Rami, this is such encouraging news about your treatment response! I'm really happy to hear you're doing so well with the new protocol. I wanted to add something that might help with your planning - SSA actually has what's called a "medical improvement review standard" specifically for situations like yours. When they do review your case (which typically happens 12-18 months after initial approval for cancer cases), they have to prove that any medical improvement is significant enough to restore your ability to work, not just that your condition has improved. What's particularly relevant for lymphoma cases is that SSA recognizes the long-term effects of chemotherapy and other treatments. Things like immune system weakness, chronic fatigue, neuropathy, and cognitive effects ("chemo brain") can all continue to be disabling even if the cancer itself is in remission. My suggestion would be to start keeping detailed records now of how you're feeling day-to-day - energy levels, any concentration issues, physical limitations, etc. This documentation becomes really valuable during reviews because it shows your actual functional capacity rather than just medical test results. Also, make sure your medical team is documenting all the ongoing effects of your treatment, not just tracking the cancer response. The more comprehensive your medical record is about how treatment has affected your overall functioning, the better. You're smart to plan ahead, but try not to let it overshadow celebrating this amazing progress with your health!

Rami, congratulations on the amazing progress with your treatment! That's such incredible news and really shows your strength through this journey. I wanted to share something that might help ease your worries - I work with disability advocacy and see cancer cases regularly. SSA has specific procedures for medical improvement reviews that are actually quite thorough and protective of beneficiaries. They can't just cut you off because you're in remission - they have to prove that your medical improvement actually restores your capacity for substantial gainful activity. What's important to understand is that for cancer cases, especially something as serious as stage 4 lymphoma, SSA recognizes that successful treatment often comes with lasting complications. Chemotherapy can cause permanent neuropathy, cognitive changes, immune system compromise, and chronic fatigue that can continue to be disabling long after remission. The review process typically takes 6-12 months once initiated, and you'll get advance notice. During this time, they'll look at your residual functional capacity - basically, what you can actually do on a day-to-day basis, not just whether cancer cells are detectable. My advice: start documenting your daily functioning now - energy levels, concentration, physical stamina, any ongoing treatment side effects. This creates a valuable record of how treatment has affected your overall capacity. Also make sure your medical team documents all ongoing symptoms thoroughly, not just cancer markers. Focus on healing first - you're doing amazingly well and deserve to celebrate that progress!

I applied for retirement benefits online in March 2025 and just wanted to add my recent experience to this helpful thread! After reading through all the advice here about preparation being key, I made sure to follow the best practices everyone mentioned. I created my Social Security account about a month before applying to check my earnings history (great tip!) and found everything looked accurate. Had all my documents scanned and ready, then applied exactly 3 months before I wanted benefits to start. The online process was pretty straightforward - took me about 45 minutes to complete since I had everything organized beforehand. What I really appreciated was how the system walked me through each section and let me review everything before submitting. Got email confirmations right away, and they've been sending regular updates on the status. So far it's been about 3 weeks and my application shows "processing" - no requests for additional documents yet, which I'm taking as a good sign! One small addition to the document checklist others mentioned: if you've had any name changes (maiden name, etc.), having those documents ready can be helpful even if not specifically requested. I had my marriage certificate scanned just in case. Based on all the positive online experiences shared here, I'm optimistic this will work out smoothly. The key really does seem to be that preparation phase - having everything ready before you even start the application makes such a difference!

I'm planning to apply for my Social Security retirement benefits later this year when I turn 62, and this entire thread has been incredibly valuable! The consistent advice about preparation really stands out - creating your Social Security account early to check earnings history, having all documents scanned and ready, and applying exactly 3 months before you want benefits to start. What's really encouraging is seeing so many recent success stories with online applications when people followed these best practices. The timelines people are reporting (5-7 weeks from application to first payment) seem very reasonable, and the email updates during processing sound like a huge improvement over being left in the dark. I'm definitely planning to try the online route first based on all these positive experiences. The hybrid approach some mentioned (starting online to get familiar with questions, then finishing in-person if needed) also sounds like a smart backup strategy. One question for those who've completed the process recently - did any of you run into issues with verifying your identity online, or was that step pretty straightforward? I've heard mixed things about government websites and identity verification, so I'm curious about real experiences with the SSA system specifically. Thanks to everyone who shared such detailed experiences - this thread is going to save me so much research time and give me confidence in my approach when the time comes!

This thread has been so educational! I'm a federal employee and even I didn't fully understand the SSA earnings update timeline until reading everyone's explanations. It's crazy how different government systems operate on completely different schedules - my TSP (retirement account) updates almost immediately when contributions are made, but Social Security earnings take over a year to show up! The comparison to tax documents really clicked for me. Just like how we don't expect our 1040 forms to be available in real-time throughout the year, SSA earnings records follow that same annual reporting cycle. For anyone still worried about this: I've been checking my SSA statement for about 15 years now and the pattern is always the same - current year shows minimal or no earnings, then everything appears correctly the following year after W-2 processing. The system may be slow, but it's been consistently reliable in my experience. Your daughter and son-in-law are smart to be monitoring their records early in their careers. Building those 40 quarters of coverage is so important for future benefits!

This is such valuable information for everyone! I work as a benefits coordinator and get questions about SSA earnings records all the time. What many people don't realize is that the Social Security Administration processes over 270 million W-2 forms annually - that's why there's such a significant delay. One thing I always tell people is to verify that their employer is using the correct Social Security number on their payroll records. If there's even one digit wrong, your earnings could be credited to someone else's record (or go into the "suspense file" until it's sorted out). It's worth double-checking with HR that they have your correct SSN on file. Also, for those who are self-employed or have side gigs, remember that income reported on Schedule SE (self-employment tax) also counts toward your Social Security earnings record, but it follows the same delayed timeline based on when you file your tax return. The system definitely isn't intuitive, but once you understand the annual cycle, it becomes much more predictable. Your daughter and son-in-law are being very responsible by checking their records early - that's exactly what financial planners recommend!

I'm currently dealing with this exact same situation! Filed for survivor benefits in early February after losing my grandmother who raised me, got approved just over a week ago, and was told the backpay would be direct deposited within "3-5 business days." It's now been 7 days and still nothing in my account. This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no idea that 2-3 week delays were so common despite the consistent timelines SSA representatives give us. I was starting to panic thinking there was an error with my banking information or some issue with my case. The MySocialSecurity online account tip is fantastic - just logged in and can see my payment shows as "processed" which at least gives me confidence it's working its way through the Treasury system. It's definitely frustrating when you have student loans and other bills waiting, and the money feels stuck somewhere in bureaucratic limbo. What really strikes me is how every single person here seems to have gotten that same "3-5 business days" estimate from SSA reps, when clearly the actual processing time is much longer. When you're already dealing with grief and financial pressure, those false expectations really do add unnecessary stress to an already overwhelming situation. Thanks to everyone for sharing your experiences and timelines - reading through all these stories makes me feel so much less alone in this process. It's comforting to know that virtually everyone eventually received their payments, even with the delays. I'll try to be patient for another week before calling, but knowing this level of delay is completely normal for survivor benefit backpay gives me peace of mind!

I'm going through the exact same situation right now! Applied for survivor benefits in January after my wife passed away, got approved about 10 days ago, and was told my backpay would arrive via direct deposit in "3-5 business days." It's now been 8 days and still nothing showing up in my account. This entire discussion has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea that 1-3 week delays were so standard despite what the representatives consistently tell us. I was getting really worried that something went wrong with my direct deposit information or that there was some issue with my application. Just checked my MySocialSecurity account after seeing that suggestion mentioned throughout this thread, and my payment shows as "issued" which gives me some relief that it's at least moving through the Treasury system. It's frustrating when you have mortgage payments and other bills waiting, and the money feels stuck somewhere in the bureaucratic pipeline. The consistency of everyone's experiences here really highlights how SSA needs to give more realistic processing timelines instead of those standard 3-5 day estimates that clearly don't reflect reality. When you're already dealing with grief and urgent financial needs, those false expectations just add unnecessary anxiety to an already incredibly difficult time. Thanks to everyone for sharing your stories and timelines - reading through all these experiences makes me feel so much less alone in this process. It's comforting to know that virtually everyone eventually received their payments, even with the delays. I'll try to be patient for another week before calling them directly, but knowing this level of delay appears to be completely normal for survivor benefit backpay gives me hope that mine will come through soon too!

Great advice from everyone here! I went through something similar when I was 64. One thing I'd add - when you call SSA to report your expected earnings, ask them to put you on "voluntary suspension" if your projected overage is significant. This way instead of them withholding sporadically throughout the year (which can mess with your monthly budget), you can choose to have them suspend benefits for specific months when you know your income will be highest. Then restart them when your business slows down. Also, keep detailed records of ALL your business expenses because they DO matter for the net income calculation. Things like equipment purchases, office supplies, travel costs, etc. can really add up and reduce your net self-employment income for SSA purposes. The recalculation at FRA is real - I saw my monthly benefit increase by about $47/month once I hit my full retirement age to account for the 4 months they had completely withheld benefits when I was 64. Not a huge amount but definitely helped!

I'm glad this thread has been so helpful! As someone who went through this exact situation at 63, I wanted to add a few more practical tips: 1. **Timing matters for self-employment income** - SSA counts the income when you actually receive it, not when you earn it. So if you invoice in December but get paid in January, that counts toward the next year's earnings limit. 2. **Quarterly estimated taxes can help you track** - If you're paying quarterly estimates for your business income, those calculations can give you a good running total of your net self-employment income throughout the year. 3. **The SSA-7011 form** - If you do end up with significant earnings over the limit, SSA may send you this form to report your annual earnings. It's much easier to complete if you've been tracking your net income monthly. 4. **Don't forget about the "grace year"** - In your first year of retirement (which was last year for you), there's a monthly earnings test instead of the annual test. But since you're in your second year now, you're subject to the annual limit. The peace of mind knowing this is temporary and not permanent is huge. I was losing sleep over it until I got clarity from SSA directly!