Will Social Security penalize me for not notifying them I'm delaying benefits until age 70?

Good news - you're completely fine! There's absolutely no requirement to notify Social Security that you're delaying benefits past your Full Retirement Age. The system is designed around you actively applying when you want benefits to start, rather than having to opt out of receiving them. By not applying, you've automatically been earning the delayed retirement credits of 8% per year (⅔% per month) since your FRA. Just make sure to apply about 3-4 months before you turn 70 so payments can start promptly in your benefit month.

ur good dont worry about it! SSA doesnt care if u didnt tell them anything. I waited til 69 to take mine and never told anyone anything until i was ready. just apply when ur ready to start

Just to add a practical point - while you don't need to notify them when delaying, you SHOULD create a my Social Security account online if you haven't already. That way you can check your earnings record and get benefit estimates. I found an error in mine when I checked at 67 and was able to get it fixed before I applied at 69. Would have lost about $60/month if I hadn't caught it!

I was in the same boat last year! Actually thought I needed to file some kind of 'intent to delay' paperwork too. The SSA website isn't super clear about this stuff. One thing I learned - once you hit 70, there's absolutely no benefit to waiting any longer. The delayed retirement credits stop accumulating at 70, so definitely apply a few months before your 70th birthday.

DONT BELIEVE THESE PEOPLE SAYING EVERYTHING IS FINE!! The SSA is NOTORIOUS for creating problems out of nothing! I delayed until 68 and they tried telling me I should have filed a 'non-application' form!!! Had to FIGHT with three different representatives before one finally admitted this wasn't actually required. The system is DESIGNED to confuse people!!

There's no penalty for not notifying them, but on a related note, did you enroll in Medicare at 65? That's completely separate from your Social Security retirement benefits decision, and there CAN be penalties if you didn't sign up for Medicare Part B during your initial enrollment period (unless you had qualifying coverage through an employer).

When I was trying to reach SSA to ask about delaying benefits last year, I spent HOURS on hold and eventually got disconnected THREE TIMES. So frustrating!! Eventually my neighbor told me about this service called Claimyr that got me through to a real person in like 20 minutes. Saved me so much time and headache! They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Might be helpful when you're ready to actually apply.

To give you some specific numbers: By waiting until 70, you'll receive 132% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the benefit you would have received at your Full Retirement Age. That's a significant increase that will continue for the rest of your life and will also increase the potential survivor benefit for your spouse if you're married. When you do apply, you can do so online at ssa.gov, by calling 1-800-772-1213, or by scheduling an in-person appointment at your local office. The online application typically takes about 15-20 minutes to complete.

Has anyone else noticed that their estimated benefit amount on the SSA website changes randomly? Mine went down by $200/month last year with NO explanation, then magically went back up three months later. I don't trust ANY of their calculations and I'm worried the same will happen to you when you finally apply at 70!

my uncle waited til 70 too and got the max amount so ur making a smart choice dont worry about the notification thing

You're making a smart financial decision by waiting until 70! Just to reassure you further - I work with Social Security matters regularly, and there's absolutely no "notification requirement" for delaying benefits. The SSA operates on an application-based system, meaning benefits only start when you actively apply for them. Your delayed retirement credits have been accumulating automatically at 8% per year since your FRA. The only thing you need to remember is to apply about 3-4 months before your 70th birthday so your first payment arrives on time. You've done everything correctly by simply not applying yet!

As someone who went through this exact same worry, I can confirm what others have said - you're absolutely fine! I delayed my benefits until 70 and never notified SSA of my intent. The system is actually designed this way - they assume you're delaying if you don't apply, and your delayed retirement credits accumulate automatically. I was paranoid about it too and even called SSA when I was 69 to double-check. The representative assured me that no notification was ever required and that my benefits would be calculated correctly when I applied. Just make sure to apply a few months before your 70th birthday, and you'll get the full 132% of your PIA that you've been working toward. You've made a smart financial decision!

I'm so glad you asked this question because I had the exact same worry when I was approaching 70! Like you, I did absolutely nothing when I hit my FRA and just let the delayed retirement credits accumulate. There's definitely no penalty or notification requirement - the SSA system is built around you proactively applying when you're ready, not around having to decline benefits. I successfully applied at 70 and received my full delayed credits without any issues. The key thing is to apply about 3-4 months before your 70th birthday so everything processes smoothly. You've been doing everything right by waiting - those 8% annual increases really add up!

I'm turning 67 next month and had this exact same concern! I've been delaying since my FRA at 66 and 2 months, and like you, I never formally notified SSA about my intent to wait. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly reassuring - it's clear that the "no notification needed" approach is correct. What really helped me was logging into my SSA account and seeing that my benefit estimates were still showing the delayed retirement credits accumulating properly. It sounds like you're making the same smart financial choice many of us have made. Just wanted to add my voice to the chorus saying you're doing everything right!

You're absolutely right to wait until 70 - that's the optimal strategy for maximizing your lifetime benefits! I went through the same anxiety about not formally notifying SSA when I delayed past my FRA. After doing extensive research and speaking with multiple SSA representatives, I can confirm there's no notification requirement whatsoever. The delayed retirement credits automatically accumulate at 8% per year as long as you don't file for benefits. When you do apply at 70, make sure to specify that you want benefits to start the month you turn 70, not the month you apply. This ensures you get credit for every month of delay. The peace of mind knowing you'll get 132% of your PIA for life makes the wait totally worth it!

I'm 64 and planning to do exactly what you did - delay until 70 for the maximum benefit. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational and reassuring! It's clear that you made the right choice by not worrying about formal notifications. What I find most helpful is hearing from people like Leslie and Lucas who actually went through the process and confirmed everything worked smoothly. The fact that multiple people have successfully delayed without any notification issues really puts my mind at ease about my own plan. Thanks for asking this question - it's helped a lot of us who are in similar situations!

I'm 66 and just reached my FRA last month, and I'm planning to delay until 70 just like you did! This entire thread has been incredibly helpful and reassuring. I was actually starting to second-guess my decision to delay after hearing some conflicting advice from friends, but seeing so many people confirm that no notification is required and that the delayed retirement credits accumulate automatically gives me confidence to stick with my plan. The math really does work out - that 32% increase from waiting until 70 is substantial, especially when you consider it applies for your entire lifetime. Thanks for asking this question and to everyone who shared their experiences - it's exactly the kind of real-world confirmation I needed to hear!

I'm 69 and will be turning 70 in about 8 months, so I'm getting close to applying myself! Reading through everyone's experiences here has been so helpful. Like many of you, I never notified SSA when I reached my FRA and have been letting those delayed retirement credits accumulate. It's really reassuring to see so many people confirm that this is exactly how the system is supposed to work. One thing I've been doing is checking my SSA account every few months to make sure my earnings record is accurate and to watch my estimated benefit amount increase as I get closer to 70. Seeing those numbers go up has made the wait feel more concrete and worthwhile. Thanks to everyone who shared their stories - it's given me confidence that I'm on the right track for maximizing my benefits!

I'm 65 and just hit my FRA two months ago, and I've been planning to delay until 70 as well. This entire discussion has been incredibly valuable! I was actually worried about the same thing - whether I needed to formally notify SSA about my intent to delay. It's so reassuring to hear from people like Mason, Leslie, and Lucas who have actually been through this process successfully. What really stands out to me is how consistent everyone's experience has been - no one encountered any problems from not providing formal notification. The automatic accumulation of delayed retirement credits at 8% per year seems to work exactly as designed. I'm definitely going to follow the advice about checking my SSA account regularly to monitor my earnings record and benefit estimates. Thanks to everyone for sharing your real-world experiences - it's given me confidence to stick with my delay strategy!

I'm 63 and planning to delay my benefits until 70, and this entire thread has been incredibly reassuring! I had the exact same worry about whether I needed to formally notify SSA when I reach my FRA in about a year. Seeing so many people share their successful experiences with delaying - from those just starting the journey like Dylan to those who are almost finished like Mason, and especially hearing from Lucas and Leslie who actually completed the process - gives me complete confidence in this strategy. The consistent message is crystal clear: no notification required, delayed retirement credits accumulate automatically at 8% per year, and the system works exactly as designed. I'm definitely going to create that SSA online account and monitor my earnings record like Ashley suggested. Thank you to everyone who shared their real experiences - this is exactly the kind of practical guidance that makes all the difference!