Contributor ⭐

Huge delays in Social Security processing new retirement applications, does anyone know why

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
April 14, 2023
436 replies
319459 views

The website for Social Security used to say that it would take up to 30 days to process new applications for retirement benefits. In a week it will have been three months. Now the website says 2-4 weeks, but that has got to still be wrong.

I gather from other forums, that a delay of 2-3 months is now normal.

What I would like to know is, why?

Every time I try to search for information, all of the results are about disability, not retirement. And not a single results explains why it is taking so long when they already have my entire work history of 47 years, etc. They have all the information they need.

What exactly is it that they do to process applications which turns 2-4 weeks into 2-3 months.

Does anyone know why?

I cannot work a job right now, my arthritis is too painful.

I can't wait more months to begin getting retirement checks, I will be homeless.

Show previous replies

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rolocedoc

Contributor ⭐⭐

To All - this was just posted - it's a wait and see!

Second round of March Social Security payments goes out in 5 days

SummerOnTheWay1

📎 [Monday 3/17/25] @rolocedoc , where was this posted? 🤔

[*** @rolocedoc wrote:
To All - this was just posted - it's a wait and see!

Second round of March Social Security payments goes out in 5 days ***]

GailL1

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

It’s the regular schedule for benefit payments based on one’s birthday if on Social Security Benefits after 1997.

A regular schedule if for Supplemental Security Income or a mixture of Social Security and Supplemental Security Income. Or for those who get Social Security benefits if benefits were set up before 1997.

SSA.gov Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2025

See the bottom of the page for details.

IT‘S ALWAYS SOMETHING . . . . .. . . . Roseanne Roseannadanna

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rolocedoc

Contributor ⭐⭐

Those who rely on SS Benefits - if this is your only source to be able to buy food and pay bills, well, you need to find a part time employment while waiting for your $$$ gets deposited to your bank account or a check mailed to you - you'll starve if you don't find part time employment.

R

rolocedoc

Contributor ⭐⭐

Maam - I guess > this - The website for Social Security used to say that it would take up to 30 days to process new applications for retirement benefits > 30 days processing time - is somewhat - deceiving! When I filed in August 2024 - it took 4 months to process my claim - and they gave me retro funds equivalent to 6 months - I guess they backdated it - from June to November, the check came in the mail, I've opened a bank account, and the rest are deposited straight to my bank. Now, that it is - again - delayed - they will do another retro from January to March or maybe till June - I'm just guessing, okay - it can happen, right? Xing my fingers - I'll check my bank account tomorrow.

M

MarkW495344

Contributor ⭐⭐

I had a notice this morning that there was an update on my application, and when I went online, the needle had moved to step 3, marked as approved. A letter is being sent to me which will indicate my benefit, so now just waiting on that. It took 4 months and 1 week to alter, so I should have my benefit letter within 2 weeks. Hoping this alleviates fears for those still in the waiting process.

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rolocedoc

Contributor ⭐⭐

Hi - I guess mine was on the top of the file - I've just received a deposit in my account, I'm heading to the bank to get some cash and buy groceries for my family to enjoy - good luck to all! Have a nice day!

M

MarkW495344

Contributor ⭐⭐

After approval, things are moving fast on my end. The letter showing my benefit and first payment was on my account the day after approval, and my bank account also showed a test to make sure account information was correct. Now it's just a matter of making sure payments go through near as to when they should. Feels nice however to be out of the dugout and on to the field.

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rolocedoc

Contributor ⭐⭐

Hi! I just want to say this direct to the point, no matter what situation we are in, Social Security will not make you, me or anyone else a top priority - we all are treated to get our retirement benefits in a timely manner due to the volume of claimants. I worked part time with The Franchise Tax Board at the height of the pandemic and we get tons of letters, forms to process by the hundreds and less workforce to handle the processing, we have to be patient, it will come straight to your bank account if you set up direct deposit, if not, a check will be mailed to you - while waiting for it - get a part time job, there's a lot of work from home for retired people - just be smart coz some would take advantage asking for a small fee and there's a lot of scammers prying on senior citizens coz they know we get fixed monthly benefits from Social Security - always be cautious - have a nice weekend

M

MarkG766531

Contributor ⭐

How long will the re-entry number allow you to get back into the social security application page after you have saved and exited? Is there a limit, or can you wait months to complete a started application?

GailL1

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

@MarkG766531

I answered your question in your other post about it.

https://community.aarp.org/t5/Social-Security/Re-entry-to-complete-started-Social-Security-Application/m-p/2603799

IT‘S ALWAYS SOMETHING . . . . .. . . . Roseanne Roseannadanna

B

bobhudak

Contributor ⭐

I applied for regular ss on 12/9/24 with a check expected in April. Still on step 2 but I made a phone appointment for my wife who will move from her benefit to spousal benefits when I collect. I was told that on her call 3/25/25 they would be able to check my benefits to give her the correct amount. Wish me luck!!

K

KarenF958848

Contributor ⭐

I applied on Feb 2, 2025, with an expected begin date of April 1st, thinking this would be gracious plenty time to receive my first SS deposit. I’ve had my final Federal FERS Supplement upon my birthday last month, and now am extremely concerned about making ends meet, as I have a little part-time job, but am a caretaker for two severely handicapped parents, so cannot work more hours. I am at my wit’s end and a nervous wreck. I plan on going to out local SSA office in town this week. I sure hope this helps. An insight?

D

DonaldD413774

Contributor ⭐

My wife retired 4/21/25 and applied for benefits the 2/3/25 for her benefits to begin 4/1/25. In checking the website all it indicated was in process. She called their number in the morning after 30 days. The wait on hold was about an hour. When someone finally came on all they could tell her was that her application looked in order and was in process. She was told that processing time was typically running 60 days and she should see something around April 5th.

GailL1

Community Champion ⭐⭐⭐

Social Security benefits are always paid a month in arrears.

So if she chose April as her beginning benefit month, her 1st benefit will come in May.

The date a benefit is paid depends on the calendar which SSA has established and is dependent on her actual DAY of birth. (see the bottom of the calendar for what the codes mean)

SSA.gov - Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2025

For retirement benefits, SSA works on the claims

(1) based on the month selected for benefits to begin in the application

(2) then by the age of the applicant with those at Full Retirement Age given 1st priority

(3) benefits are paid a month in arrears and the date of the payment goes by the beneficiary’s DAY of birth - this corresponds with either the 2nd, 3rd or 4th Wednesday of the month.

Second Wednesday 1st – 10th

Third Wednesday - 11th – 20th

Fourth Wednesday 21st – 31st

(4) Different pay dates for those with Supplemental Security Income (SSI) and also those who are receiving a Medicare Savings Program that is linked to Medicaid.

If you received Social Security before May 1997 or if receiving both Social Security & SSI, Social Security is paid on the 3rd and SSI on the 1st

(5) A benefit award letter will be received shortly before the 1st payment hits the bank account - usually. The benefit letter will be posted on the beneficiary’s Social Security account and then it should also come by snail mail too.

IT‘S ALWAYS SOMETHING . . . . .. . . . Roseanne Roseannadanna

J

JamesL772796

Contributor ⭐

Washington Post is reporting

"

The Social Security Administration website crashed four times in 10 days this month because the servers were overloaded, blocking millions of retirees and disabled Americans from logging in to their online accounts. In the field, office managers have resorted to answering phones in place of receptionists because so many employees have been pushed out. Amid all this, the agency no longer has a system to monitor customer experience because that office was eliminated as part of the cost-cutting efforts led by Elon Musk.

And the phones keep ringing. And ringing.

The federal agency that delivers $1.5 trillion a year in earned benefits to 73 million retired workers, their survivors, and poor and disabled Americans is engulfed in crisis — further undermining the already struggling organization’s ability to provide reliable and quick service to vulnerable customers, according to internal documents and more than two dozen current and former agency employees and officials, customers and others who interact with Social Security."

C

ChristopherG582289

Contributor ⭐

The OP's complaint about processing times taking 2-3 months is dated April 14, 2023, seven months before Trump was elected, 10 months before DOGE was in place. It doesn't sound like that 'customer experience system' is doing much good. The SSA is a classic example of a sclerotic federal bureaucracy with no incentive to improve.

It's time to think outside of the box. It may be too late for you and me but if every dollar given to SS by myself and my employers had instead been conservatively invested it would be worth about $2 million dollars at my FRA. Do you think you (or your heirs) are ever going to see that kind of return from those monthly stipends?

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Second round of March Social Security payments goes out in 5 days

Second round of March Social Security payments goes out in 5 days ***]

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