about. the worst is when everyone assumes you know what theyre talking about!

'Deemed filing' means when you file for retirement benefits, you're 'deemed' to have also filed for any spousal benefits you're eligible for (and vice versa). The SSA automatically gives you whichever benefit is higher. This rule changed significantly with the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act. I've never seen 'DRTS' as a common Social Security acronym - it might be something specific to a particular situation or perhaps a typo. Could you link to where you saw it used? Context might help us figure it out. And don't feel stupid - the Social Security system is incredibly complex by design. Even those of us who've worked with it for years still learn new things. The deeper you dig, the more complicated it gets, especially with spousal coordination strategies.

I got so frustrated trying to understand all the SS jargon when helping my mom with her benefits that I actually filed a complaint with my local office. The rep just laughed and agreed it's confusing! Seriously though, the Social Security website has improved their explanations in recent years. Try their 'Learn' section for some basics: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/learn.html The most frustrating part for me was trying to CALL Social Security to ask questions. Hours of waiting only to get disconnected! I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an agent without the wait. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Completely worth it because I was able to ask the agent to explain terms I didn't understand. Sometimes having a real person explain is better than any glossary.

i dunno i think were all just confused together lol. i've been on disability for 6 years and still learn new terms. my favorite is when you think you understand something and then someone corrects you and says "well actually thats only true for people born between 1943-1954 who filed before 2016 while standing on one foot during a full moon" 😂

To add to the earlier explanations - since you mentioned turning 65 next March, here are terms you should definitely understand before applying: 1. FRA - Your Full Retirement Age is 66 and 6 months if you were born in 1960 2. Early retirement reduction - Your benefit is reduced by about 0.5% for each month you claim before FRA 3. DRCs - Delayed Retirement Credits increase your benefit by 8% annually if you wait past FRA 4. Medicare enrollment periods - Different from Social Security enrollment! 5. Earnings test - Limits on working while collecting benefits before FRA The most expensive mistakes happen when people don't understand these basic concepts before claiming. Take your time learning the terminology - it will literally pay off.

YOU AREN'T STUPID AT ALL!!! The system is DESIGNED to be confusing! I worked for 40 years and when I went to apply the SS rep told me things I'd NEVER heard before. It's like they want us to make mistakes so they can pay out less in benefits.

One approach that might help is to focus only on terms relevant to your specific situation. It sounds like you're nearing retirement age, so terminology about disability determination or childhood benefits probably isn't essential for you right now. Focus first on understanding: 1. The difference between retirement age options (62, FRA, 70) 2. How spousal benefits work (if applicable) 3. How earnings might affect your benefits if you continue working Don't try to become an expert on every aspect of the system. Even Social Security employees specialize in different areas because no one can master it all. Learn what you need for your specific situation, then expand your knowledge gradually.