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I'm still waiting for mine too! It's been really stressful not knowing the exact amount, especially since we're trying to finalize our holiday spending budget. My sister got hers two weeks ago and we usually receive all our SSA mail around the same time. Reading all these responses really puts my mind at ease though - sounds like this is completely normal and they really do send them out over several weeks. I'll stop checking the mailbox obsessively every day and just wait patiently until mid-December like others suggested. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!
I'm in the exact same situation! Still waiting for my COLA letter and it's making me anxious about our budget planning too. My husband got his over a week ago, but mine is nowhere to be found. This thread has been so helpful though - I had no idea they stagger the mailings over such a long period. I'm going to try that 2.5% calculation method that Mason mentioned and stop worrying about it until mid-December. It's such a relief to know this is totally normal and not something to panic about!
I'm also still waiting for my COLA letter and was getting really worried until I found this thread! My neighbor got hers almost two weeks ago and we're both retirement age with similar circumstances, so I couldn't understand the delay. It's such a relief to hear from everyone that SSA really does send these out in waves over several weeks. The 2.5% calculation tip is super helpful - I just did the math and it looks like my monthly benefit should go up by about $47. I'll stop stressing about it and wait until December to check my MySocialSecurity account online. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially the former SSA employee who explained the process!
I'm so glad I found this discussion! I've been in the same exact situation - still waiting for my COLA letter while my spouse got theirs over a week ago. I was starting to think there was an issue with my account or that somehow I got missed in their system. Reading everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring. The former SSA employee's explanation about the 3-4 week batching process makes so much sense, and I love the 2.5% calculation tip to get a rough estimate while we wait. I'm definitely going to stop checking the mailbox multiple times a day and just be patient until mid-December. Thanks to everyone for sharing - this community is so helpful for navigating all these SSA processes!
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I'm new here and this thread has been so educational! My husband was also born in 1952 and I've been completely confused about when his FRA was and whether he made the right choice. Reading everyone's responses has really clarified things for me - it's definitely 66 for anyone born in 1952. I love all the practical suggestions about how to find the exact benefit start date. The bank statement idea is brilliant and probably the fastest way to get a clear answer. I had no idea about those delayed retirement credits potentially giving a 16% increase - that's huge! It sounds like if your husband did wait until 2020, you're in a really good financial position. One question I have after reading all these responses: does anyone know if there are any downsides to waiting past your FRA? I keep seeing that you can get those 8% annual increases until age 70, but are there any situations where it might not make sense to wait? Just trying to understand all sides of this decision for future reference. Thank you all for creating such a helpful and welcoming discussion!
Welcome to the community! Great question about potential downsides to waiting past FRA. While the delayed retirement credits are generally beneficial, there are a few situations where waiting might not make sense: 1) If you have health concerns that could affect longevity - the break-even point is usually around age 82-84, so you need to live long enough to recoup the missed payments, 2) If you need the income immediately for living expenses, 3) If you're married and your spouse would benefit more from starting spousal benefits sooner, and 4) If you have other retirement accounts that you're required to start drawing from anyway. The 8% annual increase stops at age 70, so there's no benefit to waiting beyond that. But for most people in good health who don't need the income immediately, those delayed credits are pretty hard to beat! It sounds like you're asking all the right questions to make an informed decision.
I'm new to this community and this discussion has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a very similar situation with my spouse who was also born in 1952. Reading through everyone's responses has really clarified the FRA being 66 for that birth year. What I found most valuable was learning about all the different ways to track down the exact benefit start date - especially checking bank statements for when the Social Security deposits first appeared. That seems like the most straightforward approach. I had no idea about the delayed retirement credits potentially providing such a significant increase (16% for waiting until age 68)! One thing I'm curious about after reading all these responses - for those who did wait past their FRA, did you find that the SSA clearly explained these delayed credits when you first applied, or is this something you had to research and figure out on your own? I'm trying to understand how well the SSA communicates these important details to people making these decisions. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and making this such a welcoming community for newcomers like me!
Welcome to the community! Great question about how well SSA explains delayed retirement credits. From my experience helping my parents navigate this, the SSA doesn't always do a great job of proactively explaining the delayed credit benefits. When my dad applied, they focused mainly on his primary insurance amount and monthly benefit, but didn't really emphasize how much more he could get by waiting. We had to ask specific questions and do our own research to fully understand the impact. The SSA representatives are generally helpful when you ask directly, but they don't always volunteer information about maximizing benefits through delayed filing. That's why communities like this are so valuable - you get real-world experiences and practical advice that might not be clearly communicated during the official application process. I'd definitely recommend doing your own research and asking specific questions when the time comes to apply!
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The online application typically takes 30-45 minutes to complete if you have all your information ready. I'd recommend setting aside at least an hour to be safe. Remember that you don't have to complete it all in one sitting - you can save your application and come back to it later. However, as another commenter mentioned, if you leave it idle too long during an active session, you could get timed out. One more tip: apply 3-4 months before you want your benefits to begin. This gives the SSA time to process your application and ensures you'll get your payments on time. While many online applications are processed quickly, some require additional verification that can take time. Good luck with your application!
Thank you all so much for the helpful advice! I feel much better prepared now. I'm going to gather my documents, check my earnings record, and really think about my claiming strategy before I start the application. I appreciate everyone taking the time to share your experiences and knowledge!
One more thing to consider - if you're married, make sure to understand spousal benefits! Even if your spouse never worked or had lower earnings, they might be entitled to benefits based on your record (up to 50% of your full benefit amount). Also, if you're divorced but were married for at least 10 years, you might be eligible for benefits on your ex-spouse's record without affecting their benefits at all. Many people don't realize these options exist and miss out on additional income. The SSA website has some good calculators to help you compare different claiming strategies, especially if you're married. It's worth spending some time with those before making your final decision on timing.
This is such an important point that often gets overlooked! I'm actually divorced after a 12-year marriage and had no idea I might be eligible for benefits on my ex-husband's record. Does anyone know if there are income limits or other restrictions for divorced spousal benefits? Also, do I need to provide my divorce decree when I apply, or is that something they can verify on their own?
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I'm 71 and just applied online last month after procrastinating for way too long! Like you, I was terrified of messing something up, but it really was straightforward. The whole thing took me about 45 minutes because I kept second-guessing myself and re-reading everything twice. One thing that helped me was calling the SSA general number (1-800-772-1213) BEFORE applying just to ask a quick question about my earnings record. Even though I didn't apply by phone, talking to a real person for 5 minutes gave me confidence that my record looked correct. The online system automatically calculates your benefit amount based on your earnings history - there's no way for you to accidentally request less than you're entitled to. And since you're past FRA, you'll definitely want to request benefits starting as early as possible to get those retroactive payments. Don't wait any longer! I wish I had done it sooner instead of losing sleep over it for months. You've got this!
This is so helpful to hear from someone who just went through it! I love the idea of calling first just to verify my earnings record - that's a great way to ease into the process without committing to applying by phone. 45 minutes sounds very reasonable, and honestly, taking time to double-check everything seems smart rather than rushing through it. Thank you for the encouragement - I think I'm finally ready to stop procrastinating and just do this!
I completely understand your anxiety about this - it's such an important decision and you want to get it right! I went through the same worry when I was approaching 70. Here's what I learned from my experience: The online application is actually very user-friendly and has built-in safeguards. It won't let you proceed if you're missing required information, and there are helpful explanations for most questions. The benefit calculation is done automatically by their computer system regardless of whether you apply online, by phone, or in person - so there's no risk of getting a lower amount due to the application method. Since you're already past your FRA and approaching 70, timing is more important than the method you choose. You're leaving money on the table every month you delay at this point. The online system will prompt you to select when you want benefits to begin - make sure to choose the earliest possible date to maximize your retroactive benefits (up to 6 months). My advice: gather your documents (bank info, recent tax returns if you have pension income), set aside a quiet hour, and just do it online this week. You can always save your progress and come back if you need to. The relief you'll feel once it's submitted is incredible, and you'll wonder why you worried so much!
Thank you for this incredibly reassuring response! You've really helped put things in perspective - you're absolutely right that I'm losing money every month I delay at this point. I think my perfectionist tendencies have been paralyzing me when I should just focus on getting it done. The fact that the benefit calculation is automatic regardless of application method is exactly what I needed to hear. I'm going to follow your advice and gather my documents this weekend, then tackle the online application early next week. Sometimes you just need to hear from others who've been in the same boat to realize your fears are bigger than the actual task!
Tyrone Hill
OMG ppl are so lucky with military pensions! My dad worked for the county for 35 years and gets a good pension but when he tried to get any SS from my moms record they said nope because of that GPO thing. makes no sense why military is treated different from other govt workers!
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Lena Kowalski
•The difference is that military service members have been paying into Social Security since 1957, while many state and local government employees (like your father) were covered by pension systems that operated outside of Social Security and didn't contribute to it. The GPO was designed to treat government workers who didn't pay into Social Security similarly to dual-earner couples where both spouses paid into the system.
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Layla Mendes
As someone new to understanding Social Security benefits, this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a somewhat similar situation - my spouse worked for a state agency that didn't pay into Social Security for most of their career, but I've been in the private sector my whole working life. Reading about how military pensions are treated differently than other government pensions really clarifies why we're facing the GPO reduction while military families like yours won't. It sounds like you and your husband are in a much better position than I initially thought when I saw your question. The key takeaway I'm getting is that the type of government service really matters - if Social Security taxes were paid during that service, then GPO doesn't apply. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences and knowledge!
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