UPDATE: My 1099 finally appeared online this morning! Looks like they are indeed rolling them out gradually. For those still waiting, keep checking your online account daily.

Great to hear they're finally showing up! I'm a new SSA beneficiary (just started receiving benefits in late 2024) and wasn't sure what to expect for my first tax season. This thread has been really helpful in understanding the normal timeline and what to do if there are delays. I'll make sure to keep checking my MySocialSecurity account over the next few days. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

I'm really sorry you're dealing with this - a $650 monthly discrepancy is absolutely significant and you deserve clear answers! A few additional thoughts that might help: 1. **Request your complete earnings record** - Sometimes there are discrepancies between what shows online and what's actually used in the calculation. Ask for a printout of your complete indexed earnings history. 2. **Ask about the "bend points"** - These are the income thresholds used to calculate your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). The online calculator might have used different bend points than what was actually applied. 3. **Verify your retirement age calculation** - Even a small error in determining your exact full retirement age can impact the reduction factors applied for early retirement. The missing interview is particularly concerning. That's supposed to be when they verify all your information and catch calculation errors BEFORE finalizing your benefit. I'd argue this represents a failure in their process that may have prejudiced your case. When you call, be firm that you need a line-by-line explanation of how they calculated your benefit, including all reduction factors applied. Don't accept vague explanations - you're entitled to understand exactly where that $650 difference came from. Document everything and consider filing a formal appeal if they can't provide satisfactory answers. This much of a discrepancy suggests either a calculation error or missing information that should be corrected.

This is absolutely infuriating and unfortunately all too common! I went through something very similar last year - my actual benefit was about $580 less than what the online calculator showed. Like you, I made major financial decisions based on that estimate. After weeks of pushing for answers, here's what I learned that might help you: 1. **The online calculator uses "projected" earnings** for recent years that may not match your actual reported earnings. If you had any changes in income in your final working years, this can cause huge discrepancies. 2. **Ask specifically about "windfall elimination"** - even if you don't think it applies to you. Sometimes people have old pension contributions they forgot about that trigger WEP. 3. **Request a "Manual Calculation Review"** - this is different from the PEBES others mentioned. It's where a specialist manually recalculates your benefit to verify the computer didn't make an error. The missing interview is a huge red flag. I had to escalate to a supervisor to get them to admit that skipping quality control steps can lead to calculation errors. In my case, they found a mistake in how they indexed one of my higher earning years. Don't give up! File a formal Request for Reconsideration if they can't explain the discrepancy. You have 60 days from your award notice to appeal. I eventually got my benefit corrected, but it took 4 months of persistent follow-up. Document everything and stay firm - $650/month is worth fighting for!

Have you considered that maybe you were actually eligible for Medicare earlier than you thought? Sometimes they backdate coverage if you were eligible but didn't sign up right away.

This is so frustrating! I'm dealing with something similar right now. When I called Medicare, they basically said "not our problem" and when I called SSA, they put me on hold for 2 hours before disconnecting. Has anyone tried filing a complaint with Medicare directly? I'm wondering if that might light a fire under them to actually coordinate with SSA properly. It's ridiculous that we have to be the middleman between two government agencies that should be talking to each other!

I'm in a similar situation and have been tracking this issue closely. One thing I'd add is that you should also be aware of how the depreciation recapture portion gets treated. While the entire gain (including depreciation recapture) doesn't count toward the Social Security earnings limit, the depreciation recapture portion is taxed as ordinary income rather than capital gains rates. This won't affect your SS benefits but could push you into a higher tax bracket. Also, if you're getting close to the combined income thresholds that determine taxation of Social Security benefits ($25K single/$32K married), this extra income could make more of your benefits taxable even though it doesn't count toward the earnings test. It's one of those quirky situations where the same income is treated differently for different purposes within the Social Security system.

I want to add one more perspective that might be helpful - I'm a retired tax preparer and dealt with this exact situation multiple times. You're absolutely correct that the capital gain from selling your business vehicle won't count toward the $22,300 earnings limit. However, I always advised my clients to keep a detailed folder with the original purchase receipt, all depreciation schedules you've claimed over the years, any improvements made to the vehicle, and the sale documentation. If SSA ever questions it (which is rare but can happen), having everything organized makes the process much smoother. Also, since you mentioned you're being careful about staying under the earnings limit, remember that the limit increases each year with cost-of-living adjustments - for 2025 it's actually $23,400, so you'll have a bit more wiggle room next year. The main thing is to keep your actual consulting income (after business expenses) below the threshold, which it sounds like you're already doing well.

This is such valuable information for grandparents! I wanted to add something that might help - if you're concerned about proving the parents aren't providing support (like Sofia mentioned), you can also ask SSA about getting a "Statement of Non-Support" form. This is something the absent parents can sign (if you can locate them) or you can provide an affidavit explaining their absence and lack of contact. I learned this when helping my neighbor with a similar situation. Also, keep records of ANY expenses you pay for your grandson - school supplies, clothes, activities, even small things add up and show the pattern of you being the primary provider. The more documentation you have, the stronger your case will be.

As someone new to this community, I just wanted to say how incredibly helpful this entire thread has been! I'm in a very similar situation - I've had custody of my 8-year-old nephew for the past 4 years after his parents lost their rights due to substance abuse issues. Reading through Sofia's journey and everyone's advice has given me so much hope and direction for planning our future when I retire in a few years. The practical tips about documentation, the health insurance angle, and especially learning about the Statement of Non-Support form are game-changers. It's reassuring to know that SSA does recognize these family situations where grandparents and other relatives step up to raise children. Thank you all for sharing your experiences so openly - it makes navigating this complex system feel much less overwhelming for those of us just starting to research our options.