Applying for SS during shutdown

[StevenC173520]

  I just applied for my for my age 70 benefit. Starting in February. This should be the ultimate stress test!

After the nightmare of Army Benefit Center totally butchering my High 3 calculation, and then failing to send my retirement package to OPM & DFAS for several months- what could go wrong???

Wish me luck!

[GailL1 · Accepted solution]

According to the procedures that the SSA and OMB Directors have OKed up to now  - most everything about claims will continue - but if there is research necessary, it could be a bit slower.  

SSA.gov - News Release 10.01.2025  

Do as much as you can online -

Your claim should be easy but remember if you had any work credit earned in 2025, then those will be credited to you later when the data gets to SSA via the W2 employer reporting at year end.

Welcome to Retirement.

[SereneSeagull]

Congrats!  Crossing fingers it’s a smooth process!

[StevenC173520]

I got a message about 3 days after applying, that my application is at step 2- under review at the Denver center. Guess I will be stuck here for a while!

[GailL1]

@StevenC173520 

As long as the Army got everything right from your years of service, Especially since you have had no reportable income for several years and you are at the max age for benefits, you should be fine and actually get approved pretty quickly - at least by the month that you requested - your 1st benefit should come the next month based on your birthday.  

[StevenC173520]

Well, just as you and Roseanne Roseannadanna always say:

IT‘S ALWAYS SOMETHING . . . . .. . . . Never mind!

I just checked my social security account, because - why not?

I was shocked to see that the statement about my application being approved 

is now gone.  It's back to the under review boiler plate, typically 30 days,

if they need information they will contact me, etc...  I feel like Charlie Brown having the football yanked away. Any ideas what they could be doing?

Steve

[StevenC173520]

Oops, "Never Mind" was the Emily Litella thing. I was in New Orleans in the late 70's, and SNL was doing a show there. I saw all the greats! 

Steve

[GailL1]

@StevenC173520  - You said in your post dated StevenC173520 Regular Contributor 10-25-2025 04:32 AM

“Your claim has been approved but will continue to show pending until the month you elected to start your benefits.”

You just confirmed that this is now how it is showing up, 

What month did you want your benefits to begin?  They should begin the following month since SS is paid one month in arrears and is based on your day of birth if you aren’t on some aspect of Medicaid.  . Based on this calendar - the legend is at the bottom of the page.

This is the 2025 Calendar, I assume that your benefits will begin in 2025. 

[StevenC173520]

yes they had posted “Your claim has been approved but will continue to show pending until the month you elected to start your benefits.” on my social security website, but now they have removed that statement.

Steve

[StevenC173520]

So I was concerned about the My SS  website removing the "Your claim has been approved" statement. I asked people why this could be, and never got a good answer. I finally asked Grok, and was surprised to learn that is is fairly common. It seems when the Federal center approves the application, they forward it to the payment center even though in my case it will sit untouched for a few months. Grok said the payment center changes the application status window to a default step 2 of 3. I resolved to just wait until February which is my claiming month. Anyway on Monday of this week my SS website shows this again:      

Your claim has been approved but will continue to show pending until the month you elected to start your benefits.

Example - If you chose August 2021 to start benefits, your claim status will show pending until on or about August 10, 2021.  After this time, your claim status will be updated to show the application process is complete. We will mail you a notice within 10-15 days of completing the application process.   

So, I feel like everything is on track now. Just waiting for my benefit letter, which Grok says should be arriving before Christmas. (wouldn't thaty be nice!). Being realistic, I anticipate that letter sometime in February. 

[StevenC173520]

I will make this update for people in the future who may be sweating their SS application. This is just my experience, no clue what SS applications will be like in the future. I applied for my age 70 benefit back on 04 Oct. 2025, and it was supposed to start in Feb. 2025 (1st payment in March). This application was during the government shutdown. Immediately after my application, I couldn't look at estimates, also my SS statement wasn't showing. On 13 Nov. The stimates, SS statement, and slidey bar re-appeared. My SS statement still showed my age 70 benefit as it was before the application -approximately $4200 per month. As of today my statement shows age 70 at approx. $4400 per month.This is exactly what I had calculated on my spreadsheet, and matches the SSa.Tools amount minus the 2.8%  cola to be applied in January.  I still haven't recieved my benefit award letter, but I feel pretty confident that my 1st check will arrive in March. I haven't made any phone calls, and have just waited it out and things a slowly happening. Thanks to Gail, Serene, Grok, Chatgpt, and others.

[ROThornhill · Accepted solution]

Put in my age 70 app on Oct. 3 2025 for a March 1 check too. Still at step 2 on the timeline. 

So same boat.

[GailL1]

Benefits are paid based on the date of your birthday (the number day of the month) unless you are on Medicaid or SSI (Supplimentary Security Income) rather than the earned Social Security benefit.The later are the ones that arrive on the 1st or 3rd depending on your situation.

Here is the 2026 Calendar; the legend code is on the bottom of the page.

SSA.gov - Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2026 

Happy Retirement 

[StevenC173520]

Thanks for your info, good to know there are others out there. My website says "Your claim has been approved but will continue to show pending until the month you elected to start your benefits."  My benefit statments are showing up again, as well as estimates. The estimates match the value I calculated, so I feel pretty good just waiting for my benefit letter. Generation Jones, Feb. 56 !

[StevenC173520]

OK, I guess applying during a shutdown wasn't so bad after all! I just got this:

Your claim has been approved but will continue to show pending until the month you elected to start your benefits.

20 days start to finish, and no requests for additional info!

Happy!

Steve

[StevenC173520]

Thank you for this opinion, which I also share. I am an american, and a 2nd half boomer (Generation Jones)- so patience is not one of my virtues! Steve

[GailL1 · Accepted solution]

According to the procedures that the SSA and OMB Directors have OKed up to now  - most everything about claims will continue - but if there is research necessary, it could be a bit slower.  

SSA.gov - News Release 10.01.2025  

Do as much as you can online -

Your claim should be easy but remember if you had any work credit earned in 2025, then those will be credited to you later when the data gets to SSA via the W2 employer reporting at year end.

Welcome to Retirement.

[StevenC173520]

Gail, thank you  for this info. I haven't worked since 2021, so no W2's floating in the ether!