Strange small payment after Social Security retirement approval - normal or problem?

That small payment is perfectly normal! It's a partial month benefit. If your official start date was December 1st, but you applied partway through November, they sometimes pay you for the partial month. The amount is prorated based on exactly when your entitlement began. Regarding Medicare: The transition should happen automatically, but it can take 1-2 months. SSA will coordinate with Medicare to stop your direct payments. Check your myMedicare.gov account after your first full SS payment to verify. If you see they're still withdrawing after 2 months, call SSA. No special form needed, but keep an eye on it.

that small payment might be a partial backpay or something. when i got approved last yr they did the same thing, sent me like $200 and then my regular checks started the next month. dont worry about it

The small payment is definitely a partial month benefit. Your full benefit will come in January as scheduled. This is a very common occurrence with new Social Security retirement claims. As for Medicare: SSA should automatically switch your Medicare premium to be deducted from your Social Security benefit starting with your first full payment. However, there's often a lag in the system. If you notice BOTH a deduction from your bank account AND from your SS payment in the same month, call SSA immediately at 1-800-772-1213 to get a refund of the duplicate premium. Important: Make a note in your calendar to check this after your January payment. The Medicare premium for 2025 is $174.70 for most people, so make sure that amount is being deducted exactly once.

Has anyone else been able to reach SSA to ask about this kind of thing??? I've been trying to call them for DAYS about a similar issue with my benefits and can't get through!!! So frustrating!!! Just constant busy signals or being on hold for literally hours then getting disconnected!!! ARGH!!!

congrats on getting approved! i got my first deposit last month and had a small random one too. I freaked out but turned out to be normal lol

My husbands SS had the same random payment thing happen. Its just how they do it. But watch out for the medicare thing!!!! They kept charging our bank for 3 months after SS started taking it out of his checks. We had to fight to get the money back. Keep your bank statements!!!!

To answer your follow-up question - yes, you'll still get your full payment in January. The small partial payment doesn't affect your regular monthly amount going forward. For anyone dealing with Medicare premium double-payments: If this happens, request what's called a "Medicare Premium Refund" specifically. This is processed through SSA, not Medicare. The refund can either be direct deposited or applied to future premiums. Keep detailed records of when both payments were taken.

i thought social security payments come on the 3rd of the month not wednesdays?? Mines always on the 3rd

Thank you all so much for your helpful responses! I feel much better now knowing the small payment is normal. I'll definitely keep a close eye on my Medicare premiums over the next couple of months to make sure I'm not getting double-charged. Really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences!