As someone who just went through this process at 62, I want to emphasize how important it is to get that confirmation call in! I thought my online application went through perfectly, but when I called a few days later to verify, they had somehow recorded my MOE as two months later than I requested. The agent was able to fix it immediately over the phone, but if I hadn't called to check, I would have lost two months of benefits. She told me this happens more often than you'd think - sometimes it's a system glitch, sometimes it's user error during the online application. My advice: apply online for convenience, but ALWAYS follow up with a phone call within a week to confirm your Month of Entitlement is exactly what you wanted. Don't assume anything is automatic or correct just because you submitted it online. Better safe than sorry when it comes to your retirement income!

As someone new to this community and approaching my Social Security filing decision, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed discussion! The information about Month of Entitlement and the verification process is invaluable. I'm particularly grateful for the real-world experiences shared here - especially the warnings about system glitches and the importance of that follow-up call. It's clear that while the online application is convenient, human verification is still essential to ensure everything is recorded correctly. One additional question for the group: For those who had to make corrections to their MOE after the initial application, did this cause any delays in your overall processing time? I'm wondering if catching and fixing these issues early actually saves time in the long run, or if it can potentially slow things down while they make the corrections. Also, has anyone had experience with getting a written confirmation of their MOE after that verification call, or is the phone confirmation typically sufficient? I tend to be cautious with important financial matters and would love to have documentation beyond just the eventual award letter. Thanks again to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is going to be incredibly helpful for my planning!

I've been following this discussion closely as someone who made the decision to take SS at 62 while working part-time about 18 months ago. Here's what I wish I had known beforehand: **The Good:** - Monthly SS income provides real peace of mind, even at the reduced amount - Part-time work keeps me engaged and provides extra income without the stress of full-time employment - I've been able to delay touching my 401k, which has continued growing **The Challenging:** - Tracking earnings is more stressful than I expected - I literally have a spreadsheet that I update after every paycheck - Found out the hard way that bonuses and holiday pay count toward the earnings limit (went $300 over one year and had to repay benefits) - Tax season became more complicated with the combination of SS benefits and work income **My Advice:** 1. Build in a buffer - if the limit is $22,320, aim for $20,000 max to account for unexpected income 2. Get everything in writing with your employer about your hour limitations 3. Consider jobs with predictable, steady hours rather than variable schedules 4. Factor in ALL income sources - even small 1099 work adds up The strategy has worked for my situation, but it requires much more active management than I initially anticipated. The financial security has been worth the extra administrative hassle, but everyone's situation is different. Make sure you're prepared for the ongoing tracking and potential complications!

I'm 63 and have been doing exactly this for the past year - taking SS early while working part-time at a local library. Here's my honest take: it's definitely more work to manage than I expected, but it's been worth it for my situation. The biggest surprise was how the earnings limit works in practice. They don't just look at your annual total - if you go over the limit, they withhold entire monthly payments until the overpayment is recouped. So if you earn $25,000 instead of staying under $22,320, you don't just lose the difference - you might lose several months of benefits entirely while they balance things out. I've found success by: - Taking a job with absolutely fixed hours (20 hrs/week, no exceptions) - Turning down all overtime, even during busy periods - Tracking my YTD earnings on a simple calendar every payday One unexpected benefit: having that guaranteed monthly SS income has actually made me a better employee. I'm not desperate for hours or worried about job security, so I can focus on doing quality work without the financial stress. My supervisor has commented that part-time older workers often bring a different perspective and reliability. The key is finding an employer who truly understands and respects your limitations. I was upfront during the interview process and it weeded out places that wouldn't be a good fit. The library has been perfect - they needed consistent coverage for specific shifts and weren't looking for someone to work extra hours. Bottom line: if you need the income now and can commit to careful tracking, it can work well. Just don't underestimate the administrative side of managing it all!

I went through this exact situation two years ago at age 63! You're absolutely right to be confused - the SSA website doesn't explain this clearly at all. Here's what happened in my case: I took early retirement at 62 and got about $1,650/month instead of my full $2,200. When I got approved for SSDI 8 months later, my payment jumped to the full $2,200 right away. They also sent me a lump sum check for the difference between what I had been receiving and what I should have gotten from my SSDI application date. The key thing is making sure your disability onset date is properly established. In my case, I had been seeing doctors for my condition for over a year before I even applied for early retirement, so they backdated my disability to before I started collecting the reduced benefits. One tip: if you can afford it, consider getting a disability attorney even before your first decision. Mine helped me organize all my medical evidence properly and made sure I understood exactly what SSA needed to see. It cost me nothing upfront since they only get paid if you win, and having that expertise from day one probably saved me months of appeals. Stay strong - the process is frustrating but worth it if you get approved!

I'm currently in a very similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 62 and have been on early retirement for about 6 months, but my chronic kidney disease has progressed to the point where I can barely function some days. My nephrologist has been documenting the decline for over a year now. Reading everyone's experiences gives me hope that if I apply for SSDI, my benefit could increase from the reduced amount I'm getting now. I'm especially encouraged by the stories about getting retroactive payments. One question for those who have been through this - did any of you have to deal with the "trial work period" rules, or does that not apply when you're already on retirement benefits? I'm worried about losing my current income if I try to do any small amount of work while waiting for a decision. Also, has anyone had experience with kidney disease specifically? I know every case is different, but I'm curious about approval rates for renal conditions at our age range. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge and experiences - this community is so valuable for navigating these complex situations!

Just wanted to add one more tip that helped me when I was in a similar situation - consider asking your employer if they can structure your pay to help you stay within the limits. For example, if you're close to the monthly limit in a particular month, they might be able to defer some pay to the next month (as long as it doesn't put you over that month's limit either). Also, make sure you understand what counts as "earnings" - things like bonuses, commissions, and overtime all count toward the limit, but vacation pay for unused time might be treated differently depending on when it was earned. The SSA has a detailed publication (Publication 05-10069) that explains exactly what income counts if you want the official guidance. Good luck with your new job! It sounds like you've got a good handle on the rules now.

One thing to keep in mind is that the earnings limits typically increase each year with inflation. The $2,340 monthly limit and $28,080 annual limit are for 2025, but they'll likely be a bit higher for 2026. SSA usually announces the new limits in the fall for the following year. Also, if you do happen to go over the limit at some point, don't panic - you can always contact SSA to discuss your situation. Sometimes there are exceptions or special circumstances they can consider. The key is staying in communication with them rather than hoping they won't notice. Your $2,000/month job sounds like it gives you a nice cushion under the limits, so you should be in good shape!

I'm new to this community but currently going through the exact same frustrating experience with my 24-year-old daughter. She's been on SSI since age 18 due to severe ADHD and learning disabilities, and when I applied for her DAC benefits after starting my retirement five weeks ago, I received the identical misinformation about "new policies" that supposedly allow SSA to use existing SSI determinations without additional medical records. The representative was so convincing when she explained these "streamlined procedures" that I actually thanked her for making the process so straightforward! After reading through all these experiences, I'm now expecting a denial and have already started gathering medical documentation from before my daughter turned 22. What's most alarming is how systematic this misinformation appears to be - families across different states and timeframes receiving virtually word-for-word identical incorrect guidance from SSA representatives. This clearly indicates a widespread training failure that's causing unnecessary delays and stress for families already dealing with significant challenges. I'm definitely interested in joining the group complaint effort that's been discussed. With so many families documenting this exact pattern, we have strong evidence of a problem that needs to be addressed at the administrative level to prevent future families from enduring these same ordeals. Thank you to @Natasha Kuznetsova and @Leo Simmons for the professional insights about actual documentation requirements. It's disappointing that we have to rely on community knowledge rather than official SSA guidance, but this information has been invaluable for understanding what's really needed. The potential transformation from SSI to DAC benefits would be life-changing for my daughter - the financial increase, removal of asset limits, and eventual Medicare coverage could provide so much more independence and security. I'll keep fighting through this broken system and will update everyone on how my case progresses.

I'm new to this community and unfortunately experiencing the exact same situation with my 32-year-old son who has been on SSI since age 17 due to severe autism and intellectual disabilities. When I applied for his DAC benefits after starting my retirement last month, the SSA representative gave me the identical line about "updated procedures" and assured me that submitting medical records would actually delay the process. Reading through all these experiences has been incredibly eye-opening - it's clear that this isn't just poor training of individual representatives, but a systematic breakdown in how SSA is handling DAC applications for long-term SSI recipients. What really struck me is how confident these agents sound when providing information that's completely wrong. The representative I spoke with even told me I was "fortunate" to be applying during this period of "streamlined processing." I'm absolutely interested in joining the group complaint effort that several people have mentioned. The consistency of this misinformation across different offices and timeframes is compelling evidence of a widespread problem that needs administrative intervention. Based on the excellent professional guidance from @Natasha Kuznetsova and @Leo Simmons, I've already started gathering my son's medical records from before he turned 22. It's frustrating that we have to ignore official SSA advice and rely on community wisdom, but I'm grateful this resource exists. The potential transformation from SSI to DAC benefits would be life-changing for my son - not just financially, but the removal of asset restrictions and eventual Medicare coverage that could provide him with so much more security and independence. Thank you all for sharing your experiences and creating this supportive community. I'll definitely keep everyone updated on how my case progresses, and I hope together we can help prevent other families from going through this same frustrating ordeal.