As a newcomer to this community, I'm unfortunately experiencing the exact same situation! Applied in late October for February 2025 benefits and I'm also stuck in processing with no updates since my initial confirmation. The Medicare bills are really causing financial stress - I've already paid close to $900 out of pocket and wasn't prepared for this gap between retiring and benefits starting. It's both comforting and frustrating to read all these similar experiences here. The fact that SSA's website still claims 30-day processing when everyone is reporting 3-6 months is really misleading for people trying to plan their retirement finances. I've tried calling several times but can never reach anyone who can provide actual information about my case status. Like others mentioned, I'm keeping all my Medicare payment receipts and hoping everything gets sorted out retroactively once approved. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it really helps to know this is a widespread issue and not something wrong with my specific application!

I'm also new to this community but unfortunately dealing with the exact same frustrating situation! Applied in early November for March 2025 benefits and I'm still stuck in processing with absolutely no updates beyond the initial confirmation. The Medicare premium bills are causing serious financial stress - I've already paid nearly $800 out of pocket and wasn't at all prepared for this gap between retirement and when benefits actually start. Reading through all these experiences here is both reassuring (knowing I'm not the only one) and really infuriating (seeing how widespread this problem is). The fact that SSA's website still advertises 30-day processing when the reality is clearly 3-6+ months is so misleading for people trying to plan their retirement transition. I've tried calling multiple times and visiting their website messaging system but can never get any real information about what's actually happening with my case. Like everyone else here, I'm keeping all my Medicare payment receipts and hoping everything gets properly adjusted once this finally gets approved. Thank you all for sharing your stories - it really helps to know this is a systemic issue and not something wrong with my specific application!

As someone who's been through this process, I can confirm that the automatic recalculation definitely works! I started collecting at 66 and continued working for three more years. Each year, I got a modest bump (around $25-40 monthly) beyond the COLA increase. The key thing I learned is to be patient - the recalculation typically doesn't show up until late in the following year, sometimes as late as December. Also, don't forget that if you're still working and earning good money like you are, you might also be subject to taxes on your Social Security benefits depending on your total income. But the recalculation feature is one of the nice perks of delaying retirement while collecting - you get credit for those continued contributions to the system!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm 69 and just started collecting benefits 6 months ago while still working part-time as a consultant. My earnings are irregular - some months I make $15k, other months nothing. Does anyone know if the SSA looks at your total annual earnings for the recalculation, or do they care about the monthly fluctuations? I'm trying to figure out if I should try to smooth out my income somehow or if it doesn't matter as long as the annual total is high enough to replace one of my lower earning years from the past.

I work for a disability advocacy organization and see this situation frequently. Your brother-in-law should expect his first regular SSDI payment within 4-8 weeks of approval (so likely by mid to late October). The backpay typically follows 2-4 weeks after that. Regarding child support - NY follows federal guidelines that limit garnishment to 65% of backpay for arrears and typically 50-65% of ongoing monthly payments. However, he should immediately contact the NY State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance (OTDA) child support enforcement unit to discuss his situation. Sometimes they'll agree to a lower percentage if he can demonstrate financial hardship. Important: Make sure he keeps detailed records of all his current living expenses (rent, utilities, food, medical costs) as this documentation can help when negotiating with child support enforcement. Also, since DSS will want repayment from his backpay period, he should ask for a written breakdown of exactly what they expect to recover so there are no surprises. The waiting is brutal, but hang in there - the payments are coming!

I went through almost the exact same situation in NY about 2 years ago! Got approved in August and didn't see my first payment until early October - about 6 weeks. The backpay took another month after that. For the child support piece, they ended up taking about 55% of my backpay (I owed around $8,000 in arrears) and now take about 45% of my monthly payments. The key thing that helped me was calling the child support office directly before the money arrived. I explained my situation - being on assistance, needing to catch up on basic bills - and they actually worked with me on the percentage. Also heads up about DSS - they're going to want back every penny they gave him during the backpay period, so he should ask them for an exact calculation of what they expect to recover. When I got my backpay, between DSS repayment and child support, I only kept about 30% of it, but at least the monthly payments started flowing regularly after that. The waiting is absolutely horrible but the money will come! Tell him to keep calling SSA every few days for status updates - sometimes that helps move things along.

I'm glad to see you figured out the birth year error in your account! That's actually more common than people realize. Just wanted to add that when you do call SSA to correct your birth year, make sure to have your original birth certificate handy - they'll likely need the document number and issuing authority to verify the correction. Also, after they fix it, I'd recommend taking a screenshot of your updated MySocialSecurity account showing the correct FRA, just for your records. It's smart that you're planning to wait for your full FRA at 66+10 rather than taking the early reduction. That extra 1.1% might seem small now, but over 20+ years of retirement it really adds up!

I went through something very similar last year! My SSA account had my birth year wrong by one year, which completely threw off my FRA calculation. Here's what I learned from the experience: First, definitely get that birth year corrected ASAP - it affects not just your FRA but potentially other benefits calculations too. When you call SSA, ask them to email you a confirmation of the change or give you a reference number for the correction. I'd also suggest checking your earnings record while you're at it to make sure all your work history is accurate. The good news is that once they fix the birth year, your online account updates pretty quickly (mine updated within 24 hours). Since you've already given notice at work, you might want to have a backup plan ready - either negotiate extending your end date by 2 months or be prepared for a small gap between employment and full benefits if you decide to retire early. The peace of mind of getting your full benefit amount is usually worth the wait!

One thing that might be helpful as you approach your filing date - consider doing a "practice run" of your monthly budget including your SS benefits before you actually start collecting. Since you'll be getting around 132% of your FRA benefit amount (thanks to those delayed retirement credits!), plus whatever your work income is, it's good to see how that total income affects your overall financial picture. I'd also suggest checking if your employer offers any "phased retirement" options - some companies let you reduce hours gradually while still maintaining benefits, which can be a nice bridge between full-time work and complete retirement. And don't forget that even though there's no earnings limit, you'll still need to report your work income on your annual tax return, so keeping good records throughout the year will make tax time much easier. You're really in an enviable position having waited this long - enjoy those maximum benefits!

As a newcomer here, I'm really impressed by all the detailed and helpful responses! This thread has been incredibly educational. I'm in a somewhat similar situation - turning 66 next year (my FRA) but planning to keep working for a few more years. Reading about Natasha's strategy of waiting until 69 is making me reconsider my timeline. The 132% benefit amount from delayed retirement credits sounds amazing, but I'm curious - for those who waited past FRA, how did you handle the psychological aspect of "leaving money on the table" each month you delayed? Sometimes I worry about the what-ifs, like what if something happens to my health or the program changes. Did anyone else struggle with this decision, or was it pretty clear-cut once you ran the numbers?