I'm also approaching 65 and this entire thread has been absolutely eye-opening! Like so many others here, I was completely unaware that the retirement landscape had changed so dramatically from what our parents experienced. I was all set to start Social Security at 65 thinking it was just the standard thing to do. The information about needing to select July for a June 28th birthday makes perfect sense now - you have to be 65 for the entire month to be eligible for benefits that month. But honestly, the bigger revelation has been learning about the 13% permanent reduction for taking benefits before Full Retirement Age of 67. That's a huge amount of money to lose over a lifetime! What I find most valuable is the advice about separating Medicare enrollment from Social Security timing. I had no idea these were independent decisions - I thought everything had to happen at once when you turned 65. Knowing I can enroll in Medicare to avoid penalties while taking more time to decide on Social Security timing is such a relief. I'm definitely going to spend time with that SSA retirement estimator tool before making any moves. After reading all these personal experiences and professional insights, it's clear this decision deserves much more careful consideration than I was giving it. Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge - this discussion has probably saved me from making a very expensive mistake!

I'm turning 65 in a few months and this entire discussion has been incredibly enlightening! Like so many others here, I was planning to start Social Security at 65 thinking that was still the standard retirement age. Reading through all these expert responses has completely changed my understanding. For your June 28th birthday question, everyone's right that you should select July since you need to be 65 for the entire month to be eligible. But the bigger takeaway from all this advice is really considering whether to take benefits at 65 at all given the 13% permanent reduction. I had no idea that Medicare and Social Security were separate programs that could be handled independently. Being able to enroll in Medicare at 65 while delaying Social Security until Full Retirement Age (or even later) seems like such a smart strategy that I wish was more widely known. The SSA retirement estimator tool that multiple people mentioned sounds like a must-use resource. After seeing the financial impact that early filing can have over a lifetime, it's clear this decision deserves much more careful analysis than just assuming 65 is the right time. Thanks to all the SSA professionals, financial advisors, and people who shared their personal experiences - this thread has been more helpful than anything I've found on official websites!

I'm so sorry you're going through this stress! Document issues seem unfortunately common with SSA's system. A few suggestions that might help: First, during your callback tomorrow, ask them to read back the specific document titles/dates they have on file - not just page counts. This will help you identify what's actually missing. Second, if you have any particularly crucial records (like your neurologist reports you mentioned), consider having that doctor's office fax them directly to SSA with your claim number - sometimes this bypasses the portal issues entirely. Finally, keep detailed notes of every conversation including the representative's name and what they tell you. The anxiety around this process is real, but many people have gotten through similar document confusion and still been approved. You're being proactive by following up, which is exactly what you should be doing!

I'm going through something similar right now with my initial application! The uncertainty about whether they have all your documents is absolutely nerve-wracking. One thing that helped me was creating a detailed list of every document I submitted with the file names and dates - that way when I call, I can ask specifically about each one. Also, I learned that you can request a "claims file summary" over the phone which sometimes gives you more detailed information than just page counts. The representative can tell you the document titles and dates they have on file. I know the waiting and uncertainty is brutal when you're already dealing with health issues. Hang in there - it sounds like you're being really proactive about following up, which is exactly what you need to do in this system.

I'm new to this community and just started receiving my Social Security benefits last month. Like everyone else here, I was completely puzzled when my deposit showed $1,891.00 instead of the $1,891.47 on my benefit notice. I actually thought there was some kind of automatic deduction I wasn't told about! This thread has been such a lifesaver - I had no idea about SSA's rounding down policy until reading all these experiences. It's frustrating to lose 47 cents every month (almost $6 per year), but at least now I understand it's standard procedure and not an error I need to chase down. I really appreciate all the detailed explanations, especially about the POMS documentation. As someone completely new to navigating Social Security, these kinds of insights from experienced community members are invaluable. I totally agree that SSA should mention this rounding policy somewhere in their communications - it would save so many new beneficiaries from the same confusion we've all experienced. The strategic timing tip for filing benefits is brilliant too - wish I had known that before I applied! Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge and helping newcomers like me understand how this system really works.

I'm brand new to this community and just received my first Social Security retirement payment this week. Like so many others here, I was completely confused when my bank deposit showed $2,034.00 instead of the $2,034.78 listed on my benefit letter. I initially thought my bank had made some kind of error with the direct deposit amount! Reading through this entire thread has been incredibly eye-opening - I had absolutely no idea that SSA has a policy of rounding down all benefit amounts to the nearest dollar. While it's disappointing to lose 78 cents every month (that's over $9 per year), I'm relieved to know this is standard procedure and not a mistake I need to spend hours trying to resolve. I really echo what everyone has said about SSA needing to communicate this policy better - just adding one simple sentence to their benefit letters explaining the rounding would prevent so much confusion for new recipients like us. As someone who's completely new to the Social Security system, I'm incredibly grateful for this community where experienced members take the time to explain these policies that aren't clearly documented elsewhere. The advice about strategic timing when filing to potentially get over the next dollar threshold is really smart - I wish I had known that before submitting my application! Thank you all for sharing your knowledge and helping newcomers understand how this system actually works.

You've got a solid plan! One additional tip - when you do switch to your own retirement benefit at 70, make sure to keep records of all your communications with SSA. Sometimes there can be delays in processing the switch, and having documentation helps if you need to follow up. Also, consider doing a benefits estimate on the SSA website (ssa.gov/myaccount) to double-check your projected amounts before making the switch. The online calculator can show you exactly what your retirement benefit would be at different claiming ages, which helps confirm your strategy is maximizing your lifetime benefits.

I went through this exact same decision process about 6 months ago and can confirm what others have said - the benefits are calculated completely separately! I was also 63 when my husband passed and decided to take survivor benefits at 64. The SSA representative I worked with was very clear that my future retirement benefit wouldn't be affected at all by taking survivor benefits early. One thing I'd add is to get everything in writing when you apply. I asked for a written explanation of my benefit amounts and how they were calculated, which has been helpful to reference. Also, don't be surprised if different SSA representatives give you slightly different information - I talked to three different people and got three slightly different explanations, but the core message was always the same: the benefits don't affect each other's calculations. Your strategy sounds really smart, especially if your own benefit at 70 will be significantly higher than the reduced survivor benefit. Good luck with everything!

One more important detail - the earnings test only counts wages or self-employment income. It doesn't count investment income, pension payments, annuities, capital gains, or government benefits. So if any of your income comes from these sources, they won't count toward either the monthly or annual limits. And remember that the earnings reduction isn't a permanent loss. Once you reach your Full Retirement Age, your benefit will be recalculated to credit back the months when benefits were withheld.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who went through this exact decision last year. I was 64 and had a similar situation with irregular income from freelance work. I ended up starting benefits in March after earning about $20k in Jan/Feb, then stayed under the monthly limit the rest of the year. The key thing I learned is to keep detailed records of your monthly earnings - not just annual totals. SSA will want to see month-by-month breakdowns if there's any question about whether you exceeded the monthly limits. I used a simple spreadsheet tracking gross income by month which made everything much clearer when I had to provide documentation. Also, if you're doing contract work, make sure you understand how they count the income. It's when you EARN it, not when you get paid. So if you do work in January but don't get paid until March, that income counts toward January for the earnings test purposes.