Contributor ⭐

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

436 replies
320396 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.

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JeffreyA826398

Contributor ⭐

Because of the changes caused by the passage of the recent Fair Social Security Act (passed end of 2024) there are many new eligible applicants. Plus the SS admin is having to go back and amend current recipients whose benefits were increased due to the acts passage. This includes figuring increases retroactive to 1/1/20024. Many of these adjustment are for the millions of teachers, firefighters, police officers and spouses ineligible for retirement benefits due to past provisions in the laws prohibiting or lowering benefits a person from receiving both a local government pension and SS retirement benefits.

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MarkW495344

Contributor ⭐⭐

I noticed that a lot of the news sites are basically copying and pasting the same articles over and over with the current date rather than the original date of the article in regards to issues at the SSA. This doesn't seem to have a purpose other than to cause panic with recycled articles, which is understandable for people who have been waiting 5 months. My status remains pending just under 4 months in, one week past my 62nd birthday. I do not expect a payment until April 9th and hopefully a letter beforehand. I don't plan on calling SSA until later in April, and am fortunately solvent through the summer. But it is frustrating to not get answers and have to budget necessities to hold out for a conclusive resolution. That, along with possible inflation due to Tarif's, does cause concern.

If you have grocery stores with great specials or discount food establishments (as I do), stock up! I'm hoping not to have to resort to applying for SNAP, but will if I have to. Fortunately there are lots of resources for seniors, and many of them are state controlled rather than federal. I just wanted to provide a bit of hope for others in the waiting stage, and look forward to reading about positive resolutions with notifications of approval and consistent payments going through.

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TammiB17510

Contributor ⭐

So glad it isn't just me 🙂 I applied December 13 so next week will be 90 days. Someone from some Social Security office called my cell about 3 weeks ago but didn't leave a message and unfortunately I was away from my phone. I tried to find out who called, but the main SSA number couldn't/wouldn't help - just said "oh, if it was important I'm sure they'll call back". LOL - my "step 2" reviewer in Federal Way Washington was probably one of the 7,000 fired.

SummerOnTheWay1

📎 [Friday 3/7/25] Tammi @TammiB17510 , NO pressure to respond. Someone posting here had said after visiting their LOCAL office to check on their ONLINE application, they were APPROVED. Any thoughts on this? Thanks, Nicole 👵

[*** @TammiB17510 wrote:
So glad it isn't just me 🙂 I applied December 13 so next week will be 90 days. Someone from some Social Security office called my cell about 3 weeks ago but didn't leave a message and unfortunately I was away from my phone. I tried to find out who called, but the main SSA number couldn't/wouldn't help - just said "oh, if it was important I'm sure they'll call back". LOL - my "step 2" reviewer in Federal Way Washington was probably one of the 7,000 fired. ***]

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TammiB17510

Contributor ⭐

Yes thank you - I was thinking exactly the same. I plan to wait until the 90 days passes next week and then make an appointment with my local office.

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CindyJ284326

Contributor ⭐

Same here, in Seattle WA. My husband and I both put in our applications for retirement benefits to start in February 2025. We hav been stuck in the dreaded “step 2 of 3” stage for nearly three months now, no change, I login and check every day and nothing changes. I just tried calling to check on it and see if I need to supply any more data, called the generic 800 number, and was on hold with a very pleasant BOT who kept repeating “your call is important to us”, for 6 hours, when I finally gave up and hung up the call.

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GailL1

@CindyJ284326

You do know that if your told them in your application to begin Feb. 2025 - that they interpret this to mean your benefit for Feb.

Social Security is paid one month in arrears - so your payments should start in March 2025 when you will be paid for Feb. 2025

Your benefits will be paid based on this calendar -

SSA.gov 2025 Calendar of Benefits Payments

Now that is if you are of Full Retirement Age (FRA) - if less than your FRA then there are additional rules if you are going to continue to works - the income cap.

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RobertR246740

Contributor ⭐

same here with me. I just turned 70 February 16. Fortunately I am still working and October 24th I put my application for retirement benefits online. I did it online. Somewhere around December I started checking and it said it was in Step 2 of 3 in the Jamaica NY office. Now February 28th, 127 days later and the last time I was able to log in it was still in the same spot. Now for the last 2 days every time I try to log in it says I can't at this time, so I don't know what it says.

I feel for you and hope they get you processed soon as I understand that you are not working and after 47 years of paying in, now need that to survive.

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GailL1

@RobertR246740

Remember, Social Security benefits are paid one month in arrears.

I assume you wanted benefits to start when you hit 70 to maximize all the delayed retirement credits. If that is true, you should get your 1st benefit check for February around March 19, 2025 - the third Wednesday of the month per the payment calendar, as long as your benefit calculation is as simple as you said in your post.

SSA.gov - Payment Calendar 2025

You will probably get a letter confirming this, shortly before your benefits hit your account via automatic deposit. With you not being able to log in gives me the hint that it is taking place currently and they have access to your account for the update.

Let us know when you hear something or you check your bank account on or around March 19 for your benefit deposit.

Happy Retiring !

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ChuckJ552870

Contributor ⭐

For what it's worth....

https://www.ssa.gov/ssa-performance/processing-time-benefits

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JaniseS619527

Contributor ⭐

My husband applied for SS retirement benefits in October 2024, and his application is being processed by the Jamaica, NY office. He was 66 and 8 mos. as of January 30, 2025. As of today his application is still stuck on part 2 of 3. Getting a bit nervous. Nothing unusual in his employment history, so that shouldn't be causing a delay. And heaven forbid you could actually call someone at the Jamaica, NY office and get an answer other than "it's being processed." Anyone else encountering a 4 month delay with an application being processed by the Jamaica, NY office?

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DanielK742454

Contributor ⭐

Hi Janise,

I too have applied at the Jamaica, NY office (my application was the beginning of November) and after calling the Jamaica office twice and waiting almost 2 hours on hold I was informed by a very nice representative that I should expect a response sometime in the middle or late March. I am not very confident about this date and expect to wait probably many weeks beyond that date since the current presidential administration has terminated quite a few Federal workers, including those who work for the SS administration. The rep also told me that I would be paid for any previous months that were missed. Hope this helps!

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TheGaff725

Contributor ⭐

Trump laid off 24 people in total from the SS Administration, so the DOGE excuse won't work here. Nice try though.

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MarkW495344

Contributor ⭐⭐

I applied on November 12th after having to wait 2 weeks for a special passcode because my phone number is not on the national phone registry. I quickly moved to step two, application being processed in Jamaica Queens, like many others who are posting. My birthday is coming up this week and I don't expect to get a payment in March although notice of approval would be nice. Thanks to others who have posted they got their approval, it definitely gives some hope that this will be resolved easily.

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GailL1

Social Security benefits ar paid one month in arrears. So if you are going to be your Full REtirement Age on your next birthday and you listed Feb. 2025 is the month you wanted to start -then you may get your benefit (Feb) in March. The date you get it would be based on your birth day dateSSA.gov 2025 Calendar of when benefits are paid

see the bottom of the page to determine the day your benefit should come.

HOWEVER if you are not yet furl retirement age or you will be turning 62 in Feb. then you are gonna have to wait until April because you have to be 62 for the entire month for benefits to begin.

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steveholte13468

Contributor ⭐

Based on a quick look at the responses it looks to me that they are processing retirement applications using a combination of requested start date of benefits and date of application (assuming everything in the application is correct). Quite a few that replied mentioned they got their application approved right about the time their first payment was expected, but only after waiting several months and being stuck at stage 2 with zero explanation as to what is going on. So my guess is all the applications go into a FIFO queue and from there get processed based on the the requested start date (this would explain being stuck at stage 2 for so long). I applied on 12/10/2024 for my FRA on 2/28/2025 so if I'm right I'll likely get approved the 4th week of March just ahead of the time my first payment is expected. So the take-away is apply as early as possible but don't expect to hear anything until right up to before your first payment is expected and the "30 Day" bit is just not a reality. BTW this seems to have been going on for awhile now but looks like its gotten worse I suppose due to sheer number of boomers that are retiring which I think is an indication of the economy slowing down. I work in tech and there have been a lot of folks getting let go and us grey-hairs seem to be tapping out and getting what ever kind of buyout or severance package they can while companies are still offering them. Maybe that's not wide-spread but that's what I'm seeing in my world.

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CBtoo

Conversationalist ⭐⭐⭐

Retiring and boomers part of your comment... Most boomers are still retiring prior to 70 (onoy about 4% wait that long per one study I saw) but the number of boomers retiring is large because we are a big population bubble that trashes/affects everything we touch. The last of the boomers only turned 60 last year. Also more boomers turn 65 from 2024-2027 than before or after then so you would be seeing an increase (although the full retirement age is going up too, however about 30% or so retire at 62).

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SusanR428528

Contributor ⭐

Trying to simply make a comment but the only way I can is if I reply to a comment. Help

fffred

Conversationalist ⭐⭐⭐

@SusanR428528 If you don’t want to appear to be replying to another comment, just click reply to the original post. That’s what I do.

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