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!

This thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm currently in the early stages of helping my spouse with their SSDI application, and seeing all the detailed advice and real experiences shared here is giving me so much confidence about how to approach this process. A couple of things I wanted to add based on what I've learned from other disability communities: 1. **Keep copies of everything** - not just medical records, but also copies of all forms you submit to SSA, any correspondence you receive from them, and notes from phone calls. I've heard too many stories of paperwork getting lost in the system. 2. **Consider requesting your own medical records before SSA does** - some people have found that when they request their own records first, they can spot any errors or missing information and get them corrected before SSA sees them. Plus, you'll know exactly what information SSA will be reviewing. 3. **Don't underestimate the importance of mental health documentation** - even if physical conditions are the primary disability, documenting the mental health impact (depression, anxiety from chronic pain, cognitive issues) can strengthen the case significantly. The collaborative spirit in this thread and everyone's willingness to share both successes and setbacks is exactly what people need when navigating this overwhelming system. Thank you all for creating such a supportive resource!

This thread has been such a goldmine of information! I'm currently at the very beginning of considering an SSDI application for my chronic conditions, and reading through everyone's detailed experiences has been both educational and reassuring. A few things that really stood out to me from this discussion: 1. **The importance of organization from day one** - I'm definitely going to start that comprehensive medical provider list now, before I even file my application. The 5-year lookback period is something I hadn't fully considered. 2. **Documentation of functional limitations is crucial** - It sounds like SSA doesn't just want to know what conditions you have, but specifically how they prevent you from working. I need to start keeping better track of my daily limitations and how my symptoms affect my ability to perform work tasks. 3. **The medical records request is actually a positive sign** - I had no idea that SSA actively requesting additional medical information typically indicates they're seriously considering the case rather than just going through the motions. For anyone else just starting to consider this process, it seems like the key themes are: be proactive, stay organized, document everything, and don't be afraid to communicate with SSA when you need clarification or extensions. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences - both the challenges and successes. This kind of peer support and practical guidance is invaluable for those of us facing this daunting process!

I'm dealing with a very similar situation right now - SSA made errors during my disability review and now they're saying I owe back thousands of dollars that I never should have received in the first place. It's so frustrating when their mistakes become our financial burden! I've been following this thread closely and wanted to add a few things that have helped me: 1. **Document EVERYTHING** - I started keeping a detailed log of every phone call, office visit, and interaction. Include names, dates, times, and exactly what was said. This has been invaluable when different reps give conflicting information. 2. **Ask for supervisor notes** - When you meet with supervisors, ask them to add notes to your case file about what was discussed and any commitments made. This creates an official record that can't be ignored later. 3. **Consider filing a complaint with your state's disability advocacy organization** - They often have more pull with SSA than individual complaints and can sometimes resolve issues faster than the formal waiver process. The system is definitely broken, but don't give up. You clearly have a strong case since this was entirely their error and you tried to fix it immediately. Keep fighting - you shouldn't have to pay for their incompetence!

I'm so sorry you're going through this nightmare - it's absolutely infuriating when SSA's own mistakes become your financial burden! Reading through all the excellent advice here, I wanted to add one more resource that might help. Contact your local Legal Aid Society - many have SSA specialists who can help with overpayment waivers at no cost. They're often more effective than going it alone because they know exactly how to phrase things in "SSA language" and have established relationships with the offices. Also, if you haven't already, consider filing a complaint with the SSA Office of Inspector General (OIG) about the Henderson office's handling of your case. While it won't directly fix your overpayment issue, it creates an official record of their errors and might prevent others from going through what you're experiencing. The combination of the waiver request (SSA-632), personal conference with a Springfield supervisor, and having an advocate in your corner should give you the best chance of getting this resolved properly. Don't let them wear you down - you're absolutely in the right here and deserve to have their mistakes corrected without financial penalty to you.

Welcome to the community! I went through this exact same situation when I started my benefits earlier this year. That $348.90 check is definitely your partial payment for September - completely legitimate! Since you were approved partway through September, SSA calculated your daily benefit rate and paid you only for the days you were eligible that month. The reason it came as a paper check (despite your direct deposit setup) and doesn't appear in your online account is unfortunately just how their system handles these initial partial payments. It's frustrating that SSA doesn't include even a basic explanation with these checks, but based on all the experiences shared here, this is totally normal. Your full monthly payments will start arriving via direct deposit as scheduled. Go ahead and cash that check - just keep a record of it for tax purposes since it won't show up in your online account history!

As someone who just started receiving Social Security benefits a few months ago, I completely understand your confusion! I had the exact same experience - got a mysterious paper check for $329.15 about two weeks before my first regular direct deposit payment. Like you, it didn't show up anywhere in my MySocialSecurity account and I was convinced there had been some kind of error. After calling SSA (and waiting on hold for over 2 hours!), they confirmed it was my partial payment for my first eligible month. Here's what they explained: when you become eligible for benefits partway through a month, they calculate a daily benefit rate and pay you only for the days you were actually eligible in that first month. So your $348.90 is likely for about 8-10 days of September benefits. The frustrating part is that these initial partial payments often come as paper checks even when you've signed up for direct deposit, and they frequently don't sync with the online account system - it's apparently a known technical limitation that SSA just hasn't fixed. Your check is absolutely legitimate - go ahead and cash it! Just make sure to keep good records of this payment for tax purposes since it won't appear in your online account history. All your subsequent payments should come through direct deposit normally and show up in your account as expected. Welcome to the Social Security system - it has its quirks, but this community is great for navigating them!

As someone who's been successfully working part-time while on SSDI for about 18 months now, I wanted to share a few lessons learned that might help: 1) **Start small and track everything** - I began with just 10-12 hours per week earning around $600/month, well below any thresholds. This gave me confidence in the system before gradually increasing. 2) **Use SSA's online reporting** - The my Social Security portal lets you report wages online, which creates an automatic paper trail. I screenshot every submission for my records. 3) **Don't forget about taxes** - Working while on SSDI can affect your tax situation. If your combined income (SSDI + work earnings) exceeds certain thresholds, part of your SSDI becomes taxable. Factor this into your planning. 4) **Consider seasonal work patterns** - Some months I earn more, some less, which helps me stay under annual limits while maximizing income during busy periods. The mental health benefits you mentioned are real! Having structure, social interaction, and feeling productive again has been incredibly positive for my overall well-being. The key is just being methodical about the financial side so you can focus on the therapeutic benefits. Your plan to meet with WIPA first is perfect. They helped me understand nuances I never would have figured out on my own.

I've been following this discussion as someone who's been navigating SSDI work rules for the past year, and there's one aspect I don't think has been fully covered yet - the importance of understanding how your specific disability affects your work capacity evaluation. SSA doesn't just look at how much you earn, but also at the type of work you're doing and whether it demonstrates an ability to perform "substantial gainful activity." This is especially important for people with fluctuating conditions or invisible disabilities. For example, if your spinal injury limits you to desk work, taking a job that requires standing or lifting could trigger a review even if you're earning under the SGA limit, because it might contradict your disability claim. Conversely, if you find work that accommodates your limitations (like remote data entry, phone customer service, or other sedentary roles), it's much less likely to raise red flags. I'd strongly recommend discussing not just the earnings limits with your WIPA counselor, but also how different types of work might be perceived in relation to your specific medical conditions. They can help you identify roles that align with your RFC (Residual Functional Capacity) so you're not inadvertently creating documentation that could be used against you in future reviews. The mental health benefits are absolutely real though - having that sense of purpose and productivity has been a game-changer for me too. Just make sure the work you choose supports rather than contradicts your disability narrative.