One additional tip: you can create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if you haven't already. It will show you your benefit payment dates and amounts, and you can see exactly when your next payment is scheduled. It's very helpful for keeping track of everything.

This is such a common concern for new Social Security recipients! I went through the exact same panic when I started getting my benefits. The payment schedule really is confusing at first, but once you get used to it, it becomes predictable. Just to add to what others have said - if your payment date falls on a federal holiday, they'll usually send it the business day before. So sometimes your payment might come a day or two earlier than expected, which is always a nice surprise! Also, direct deposit typically hits your account early in the morning on your payment date, so don't worry if you don't see it right at midnight. Banks process these deposits at different times throughout the day.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I'm planning to submit my application online this weekend, aiming for benefits to start in September. I've created a checklist of documents to have ready based on your suggestions. I feel much more confident about the process now. Will update if I run into any issues!

Just want to add that you should also check if you're eligible for any spousal benefits or survivor benefits - sometimes people don't realize they might qualify for higher payments based on their spouse's work record instead of their own. The online application will walk you through these options, but it's worth understanding beforehand. Also, if you have any gaps in your work history or periods where you might have worked under different names, have documentation ready to explain those. The SSA can be very thorough about verifying your entire work record. Good luck with your application this weekend!

I called my wife's pension system today. Her projected pension after 24 years (when she plans to retire) will be about $3,850 monthly. So if I'm understanding correctly, the GPO reduction would be about $2,567 (2/3 of $3,850). My SS benefit at 70 would be around $3,940 vs. $2,950 if I claimed now at 64. So it looks like if I delay to 70, she would still get about $1,373 in survivor benefits after the GPO reduction. If I claim now, she'd only get about $383 after GPO. Does that math look right to everyone? Seems like delaying would still help her significantly in this case.

As a new member who's been researching this topic for my own family situation, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly detailed discussion. The math example that Camila provided really helps illustrate how these calculations work in practice. One thing I'd add for anyone reading this thread: make sure to also consider that your wife's own Social Security benefit (from her 12 years of covered employment) will likely be reduced by WEP when she starts collecting it. This is separate from the GPO impact on survivor benefits, but it's another piece of the puzzle that affects overall retirement planning. Also, I've found that many local SSA offices have staff who aren't fully versed in WEP/GPO calculations, so getting multiple opinions or using the online calculators on SSA.gov can be helpful to verify the numbers you're given. Your situation shows that even with these provisions, strategic timing decisions can still make a meaningful difference. The $990 monthly difference in survivor benefits you calculated is substantial over time.

To summarize what everyone's saying (since there's been some confusion in this thread): 1. Your SSDI benefit will convert to retirement benefits when you reach your Full Retirement Age (FRA) - which is NOT 65, but later depending on your birth year 2. The dollar amount remains EXACTLY the same when this conversion happens 3. The conversion is automatic - no paperwork needed 4. You'll continue to receive COLA increases 5. If you're already on Medicare through SSDI, nothing changes with your Medicare Hope this helps provide clarity!

I'm new to this community but wanted to share my experience since I just went through this exact transition last month. I was on SSDI for 4 years after a workplace injury, and like you, I was terrified my benefits would drop when I hit my FRA (which was 66 and 8 months for me, born in 1958). The good news is everyone here is absolutely right - my payment amount stayed exactly the same down to the penny. The only thing that changed was the letter I get each month now says "retirement" instead of "disability" benefits. One thing I didn't see mentioned yet is that you might want to create a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov if you don't already have one. You can see your benefit history, projected retirement amounts, and get official documents there. It really helped ease my anxiety to see everything laid out officially rather than relying on what people told me. Hang in there - sounds like you've been through a lot with your back injury and the financial stress. At least this is one thing you don't have to worry about!

congrats on retireing!! i wish someone explained this earnings stuff to me before i started SS. would have waited til my FRA probly

Welcome to the community! I went through this same situation when I started my benefits at 64. One thing that really helped me was keeping detailed records of my monthly earnings - I created a simple spreadsheet tracking each month's wages so I could stay under that $1,860 monthly limit. Also, since you're working at an accounting firm, you probably already know this, but make sure you're tracking gross wages, not net pay - SSA uses your gross earnings for the earnings test. The system is definitely confusing, but it sounds like you're asking all the right questions early on. That puts you way ahead of where I was!