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

[CatherineP879665]

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.

[JuneH580660]

I am well aware of all the rules and regulations, I am not looking for the check even a day early, I am looking for the letter that comes once you are approved. I also know exactly when my check should come. I am also well aware of all the information out there telling people that they will get more if they wait. A bunch of very ill intentioned information. I can fo math.

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@GailL1 wrote:

@JuneH580660 

Rushing the process in your case doesn’t matter.

If you aren’t gonna be 62 until June, then your 1st check won’t come until after that date - In fact, you aren’t even eligible for a SS RIB (REtirement Insurance BEnefit) until you are 62.

• 62 is the earliest age for SS retirement benefit
• your benefit will be reduced because you are filing to receive it early.
• SS Retirement benefits are paid (1) month in arrears so if you turn 62 in June, your 1st benefit will be paid in July (for June) according to the SSA Benefit calendar

If they are late - they will send enough benefit amounts to meet your early retirement date. Do you work for the goverment? 

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Bird in the hand. 

[GailL1]

@JuneH580660 

If you have set up your own Social Security Account, your benefit letter will appear there on your account before you get the letter in the mail.

[JaceyA990315]

Applying for retirement benefits has been a nightmare for me as I'm unemployed and have been waiting for over 6 weeks. Don't apply for benefits online it may seem like it's more convenient, but I was informed by an employee at my local SS office there are always problems with online applications as I'm proof of that. After 4 weeks with no response from SSA or approval. I got a generic form letter in the mail from a claim specialist stating he needed more information but neglected to place in the letter what that information was. I called him numerous times and left numerous messages with no response from him. When I contacted my local SS office it took a couple of people a long long time to find out what he was referring to. Eventually they had to place me on a long hold and contact this claims specialist who was in another state. I', a little past 6 weeks and just found out yesterday from my local SS office that my online application was sent to the wrong processing office! So, I still have no income, insurance or anything. This is so horrible when we have worked our entire lives to hopefully have some peace and quiet from the everyday grind and stress of working! 

[PatrickC94564]

I applied November 2023. Did an interview February 8th. Turned 62 on February 20th 2024

 I still haven't heard anything from SSA. When I called the 1800 number they say decision yet to be made. Anyone else in the same boat or When should ai expect payments to start 

[PatrickR342634]

I am gonna be applying in 2 weeks. this will be my only income. I cant afford not to go months without it. Why they doing this?? I could not delay or cut my payments during all my life! Who is in charge of this?

[GailL1]

Then you should know the rules before applying so that you can be aware of the timing.

SSA now says to apply (4) months in advance of when you want your benefits to start.  

Keep in mind that SS benefits are paid one month in arrears so if you say JULY - then your payment starts in August and the date of payment is based on a calendar of benefit payments - by your birth DAY.  

Then if you are applying for early benefits at the age of 62 - you have to be 62 for an entire month before you can get your benefits so include that in your timing.

You should also read up online on any supporting docs which they may need to process your claim - and have those ready.

You should also understand how Medicare will work with your benefit if over 65 and make sure that you have your documents ready if you are signing up after you have turned 65.  

\You should also be aware that if you are less than full retirement age and are still working and making over the earnings cap your claim maybe rejected or your benefit reduced because of the earnings cap.

There are lots of reasons why claims are slowed down and much of it is within your control so just understand the things you can do in order to not slow it down any further.  

[CapeCodNancy]

I just got off the phone with this number 855-897-4927. I was directed to this number before and the person did nothing more than give me the extension of a case manage who after 7 ish messages never called me back. I must have called 5 different departments. I was given this phone number again and called and got the most wonderful lady who has a case manager calling me today (fingers crossed). Anyway, it appears, although My Social Security website has me down as applying for SS and I'm locked on everything (i.e. I couldn't even re-apply) what they have is only applying for disability. Hopefully, this will be resolved today. She said they are getting quite a few calls like that - that the application didn't go through on their end. Maybe it's worth a try calling them? Just don't let them give you an extension - ask to set up an appointment. Good Luck!

[VickieD326695]

I was advised by SSA to contact my State Congressional Representative as the wait has been ridiculous and unable to get any info on why it’s taking so long. I applied in March, to begin in March. It’s now mid August! Hoping State Rep gets it taken care of asap

[w978834b]

called this number and it was answered by a very rude person that asked me where I got this number and very angrily told me that I need to call my local SS number, that this number was in North Carolina, I will never call that jerk again

[PatrickC94564]

I applied for retirement benefits last November did over the phone interview February 8th and I turned 62 February 20th but I still have not received anything from SSA. Not sure what's going on.

[GailL1]

Sign onto your Social Security account and you can follow your applications progress there - 

SSA says to apply for benefits up to 4-Months before you want your benefits to start - but since they called you in Feb. 2024 for a phone interview it sounds like they might have needed more info from you then than what they had on you from November.

They might still need more info if something is amiss - so if you don’t have your Social Security account established - create one or call the CS number and wait and wait to see what’s up with your application.

Did you give them your banking info for direct deposit?  

[PatrickC94564]

They have my bank information. Is it true that they send a letter first before they send payments? I have not received anything so far. Just being curious.

[ThomasH239167]

I'm SO grateful for your post. I wasn't having any luck getting in touch with anybody until I called the number you mentioned - 855-897-4927. It's a N. Carolina number. The first time I spoke to a lady who just hung up on me when she couldn't understand me. But the 2nd time I called and the man told me details about my case, and told me to call my local office in Los Angeles. They were able to help and get my 70-day old SS retirement application approved, finally. Thanks for your help!

[CapeCodNancy]

I applied in August and it is only done with stage 1 of 3. I'm waiting for a call back - they can't find me (automated). I know disability will take longer but I don't know what's going on with retirement 😞 BTW disability is steadily chugging along

[ThomasH239167]

Try calling 855-897-4927....after waiting 70 days they finally directed me to call my local SS office, which worked. Or just find out where your nearest Social Security Admin office is, once you call them or go in person, they should be able to help you right away. All the other numbers were useless! If they give you a number to the person working on your case, usually near your state capitol, it is useless. They don't answer their phone, just goes to voicemail and nobody ever calls back!

[fffred]

@CatherineP879665 

I feel your pain, I have been there.

One point that I have learned over the past year is that the SSA doesn't process your application immediately upon receipt if the date that you want it to begin is more than a month or so in the future. So if someone submits an application in, say, February for benefits to begin in May (with the first payment in June), then that application is just going to sit in the system and won't be fully processed until May.

That's exactly what happened to me and I was given the explanation above by 1 or 2 SSA representatives when I called to inquire. I have also subsequently read that explanation in a few places, including the Reddit Social Security forum, and possibly even here in the AARP forum.

The diagram that shows the progress in the "My Social Security" does give a false promise of imminent action. Take that with a large grain of salt, and maybe a libation.

Good luck!

[krstephe]

Thank you, your response was very helpful! I applied in early May for SSN checks beginning in September. I've been wondering what the holdup could be!

[krstephe]

Quick update, I was able to reach someone at SSA on a different number and they told me that the MySSA website doesn't update on applications until the 1st week of the month you specified in your application that you wanted your benefit to start. So, since I want my benefit to start in September, he said I should receive a letter (and they'll update the website) the first week of that month, sometime between Sept 1 and Sept 7. This saved me logging in every day to check the status. It apparently won't be updated until the first week of the month you want benefits to start.

[CatherineP879665]

Thanks but no, I applied in January and requested to have my benefits begin in January, as I was in dire need of immediate assistance.

[GailL1]

@CatherineP879665 

WHY ????

I participate on the Reddit Social Security Board where a lot of people who work at SSA spend some time answering some questions.

Now many of the post are on SSI ( which is the welfare disability benefit for those blind, elderly or disabled who don’t qualify for SS Disability (SSDI). SSI come out of our government’s General Fund but it is managed by SSA.  

So you see these folks at SSA have a double whammy job in processing both of these entitlements.

Then they also process ALL of the Medicare sign ups, bill beneficiaries for part B premiums if they aren’t getting a SS benefit yet.

We still have 10,000 baby boomers retiring everyday and most of them don’t try to do it online and they have lots of questions on their decision to sign up - 

During the Public Health Emergency (Covid-19 PHE) they also processed ALL of those Covid checks to everybody eligible.  Then others were working from home and a lot of them like it - so when the offices reopened many Never came back - they just quit or retired.

So they are very short handed right now - they got more funds to hire people but like other places the pick’ ns of new hires is limited.  And then they have to be trained.

Not an excuse for them - just reality.  

Have you made yourself a social security account to folllow the progress of you application?  

[jeffc717]

I do appreciate the "reality."  But I am a retired Federal employee who had to do more with less for years but was still ACCOUNTABLE for metrics.  I was a regulator.  And telling a licensee I would get back to them and didn't, or saying something would take a month but really was 4 months?  A very few of those and I would be disciplined and downgraded.  We have been trying to get the status of my wife's application for weeks.  Her "pay date" should be February 17th (it is currently the 7th and no word).  I have been told on phone it would be a 30-minute wait, and it went 3 hours without a contact.  I have been promised call backs and nobody has called.  So, you may have stated reality, but that reality needs an ADJUSTMENT.

[JimT57]

Nine (9) days from submit online app to first payment deposit.  Is that a record for SSA?  Yay me!

[DirkB349973]

Yep. Ed McMahon hand-delivered my check the next day. 😉

[GailL1]

Good for you - 

Maybe all their new hires have finally gotten through training - SSA is still way down on the number of people they had before the pandemic. They also have a very high rate of people who leave.

[CatherineP879665]

Yes, I made a on-line account when they stopped mailing yearly statements.  And I applied on-line.  If they are so behind, then they should not have posted on-line that my application was being processed by an individual in Richmond three months ago.

I cannot work right now and in two weeks I could be homeless if this doesn't come through.

I didn't apply for disability because I had to do that for a short period of time 30 years ago and that took so long that I wound up having to sell everything I owned including my furniture trying not to become homeless while I waited to get approved.

Going to write my congressman.  Just hoped someone here could give a reason why a simple straightforward basic retirement application would take three months!

[GailL1]

@CatherineP879665 

Can’t tell you anymore than what your account shows - I assume everything was OK in the application - like you are 62 years of age or older.  Applying for your own benefits off your own work record.

They will check to see if you have any Spousal Benefits (or divorced spousal)  that could be more than your own work records.

They would let you know if there are any Survivors benefits, I think - or Divorced Survival benefits 

These are just things that they would notify you about -

You probably told them when you wanted to start and gave them your bank direct deposit route and account.  

Maybe you should try calling if there isn’t an update soon.  You should get a benefit letter confirming amount & beginning date.

Here is the SSA calendar of benefits so you can determine when it will show up as a DD into your acct.

2023 SS Schedule of Benefit Payments

Hope you get it soon.  

[CatherineP879665]

It was a simple basic application for retirement benefits after paying in for 47 years.  No other individuals like spouses, children, or dependents involved.  They already had all of the information necessary.  Nothing was missing.  So it boggles the mind that it would take three months.

Just feel they ought to update the website to reflect current realities.  After all, they managed to change "30 days" to "2-4 weeks" during this time period. 

Some people, like me, really need to know when they can expect to receive funds.  Some people live paycheck to paycheck or week to week in areas where the cost of living is so expensive one cannot even afford to relocate!

[nr33621464]

I hope you are now getting your checks.  I am having trouble now too, the website still says 2-4 weeks to process most claims.  So a year after your post and they still have not fixed the system.  The pandemic is over, so the process should be a lot smoother now, but no...   I will write Congress to let them know how in efficient the system has become.

[DirkB349973]

@CatherineP879665 

Go online to ssa.gov and review your benefit verification letter. If SSA needs additional info, I think it will be in that letter. You can always call SSA, and if you can't get through at the federal level, try your state SSA office. I had a delay and my state office told me exactly what document I needed to submit. I hand-delivered that document to my local office and they sent it up to the federal SSA. If you are missing info, that may reset the clock for getting benefits. Even if you have to provide additional info, I suspect you will eventually get everything you are entitled to based on the start date you entered when you applied.

If you are missing info, SSA probably sent you an email about it. If you didn't see one, check your junk/trash folder to see if your email client/provider routed it there.

[CatherineP879665]

There was no missing information.  There were no other family members involved, no spouse, no children, etc.  It was straight and simple basic applicatio for retirement.  No muss, no fuss.  Ought to have been simple.  They already had all of the information they needed and my application was uncomplicated.

My question was does anyone know what exactly the process is.  Was hoping to hear from someone who actually processed applications.

No missing emails, no missed phone calls, no missing mail.

They need to change the website to reflect current wait times so people who are in dire need can face reality.  Like me.