One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet - if you're planning to apply online in March, make sure you have all your documents ready beforehand! You'll need your birth certificate, W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns for the previous year, military discharge papers if applicable, and bank account information for direct deposit. I'd also recommend creating your mySocialSecurity account NOW if you haven't already. It takes a few days to verify your identity, and you'll want to review your earnings history and benefit estimates before applying. Plus, once you're receiving benefits, you'll use this account to manage everything - tax documents, address changes, benefit verification letters, etc. The whole process was much smoother than I expected when I applied at 62, but having everything organized ahead of time definitely helped. And definitely agree with everyone about budgeting for that gap between your last paycheck and first SS payment!

The identity verification for mySocialSecurity usually takes 1-3 business days, but you can often access your earnings record immediately after creating the account - it's just some other features that might be delayed. I'd suggest setting it up ASAP just to be safe. As for the online application, it's actually quite user-friendly! The system saves your progress as you go, so you can take breaks and come back to it. There are also helpful explanations and examples for each section. The trickiest part is probably the section about your work history and when you plan to stop working, but just answer honestly about your situation. One tip: don't worry too much about making a "mistake" - you can always call SSA to clarify or correct things after you submit. The most important thing is getting that March application in so your June benefits start on time. The representatives are generally helpful when you need to make adjustments. And yes, definitely dig up those discharge papers now! Military service credits can add a nice boost to your benefit calculation, especially for service in the late 70s/early 80s.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm really impressed by how helpful and knowledgeable everyone has been in this thread! I'm actually dealing with a very similar situation with my own parent, and reading through all these responses has answered questions I didn't even know I had. The clarification about FRA rules is particularly valuable - like many others here, I was under the impression that ANY work while receiving Social Security needed to be reported, regardless of age. Learning that there's no earnings limit after reaching Full Retirement Age is such a relief! I'm also grateful for all the practical tips about setting up the my Social Security account, especially the advice about mail verification for those who might struggle with the online identity questions. The insider perspective from the SSA employee was incredibly helpful too. This is exactly the kind of real-world guidance that's so hard to find on official government websites. Thank you to everyone who took the time to share their experiences and knowledge - it's going to make navigating this process so much easier for families like mine!

As someone who recently went through this exact process with my elderly father, I wanted to add a few practical tips that might help! First, regarding the FRA question - at 66, your mom is definitely at her Full Retirement Age, so she doesn't need to report her new job earnings. But I'd still recommend setting up that my Social Security account because it's incredibly useful for so many other things. Here's what I learned from our experience: When you help her create the account, try to do it during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening) when the SSA servers are less busy. We had several failed attempts during midday that I think were just due to heavy traffic on their system. Also, if you go the mail verification route that was mentioned earlier, make sure her mailing address is exactly correct in SSA's records first. My dad had an issue where his address was slightly different in their system (missing apartment number) and it delayed the verification letter. One last thing - even though she doesn't need to report wages, keeping a simple log of her work dates and earnings might be helpful for her own records, especially if she ever needs to reference them for tax purposes or if any questions come up later. Better safe than sorry! Hope this helps, and kudos to you for helping your mom navigate this confusing system!

Hi Sean! I'm new to this community but wanted to add my voice to what seems like a really supportive discussion. I'm facing a similar situation with my disabled daughter who receives DAC benefits - I'll be transitioning from SSDI to retirement in about 18 months and have been getting the same runaround from SSA that you described. What really strikes me about all the responses here is how consistent the actual experiences have been, even though SSA reps keep giving conflicting information. It seems like in practice, the DAC benefits really do stay at 50% of your PIA when you transition at FRA, and your PIA doesn't change during that conversion. I'm taking notes on all the great advice here - especially the tips about requesting written documentation, asking for a Claims Specialist, and bringing the original disability determination letter. The suggestion about asking them to show you the actual calculation on their computer screen is brilliant too. Thank you for posting this question and creating such a helpful discussion! I'm definitely going to follow your lead and come back to update the community when I go through my own transition. It's clear that we get much better information from each other's real experiences than from the inconsistent responses at SSA. Best of luck with your appointment next month!

Hi Sean! I'm new to this community but wanted to share my recent experience since it directly relates to your situation. My husband transitioned from SSDI to retirement benefits at his FRA last year, and our 31-year-old son with Down syndrome continues to receive DAC benefits. I was incredibly anxious about this transition after getting wildly different answers from SSA reps - one told me the benefits would decrease, another said they'd increase, and a third said they'd stay the same! The reality was that both benefits stayed exactly the same amount. Our son continues to receive 50% of my husband's PIA, which didn't change when he converted from disability to retirement at FRA. The SSA rep at our local office explained that the PIA calculation is the foundation for both SSDI and retirement benefits, so there's no recalculation of that base amount when you transition at full retirement age. One thing that really helped us was requesting a printout of both benefit records during our appointment, showing the current amounts and how they're calculated. We also made sure to get written confirmation that our son remained coded as a DAC beneficiary. I'd definitely recommend asking for these documents at your appointment next month - having that paper trail gave us tremendous peace of mind. The waiting and uncertainty was stressful, but the actual transition was completely seamless. You're asking all the right questions and seem well-prepared!

What an incredible resource this discussion has become! As someone who works with seniors navigating benefits, I can't tell you how often I see people miss out on these optimization strategies simply because they don't know about the different FRA timelines for survivor benefits. @Natasha Kuznetsova, I'm so sorry for your loss, and I want to commend you for being so proactive about understanding your options. The strategy you're implementing - taking survivor benefits at 66 and 6 months while letting your own benefits grow until 70 - is exactly what financial planners recommend for situations like yours. One additional resource that might help: the SSA has a phone line specifically for survivor benefits questions (1-800-772-1213) where representatives tend to be more knowledgeable about these specific rules than the general customer service line. When you call, ask specifically for someone who handles "survivor benefit elections" - this can help ensure you get connected with someone who really understands the nuances. Also, since you mentioned being the higher earner, you'll want to factor in that your delayed retirement credits will compound with any cost-of-living adjustments between now and age 70. The math really works in your favor here - you're essentially getting paid to wait while still receiving income through the survivor benefit and your continued employment. This thread should be required reading for anyone approaching these decisions. Thank you all for creating such a comprehensive and supportive discussion!

Thank you so much for that specific phone number and the tip about asking for someone who handles "survivor benefit elections"! Having a direct way to reach knowledgeable representatives is incredibly valuable - I've heard horror stories about getting conflicting information from different SSA staff members. Your point about the delayed retirement credits compounding with cost-of-living adjustments is something I hadn't fully appreciated. It's encouraging to know that the financial benefits of this strategy extend beyond just the basic delayed retirement credits. Every year I wait until 70, I'm not just earning those credits but also getting the annual COLA increases applied to a larger base benefit. This entire discussion has been such an education. When I walked into that SSA office months ago, I never imagined I'd learn so much about survivor benefits strategy. What started as confusion about conflicting timelines has become a comprehensive retirement plan that I feel truly confident about. I can't thank this community enough for the incredible support and detailed guidance. Knowing that financial professionals like yourself validate this approach gives me tremendous peace of mind as I move forward with filing in September. This thread really has become a masterclass in survivor benefit optimization!

Another thing to keep in mind - if you do decide to go through with the withdrawal, you might want to check if your employer offers any kind of phased retirement or flexible work arrangement. Since you mentioned getting a really good contract position, it sounds like you have valuable skills that are in demand. Some people in your situation negotiate reduced hours or consulting arrangements that keep them under the earnings limit while still allowing them to collect benefits. This could be an alternative to the full withdrawal if the math doesn't work out perfectly in your favor. Just a thought - sometimes there are creative solutions that let you have the best of both worlds!

Just want to emphasize something important that others have touched on - make absolutely sure you understand the timeline here. You said you started collecting in December 2024, which means your 12-month window to withdraw closes in December 2025. Don't wait until the last minute to make this decision! The SSA can take several weeks or even months to process Form SSA-521, so if you're serious about this, I'd recommend starting the process soon. Also, keep in mind that once you withdraw, you can't change your mind again - this is truly a one-time opportunity. Given that you're doing well financially with this new contract position, it sounds like you're in a good position to repay the benefits, but just make sure you've thought through all the scenarios before pulling the trigger.