Going back to the original question - here's a simple example to make it crystal clear: Let's say your gross SS benefit is $2,000/month and Medicare Part B premium is $170/month. Your net check is $1,830. If COLA is 3%, the increase is calculated on the $2,000, giving you a $60 increase (to $2,060). If Medicare then increases by $15 (to $185), your new net check would be $1,875 ($2,060 - $185). So even though you got a full 3% COLA ($60), your actual check only increased by $45 because of the Medicare premium increase. This is why many beneficiaries feel like they don't get the full COLA - other costs are rising simultaneously.

Just wanted to add that you can also check your exact COLA calculation by looking at your Social Security Statement online at ssa.gov/myaccount. It shows your benefit history and how each year's COLA was applied to your base amount. This helped me understand exactly how much my gross benefit increased versus what my net payment became after Medicare and other deductions. It's really helpful for budget planning since you can see the pattern of how COLA and Medicare premium changes have affected your payments over time.

As someone who's been researching this topic extensively, I wanted to add another resource that might help. The SSA's publication "How Work Affects Your Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10069) has a section specifically about post-70 earnings and benefit recalculations. You can download it from their website or request a paper copy. What I found particularly useful is that it includes examples of how the recalculation works with actual dollar amounts, which helped me understand the potential impact better than the general explanations I found elsewhere. The document also clarifies that there's no limit to how many times your benefit can be recalculated - it happens automatically every year you have earnings that would improve your calculation, regardless of your age. For those still confused about the timing, the recalculation typically shows up in your December payment (reflecting the October processing that others mentioned). Hope this additional resource helps!

I'm new to this community and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! I'm 69 and have been getting so much conflicting information about working past 70. What really helped me understand this was realizing that there are actually THREE different ways your Social Security benefit can change after you start collecting: 1) delayed retirement credits (stop at 70), 2) annual COLA adjustments (continue for life), and 3) earnings recalculations (also continue for life). I think a lot of the confusion comes from mixing these up. Thanks to everyone who shared their real experiences - it's so much more helpful than the generic information on SSA's website. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips about tracking changes in October/December and using the online Social Security Statement to compare current vs. historical earnings. As someone who had several years of part-time work in my early career, I'm now confident that continuing to work will benefit my long-term financial situation.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm absolutely amazed by how detailed and helpful this discussion has been! Reading through everyone's experiences has really opened my eyes to the complexities of Social Security benefit calculations that I never knew existed. The consistent theme of verbal phone estimates being significantly different from actual payment amounts is both enlightening and concerning for someone like me who's starting to plan for the future. The technical explanations about sequential reduction factors, the mandatory rounding down rule, and the importance of using the my Social Security online account for accurate estimates have been incredibly valuable. I had no idea that federal law actually requires benefits to be rounded down rather than to the nearest dollar - that's definitely something I'll factor into my planning calculations. What strikes me most is how this thread demonstrates the power of community knowledge sharing. The practical tips shared here - from documenting everything and taking screenshots, to services like Claimyr for getting through to SSA, to having recent tax documents ready when applying - are exactly the kind of real-world insights you can't get from official government websites. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially Luca for providing that helpful follow-up with the resolution. This is exactly the kind of peer support that makes navigating these complex government programs so much more manageable. I'm definitely creating that online account and will be approaching any future SSA interactions with much more informed expectations!

This entire discussion has been incredibly enlightening for someone like me who's just starting to navigate Social Security planning! I'm 59 and had been relying on rough estimates from friends and basic online calculators, but reading through everyone's experiences here has made it crystal clear that I need to be much more systematic about understanding the actual calculation process. The consistent pattern of phone estimates being $30-60 off from actual payments is honestly quite concerning - that's a significant amount when you're planning a retirement budget! The explanations about sequential reduction factors and the mandatory rounding down rule have been particularly eye-opening. I had no idea these calculations were so nuanced or that federal law requires rounding down rather than to the nearest dollar. I'm definitely going to create a my Social Security account this week and start running detailed scenarios for different retirement dates. The advice about documenting everything with screenshots and having recent tax documents ready for application is exactly the kind of practical wisdom I was looking for. It's also good to know about services like Claimyr for when I actually need to get through to a human at SSA. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences - this community knowledge is invaluable for understanding what to actually expect from this process rather than just relying on official government materials that don't seem to capture these important nuances!

I'm new to this community but had to jump in because this exact situation is happening in my household right now! My husband has been insisting that if I claim spousal benefits, it will somehow reduce his Social Security payment. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge relief - it's clear that this misconception is incredibly common among husbands! What really strikes me is how many different ways people have explained the same concept: separate accounts, different programs, insurance policies, library sections - all pointing to the same fundamental truth that spousal benefits don't affect the primary worker's benefit at all. I'm definitely bookmarking this entire thread to show my husband. Between all the personal experiences from couples who've actually navigated this successfully, the professional insights, and even the regulation references people have shared, I think I finally have enough ammunition to convince him he's wrong! Thank you to everyone who shared their stories - it's so validating to know that we're not the only couple dealing with this confusion. The Social Security system is complex enough without having to fight with your spouse about how it actually works! 😅

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since it's so relevant to your situation! My husband and I literally went through this exact same debate last year when we were both turning 65. He was absolutely convinced that if I claimed spousal benefits, his Social Security check would somehow be smaller each month. What finally convinced him was when I made him call the SSA with me on speaker phone. The representative was incredibly patient and explained it using a really simple analogy: think of Social Security like a big government vault with different compartments. Your husband's retirement benefit comes from one compartment that's labeled with his name and social security number - that money is his based on his work history, and nobody else can touch it. Spousal benefits come from a completely separate compartment that's specifically set aside by Congress to help support spouses with lower earnings records. The rep also mentioned that spousal benefits were actually added to Social Security in 1939 specifically because lawmakers realized that many wives had little to no work history outside the home, and they didn't want those women to be left with nothing in retirement. The whole point was to strengthen families financially, not to penalize anyone. Reading through all these responses, it's clear your husband is definitely not alone in this misconception! Show him this thread - sometimes hearing from multiple real people who've actually been through this exact situation is more convincing than government pamphlets. You're absolutely right, and once he understands how it really works, you'll both be able to move forward with confidence in your retirement planning!

I'm so sorry for your loss and the additional stress this bureaucratic delay is causing you during an already difficult time. As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through everyone's helpful advice and wanted to add a few thoughts. You're absolutely right to pursue this - your husband's estate is entitled to that March payment since he was alive for the entire month. The fact that you're now at 6+ months is definitely beyond the normal 4-6 month processing time everyone mentions. Based on what I've read here, I'd suggest trying a multi-pronged approach: First, call early morning (8am) with those specific questions others outlined about alerts, holds, and fund confirmation status. Second, if that doesn't yield results, definitely consider reaching out to your congressional representative's office - they can often cut through bureaucratic delays much faster than individual calls. One thing I noticed from similar posts is that sometimes these claims get stuck on technical issues that aren't communicated clearly. The suggestion about confirming SSA actually received the returned funds is particularly important since there can be delays between when you see the bank withdrawal and when their system registers it. Keep detailed notes of every interaction and don't accept vague "it's in queue" responses. You deserve specific answers about what's preventing this from moving forward. Hang in there - you're advocating for something the estate is rightfully owed.

I'm so sorry for your loss and the frustration you're experiencing with this delay. As a newcomer to this community, I've been reading through all the helpful advice shared here and wanted to offer some additional support. You're absolutely entitled to that March payment since your husband was alive for the entire month, and being at 6+ months is definitely beyond the normal processing timeframe. From what I've learned reading similar cases, it sounds like there might be a specific technical issue holding things up that hasn't been properly communicated to you. I'd recommend calling SSA at 8am sharp using those specific questions others have outlined - particularly asking about alerts/holds on your claim and whether they've confirmed receipt of the returned funds. Sometimes there's a disconnect between when you see the withdrawal from the bank account and when SSA's system actually registers they have the money back. If the phone calls don't yield concrete answers, definitely consider contacting your congressional representative's office. They have staff specifically trained to help with federal agency issues and can often get movement on claims that have been stalled. Most importantly, don't accept any more vague "it's in queue" responses. You've waited long enough and deserve specific information about what's preventing this from being processed. Document everything and keep advocating - this is money your husband's estate is rightfully owed.