Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! To summarize what I've learned: 1. Only the payments I physically receive in 2024 count for 2024 taxes 2. The December payment that arrives in January 2025 will count for 2025 taxes 3. I should wait for my SSA-1099 form in late January/early February for the official numbers 4. The 1099 will show the gross amount before any Medicare deductions 5. I might want to consider tax withholding from my SS payments going forward This helps tremendously with my year-end planning!

You've got a great summary there! Just one additional tip since you mentioned year-end planning - if you have other retirement account withdrawals planned for 2024 (like from a 401k or traditional IRA), you might want to calculate whether those combined with your Social Security benefits will push you into a higher tax bracket or increase the taxable portion of your SS benefits. Sometimes it's worth spreading those withdrawals across tax years to minimize the overall tax impact. Good luck with your planning!

I'm new to this community but unfortunately not new to dealing with the complexities of Social Security's family maximum rules. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been both incredibly helpful and deeply frustrating - it's clear that families across the country are struggling with the same lack of transparency and consistent information from SSA. What really stands out to me is how the system seems almost designed to catch families off guard. The fact that a primary worker's reduced early retirement benefit counts against the family maximum (rather than their full PIA) is such a crucial detail that significantly impacts total family benefits, yet it's rarely explained clearly upfront. This means families make irreversible filing decisions without understanding the true financial implications. I'm currently helping my elderly neighbor navigate a similar situation with her disabled adult son, and after reading this thread, I realize we need to be much more proactive about getting detailed calculations in writing before any filing decisions are made. The suggestion about requesting a PEBES query and asking specifically for family maximum breakdowns seems essential. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so openly. While it's disheartening to see how many families are struggling with these same issues, your detailed explanations and resource suggestions are invaluable for those of us still in the planning stages. The collective knowledge shared here is far more comprehensive than anything I've been able to get from SSA directly!

I'm also new to this community and unfortunately dealing with a similar family maximum situation. My wife is considering filing for early retirement at 63, and we have a 28-year-old son with disabilities who would qualify for DAC benefits. Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening - I had no idea that her reduced early retirement benefit would count against the family maximum, leaving less available for our son's benefits. The lack of clear, consistent information from SSA that everyone has described here is really concerning. It seems like families are expected to navigate these complex calculations without proper guidance, and the permanent nature of these filing decisions makes it even more stressful. @Eleanor Foster - thank you for sharing your detailed experience and follow-up after speaking with SSA. That breakdown showing how the 175% family maximum gets divided when the primary worker takes early retirement is exactly the kind of specific information that's so hard to get from official sources. @Kaylee Cook - I'm definitely going to look into Claimyr to try to get through to an actual knowledgeable representative. The suggestion about requesting a PEBES query is something I hadn't heard of before but sounds crucial for understanding the actual numbers before making any irreversible decisions. This thread has convinced me that we need professional consultation before my wife files. The potential impact on our son's long-term financial security is too important to leave to guesswork or inconsistent information from SSA representatives.

I'm a newcomer here but wanted to share that I've been following this discussion with great interest as my family is considering a similar situation. Reading through all these detailed responses has been incredibly educational - I had no idea there were so many practical considerations beyond just the legal name change itself. What strikes me most is how supportive this community has been in providing real-world experiences and specific steps to follow. The advice about bringing multiple copies, making appointments in advance, asking for confirmation receipts, and coordinating with other agencies creates such a helpful roadmap for anyone navigating this process. It's also heartwarming to see how many people have emphasized that benefits are tied to the SSN rather than the name, which seems to be the key reassurance for families worried about disrupting their child's financial support. The consistency of that message across multiple people's experiences really builds confidence. Thank you to everyone who shared their stories and practical tips. This thread will definitely be a valuable reference for families facing similar decisions. It's clear that with proper preparation and documentation, the process can go smoothly while supporting a child's wellbeing and healing journey.

As someone new to this community, I wanted to add my voice to say how incredibly helpful this entire discussion has been. I'm not currently facing this exact situation, but reading through all these detailed experiences and practical advice has been so educational about how the SSA handles name changes for minors receiving benefits. What really stands out to me is how consistent everyone's experiences have been - that benefits are tied to the SSN, not the name, and that proper documentation makes the process straightforward. The step-by-step guidance from people who have actually been through this creates such a valuable resource. I also want to commend the original poster for being such a thoughtful and caring parent. Balancing your daughter's emotional healing needs with protecting her financial security shows incredible dedication. Having her therapist's support for this decision, combined with all the research and preparation you're doing, really demonstrates that you're making a well-informed choice that prioritizes her overall wellbeing. This thread is a perfect example of how community support can transform an overwhelming situation into something manageable. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - this will undoubtedly help many families in similar situations.

I'm also new to this community and in almost the exact same situation! I claimed at 62 in August 2024 after working full-time for the first 7 months of the year, and I've been meticulously tracking my part-time earnings to stay under the monthly limits since then. This entire thread has been absolutely incredible for understanding the AERO process - I honestly had no clue it was automatic! I was getting really anxious thinking I'd have to call SSA or submit special forms to get credit for those pre-claiming months of work. The detailed explanations about the October 2025 timeline and retroactive payments back to January 2025 have been so helpful. It's amazing how much practical knowledge everyone has shared here compared to trying to decipher the official SSA website on your own. I'm particularly grateful for all the advice about keeping records and monitoring the online SSA account. I created my ssa.gov account a few weeks ago but haven't really explored it much. Based on everyone's recommendations, I definitely need to start checking it regularly to make sure my 2024 earnings get recorded correctly. Like many others here, I have some lower-earning years from earlier in my career when I was switching jobs and took time off for family obligations, so I'm cautiously optimistic that my 2024 wages will replace at least one of those years and give me a modest bump in my monthly benefit. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed real-world experiences - this community is such a valuable resource for navigating these Social Security complexities that can feel so overwhelming when you're trying to figure them out on your own!

Welcome to the community! I'm also new here and in a very similar situation - I claimed at 62 in October 2024 after working full-time for the first 9 months of the year. Like so many others in this thread, I've been carefully staying under the monthly earnings limits with part-time work since then and wondering about this exact issue. This discussion has been absolutely invaluable! I had no idea about the AERO process being automatic - I was starting to panic thinking I'd need to navigate those notorious SSA phone waits or file special paperwork. Learning about the October 2025 timeline and the retroactive payments back to January 2025 has been such a relief. What I find most encouraging is hearing from people who've actually been through this process and seeing the range of experiences - from modest increases of $9-23 per month to more substantial ones like $50+. Since I also had some lower-earning years earlier in my career due to job transitions and time caring for family, I'm cautiously optimistic that my 2024 earnings will replace at least one of those years. The practical advice about keeping detailed records and monitoring the online SSA account regularly is something I definitely need to implement. I just set up my ssa.gov account but haven't really explored it yet - sounds like that should be my next step to ensure my 2024 earnings show up correctly once the W-2 data flows through. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences and advice. This community has made what seemed like a complex, mysterious process much more understandable and manageable!

As someone new to this community and approaching my own retirement planning, I want to echo what others have said - this thread has been incredibly educational! I'm about 8 months away from turning 67 and have been putting off dealing with the Social Security application because it seemed so overwhelming. Reading through everyone's experiences has really helped clarify the process. The 2-3 month application window seems to be the sweet spot, and knowing there are no penalties for working while receiving benefits past FRA takes a huge weight off my shoulders. One thing that really stood out to me was the mention of being able to specify which month you want benefits to start when you apply. That flexibility seems crucial for timing everything properly with your last paycheck. I also had no idea about the HSA restriction that @Yuki Kobayashi mentioned - that's definitely something I need to factor into my planning since I've been maxing out my HSA contributions. For those who have gone through this recently, did you find the my Social Security online account gave you accurate benefit estimates? I want to make sure I'm budgeting realistically for the transition period. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed, real-world advice. This kind of peer-to-peer guidance is invaluable when navigating these major life transitions!

As a newcomer to this community who's just starting to think about Social Security timing, this entire discussion has been absolutely invaluable! I'm about 6 months away from turning 67 and honestly felt pretty overwhelmed by the whole process until reading through everyone's experiences here. The consistency in advice is really reassuring - apply 2-3 months before you want benefits to start, no penalties for working past FRA, and plan for the payment delay. I had no idea about so many of the details mentioned here, like the HSA contribution restriction once you start receiving benefits, or how your birth date affects which Wednesday you get paid! I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips about creating a my Social Security account early, using the draft application feature, and checking your complete earnings history before applying. As someone who's worked multiple jobs over the years, that earnings verification step seems crucial. One question for the group - for those who successfully timed their applications, did you find it helpful to have a financial cushion beyond just planning for the payment delay? I'm trying to figure out how much extra savings I should have on hand during the transition period, especially given all the variables like potential PTO payouts, tax implications, etc. Thanks to everyone for creating such a comprehensive resource - this thread should be required reading for anyone approaching Social Security decisions!