As someone who just went through this process myself, I can definitely relate to your anxiety about the timing! I was born in July 1958 as well and had the same concerns about accidentally getting reduced benefits. I ended up applying online in early December 2024 for my March 2025 FRA start date. The online application was actually much more straightforward than I expected. When you get to the section about when you want your benefits to begin, it's very clear - you can select the exact month and year. I chose March 2025 and the system even had a confirmation screen that showed my selection. One thing that really helped ease my mind was calling the SSA number (1-800-772-1213) about a week after I submitted my online application, just to confirm they had received it and that my benefit start date was correctly recorded as March 2025. Yes, the wait time was long (about an hour and a half), but the representative was very helpful and confirmed everything was processed correctly. The key is just being very deliberate about that benefit start date selection. The system is designed to prevent the exact mistake you're worried about - it won't automatically start your benefits early just because you applied early. Take your time with that section of the application and double-check your selection before submitting. You're smart to plan ahead and ask these questions now. Applying in December will give you plenty of time for processing without any stress about delays affecting your first payment.

I'm in almost the exact same boat as you! Born in July 1958 with FRA of 66 and 8 months, planning to retire right before my FRA in March 2025. I've been reading through all these responses and they've been incredibly reassuring. What really stands out to me is how many people with our exact situation have gone through this successfully. The consensus seems clear: apply 3-4 months ahead (so November or December 2024), be very deliberate about selecting March 2025 as your benefit start date in the online application, and document everything. I love the practical tips people have shared - taking screenshots of your benefit start date selection, setting up your online Social Security account beforehand to track application status, and even calling after submission to confirm everything was recorded correctly despite the wait times. The fact that multiple SSA insiders and recent applicants have confirmed the online system has clear safeguards against accidentally starting benefits early really puts my mind at ease. It sounds like as long as we're careful with that benefit start date selection, we can't go wrong with the timing. Thanks for starting this thread - it's been incredibly valuable for those of us navigating this exact situation!

A critical factor here is whether your son continued to be eligible for benefits as a student after turning 18. Based on your timeline, it sounds like he did qualify under the "full-time student" provisions that allow benefits to continue until graduation or age 19 (whichever comes first). If the sole reason for the overpayment is his mother's medical improvement, and not any issue with his student status, then your waiver argument should focus heavily on the fact that he had no way of knowing about his mother's changed medical status - especially given that she hasn't been involved in his life. The technical term for what you want to emphasize is that he was "without fault" in causing the overpayment. The SSA's own policy states that individuals are without fault when: "The overpaid individual relied on information from SSA that turned out to be incorrect." Since SSA continued sending the payments, this should apply to your son's situation.

I'm a social worker who helps families navigate SSA issues, and I want to emphasize something important that hasn't been fully addressed yet - the timing of when your son turned 18 versus when the overpayment period began. Since your son was still a minor in April 2023 when the overpayment allegedly started, there's a strong argument that he cannot be held responsible for payments made while he was under 18. Minors have legal protections specifically because they cannot be expected to understand complex benefit rules or monitor their parents' medical status. I'd recommend adding this to your waiver documentation: highlight that he was 17 years old when the overpayment began and had no legal capacity to understand or act on information about his mother's disability status even if he had somehow received it. Also, make sure to document his current financial situation thoroughly - full-time student status, part-time income, basic living expenses. SSA considers educational expenses as legitimate financial hardship factors. Include documentation of tuition, books, transportation, and any other school-related costs. The fact that you're helping with some expenses actually strengthens the hardship argument rather than weakening it - it shows his income alone isn't sufficient to cover basic needs, let alone an $8,000+ debt.

This thread has been really informative. I'm approaching retirement age myself and had no idea about these rules regarding divorced spouse benefits. Does anyone know if there are other benefit combinations I should be aware of? I was married for 22 years before divorcing, and my ex is still alive but already collecting Social Security.

This is such valuable information! I had no idea about surviving divorced spouse benefits either. I'm 67 and my ex-husband passed away two years ago - we were married for 15 years before divorcing in the early 2000s. I've been getting my own Social Security retirement benefits, but after reading this thread I'm wondering if I might be eligible for additional benefits too. Does anyone know if there's a time limit on when you can apply for these surviving divorced spouse benefits? I'm kicking myself for not knowing about this sooner, but better late than never I suppose!

As someone who just started learning about retirement planning, this thread has been incredibly educational! I'm still decades away from retirement, but seeing how Roth IRAs provide such flexibility with Social Security is making me seriously consider prioritizing Roth contributions over traditional 401k contributions at work. The fact that Roth withdrawals don't count toward the earnings test, don't affect IRMAA thresholds, AND don't make Social Security benefits taxable seems like a huge advantage. Are there any downsides to Roth accounts that I should be aware of as I'm planning for the long term? It almost seems too good to be true that you can access this money tax-free without affecting other retirement benefits. Thanks to everyone who shared their real-world experiences - it's so much more helpful than trying to decode government websites!

As someone who's been helping family members navigate Social Security for years, I can confirm what others have said - Roth IRA withdrawals absolutely do NOT count toward the earnings test at any age. The confusion often comes from mixing up different types of retirement income and their various tax implications. Here's the simple breakdown: The Social Security earnings test ONLY looks at wages from employment and self-employment income. It completely ignores investment income, pensions, and retirement account distributions - including both traditional and Roth IRAs. Since you're hitting FRA (67) next year, the earnings test won't even apply to you regardless. But even if you were younger, those Roth withdrawals still wouldn't count. This is actually one of the biggest advantages of Roth accounts for early retirees who want to bridge income until Social Security kicks in. One tip: When you do call SSA (if needed), specifically ask about "earnings test" vs "taxability of benefits" - they're two completely different things and some reps mix them up. Good luck with your retirement planning!

So glad you got this resolved! This is exactly why I always tell people to be proactive with SSA - that "benefit type review" note could have definitely led to an automatic switch if you hadn't called. For anyone else reading this thread who might be in a similar situation, here are the key takeaways: 1) Medicare enrollment at 65 is separate from benefit switching, 2) You can stay on survivor benefits even after 65 if they're higher than your own retirement benefit, 3) Always ask SSA to put notes in your file about your preferences, and 4) Keep detailed records of all your conversations with them. Thanks for updating us with the resolution - it'll help other people who find this thread!

Wow, what a journey! This thread is incredibly helpful for anyone dealing with the maze that is Social Security benefits. I'm actually approaching 62 and starting to think about all these decisions, and reading about your experience with the "benefit type review" note is both scary and educational. It sounds like SSA systems are set up to potentially make automatic changes that aren't always in the beneficiary's best interest, which is why being proactive like you were is so crucial. The fact that Claimyr helped you get through quickly is also a great tip - I've heard horror stories about people waiting hours on hold or weeks for callbacks. Thanks for sharing both the problem and the solution - this is exactly the kind of real-world experience that helps the rest of us navigate these complex systems!