To clarify for everyone: When you apply for benefits in your first year of retirement, you need to: 1) Tell SSA you're retiring or significantly reducing work that month 2) Stay under the monthly limit for each month you receive benefits 3) Verify they coded your application for the monthly earnings test 4) Keep documentation of your work reduction If you do all that, then yes, your pre-retirement earnings in 2025 won't count against you. But you must actually reduce your work when you say you're going to.

Just wanted to add one more important point - when you apply in June, make sure you get written confirmation from SSA that they're applying the monthly earnings test to your case. I've seen too many situations where people thought they were set up correctly but SSA was actually using the annual test. You can request this confirmation in writing or ask for a receipt showing how they coded your retirement date. This will save you a lot of headaches later if there's any confusion about which test applies to your situation.

also just wanna say the whole $2000 limit is ridiculous in 2025!!! how is anyone supposed to save anything with that stupid rule??? cant even have emergency savings without losing benefits smh

I'm new to this community but wanted to share what I learned when I had a similar situation last year. I received a $1,800 class action settlement and was terrified about losing my SSI benefits. After doing some research and talking to a benefits counselor, I found out there are actually several options beyond just the basic "spend down" rule that others have mentioned: 1. **Irrevocable burial/funeral trusts** (as many have mentioned) - completely exempt from resource limits 2. **ABLE accounts** - if you became disabled before age 26, you can put up to $18,000/year into these special savings accounts that don't count toward SSI limits 3. **Plan to Achieve Self-Support (PASS)** - even for smaller amounts, you might be able to use this to set aside money for work-related goals The burial trust option sounds perfect for your situation since the money originally came from a pre-need plan anyway. Just make sure it's set up as an irrevocable trust specifically for burial/funeral expenses. Also, definitely report it within the 10-day window - that's mandatory regardless of which option you choose. The SSA takes unreported resources very seriously and will eventually find out through data matching with banks and other agencies. Good luck! The system is complicated but there are legitimate ways to handle this without losing your benefits.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also be aware of how bonuses, vacation pay, or sick pay might be handled if any of that comes into play with your December work. Sometimes these payments follow different timing rules than regular wages. Also, if you're planning to work similar extra shifts in the future, it might be worth asking your employer if they can adjust the pay period cutoff dates to help you manage your earnings limits more predictably. Some employers are willing to work with employees on Social Security to help with timing issues like this.

I'm dealing with a similar situation but with a twist - I'm 64 and will turn 65 next April. My employer offers holiday pay for working Christmas and New Year's, but those premium payments don't come until mid-January. Since I'll still be under my FRA, I assume the same "when paid" rule applies, meaning that holiday premium would count toward 2025 earnings even though the work happens in 2024. Has anyone dealt with holiday premium pay timing before? I want to make sure I understand this correctly before I commit to working those holidays.

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who's been receiving Social Security for over 10 years - the early payment system for holidays works like clockwork. I've never had a single instance where my payment was delayed because of a holiday. December 24th is definitely when you'll see your money! One thing I've learned is to set up text or email alerts with your bank so you get notified the moment the deposit hits your account. Takes away all the anxiety of checking and rechecking. Most banks offer this service for free and it's been a lifesaver for me during holiday periods when I'm worried about timing.

I'm new to receiving Social Security and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I was panicking about the same thing since my first payment is scheduled for December 25th. Reading everyone's experiences about getting paid early on the 24th instead of late has put my mind at ease. It's reassuring to know that SSA has a consistent policy for this and that so many people have had positive experiences with holiday payment timing. Thank you all for sharing your knowledge - this community is such a valuable resource for navigating these situations!

I'm glad to see you got such helpful answers here! As someone who went through a similar situation with my late husband's benefits, I can confirm that land contract payments won't affect your survivor benefits. One small tip I learned the hard way - when you do get that lump sum, consider setting aside a portion for taxes if there's any gain involved. Even though it won't affect your SSA benefits, depending on how the original sale was structured, there might be capital gains implications when the contract pays off early. Your tax preparer will know for sure, but it's good to be prepared so you're not surprised come tax time. Also, congratulations on having that financial cushion coming your way. Losing a spouse is hard enough without worrying about money constantly. This should give you some peace of mind.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your husband. Dealing with financial uncertainties while grieving is incredibly stressful. The community here has given you excellent advice - your land contract payoff won't affect your survivor benefits since it's unearned income, not wages from employment. I wanted to add one more consideration that might be helpful: if you're not already working with one, this might be a good time to establish a relationship with a fee-only financial planner who has experience with widows and Social Security planning. With $125,000 coming in, you'll want to think strategically about how to make that money work for you long-term while preserving your current benefits. They can help you understand the optimal timing for potentially switching from survivor benefits to your own retirement benefits down the road, and help you invest this lump sum in a way that provides additional income security. Keep all the documentation from this land contract transaction in a safe place. While you shouldn't need to report it to SSA, having clear records will be helpful for taxes and any future financial planning decisions.