I just went through this process myself about 6 months ago! I ended up doing exactly what you're planning - sent the letter first, then called to follow up. One thing I'd add to the excellent advice already given: when you write your letter, also include a statement about whether you want to suspend spousal benefits too (if applicable). I forgot to mention this and had to send a second letter because my spouse was getting benefits on my record. Also, keep in mind that Medicare premiums will still be deducted from your Social Security even during suspension, so you'll need to arrange direct billing with Medicare if you don't have other income to cover those premiums. The whole process took about 5 weeks from start to finish for me, but having that paper trail really helped when I had questions later.

I'm in a similar situation approaching my FRA and this thread has been incredibly helpful! One thing I wanted to add based on my research - make sure you understand the impact on any family benefits. If you have a spouse or dependents receiving benefits based on your work record, suspending YOUR benefits might affect their payments too. The SSA website mentions this but it's not always clear. Also, I've read that some people include a copy of their Social Security card with their suspension letter, though I'm not sure if that's necessary. Has anyone here included additional documentation beyond what was already mentioned, or is the basic letter with your personal info sufficient?

To more directly answer your original question: The indexation factors for 2025 retirement calculations use the ratio of the Average Wage Index (AWI) from the year you turn 60 compared to the AWI for each earlier year you worked. For example, if you're turning 62 in 2025 (born in 1963), your indexation year would be 2023 (the year you turned 60). So if the AWI for 2023 was $65,839.55, and the AWI for 1990 was $21,027.98, the indexation factor for your 1990 earnings would be approximately 3.13 (65,839.55 ÷ 21,027.98). Your actual earnings from 1990 would be multiplied by this factor to determine their indexed value. The SSA then takes your highest 35 years of indexed earnings to calculate your Average Indexed Monthly Earnings (AIME), which becomes the basis for your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA).

Just wanted to add that you can also create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov to see your complete earnings history and get benefit estimates. The online tools there will show you exactly how your indexed earnings are calculated, and you can run different scenarios (like working until 65, 67, or 70) to see how it affects your monthly benefit. Since you're 58, this is perfect timing to start planning your optimal claiming strategy. The account also lets you download your Social Security Statement which breaks down the indexation calculations year by year.

I'm going through a very similar situation right now! Applied in October for February 2025 benefits and mine also still shows "processing." It's reassuring to see that this seems to be totally normal based on everyone's responses here. I was starting to panic thinking I did something wrong with my online application. Thanks for posting this question - it's exactly what I needed to read today!

I'm in a very similar boat! Applied in August for January 2025 benefits and mine has been stuck on "processing" for months too. Reading through all these responses is so helpful - I had no idea this was such a common experience. It's frustrating that SSA doesn't communicate better about their timelines, but at least now I know I'm not alone. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially those who confirmed that back pay covers the waiting period. Going to try calling them next week to double check everything is in order, but feeling much more reassured now!

I'm in a similar boat but from a different angle - I've been getting disability benefits for 5 years and worked part-time in 2024 earning about $15,000 (under SGA limits). I'm wondering if those earnings would trigger any kind of recalculation for my disability benefits or if the automatic recomputation process only applies to retirement benefits? I haven't seen any adjustment deposits and my benefit amount hasn't changed. Does anyone know if disability beneficiaries get the same automatic earnings recalculations that retirement beneficiaries do?

I went through something very similar last year and it took almost 8 months to get resolved! What I learned is that the reconsideration process can actually interfere with the automatic recomputation system. When you file a reconsideration, it essentially puts a "hold" on your record while they manually review everything, which prevents the automated system from running its normal calculations. In my case, I had to be really persistent. After 5 months of waiting, I called and specifically asked them to expedite the reconsideration since it was blocking the automatic process that should have happened months earlier. The agent told me they could either withdraw my reconsideration request and let the automatic system run, or continue with the manual review. I chose to stick with the manual review since I was already halfway through the process. One tip: when you do call back, ask specifically about the "ARF flag" on your account - that's the automatic recomputation flag. If it's been disabled due to your reconsideration, you'll want to know that. Also, document every call with dates, agent names, and what they told you. It really helps when you need to escalate or reference previous conversations.

UPDATE: I finally got through to someone at SSA! The $150 was indeed a one-time adjustment related to my earnings record from 2023. Apparently when they processed my tax return information, they found I was eligible for a slightly higher benefit for part of the year. My husband didn't get one because his benefit amount wasn't affected by the earnings update. Mystery solved! And yes, my regular payment came through on schedule too. Thanks everyone for your help!

Thanks for sharing the update! This is really helpful information for others who might experience the same thing. I'm dealing with a similar situation with my elderly mother's benefits - she got an unexpected payment last month and we've been trying to figure out what it was for. Based on your experience, I'll suggest she check if it might be related to her 2023 tax information. It's reassuring to know these adjustments do happen and aren't necessarily errors. Glad you were able to get through to someone at SSA - that's half the battle these days!