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.

[PingL219766]

 I applied Nov 20, 2024 to receive benefit in Jan 2025, and still not get approved.   I visited the local ssa office after I applied, they said it will take up to 30 days,  30 days past in Dec, so I call SSA,  they changed story and said it will take up to 60 days.  Now almost 60 days and still nothing happened.  Got assigned to Jamaica in another state.  I checked SSA website, it said the on-time receipt of benefits for that office is 87%.  Sounds to me this is not true.

[Lisa2255]

Musk fired everyone.  No one will get SS benefits for ages.  Just remember to thank everyone you know who voted for a Republican.  They love this **bleep**.  It means less money to Americans, and more money to the filthy rich.

[dmvanryn]

I just got off phone with social security and was told my application of Nov 10, 2024 would begin in Feb 2024 as expected (FRA).  FYI, online my application has been stuck in Step 2 for over a month.  I called SSA at 866-226-2306.  This number was given to me by my local SS office - they said I needed to call a different number as it was an online application.  Since my application went through Jamaica Plain, I assume that is where the phone number is based.  I called at 8:15 am and was on hold only an hour (usually I wait at least two when calling SSA)!

[dmvanryn]

Oops - that is will start Feb. 2025.

[annemarie401]

Hi Catherine, was your SS application ever processed? My spouse is over the full retirement age. Her application was started in October 2024. It is now mid-January 2025 and Martin, the clerk working on the application, has not responded to her inquiries. Her health insurance ends this month. 

[YasminC909860]

Have you heard anything?

[c697281r]

Partisan Congressional budget cuts to SS staff have had a significant impact to processing, similar to IRS.  It will get worse with the new administration's cuts to "big government".

[StevenS868231]

Thank God for those cuts.

[CarlH419075]

So True!  

[Lisa2255]

 It's nice, Steven, that you can find entertainment and joy in the misery of everyone of your fellow Americans who have to use the Medicaid, Medicare and Social Security that is guaranteed to all Americans and is now being chainsawed by Trump and his President Musk.  It's sad, and it's a hollow victory, when the neighbors around you are starving and dying because you got to 'own the libs'.... but I guess you are probabaly not a very good person.  Or you'd not think that way.  Just my guess.  So karma will get you in the end, it always does with evil.

[w654934g]

Trump wasn't in office in 2024.

[SiobhanP970130]

I read that it takes 6 weeks. I'm not surprised either with all the boomers retiring daily. We can apply 4 months ahead of when we expect to get our first check. That's what I did.

[karblaze]

I just hit 61 days. The website says 30 days, but today is 61 days. I have an extremely simple work history straightforward. No complications.They started it on October 28th and nothing has changed 61 days later. It's not even from the day I filed. It's from the day they started working on it, it's 61 days. And again super simple straight forward, no complications just want my retirement money. 

[LindaS709179]

My husband is at 90 days at step 2

[fiero656]

As of today I'm at 120 days. Been on hold a total of 16 hours with never speaking to anyone! This is getting ridiculous!

[Tmgcme196361]

I applied October 27 2024 and it's been stuck on step two. It's now coming up on 3 months waiting and In about 2 weeks I'll turn 62. This is crazy. 

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@karblaze wrote:

I just hit 61 days. The website says 30 days, but today is 61 days. I have an extremely simple work history straightforward. No complications.They started it on October 28th and nothing has changed 61 days later. It's not even from the day I filed. It's from the day they started working on it, it's 61 days. And again super simple straight forward, no complications just want my retirement money. 

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[TerenceP712782]

      I applied and had a phone interview Oct.3/24....was told i would receive my first payment in Dec./24....its now Jan 27/25....Nothing!!!!!!!!

Ive called and called.....no one is of any help,,,,I called the Gov. of Maryland office ,,,recording said we will call you back....thats a joke as well.   stuck in limbo 

[GailL1]

@Tmgcme196361 

Maybe long ago it might have been 30 days but with baby boomers retiring at a rate of 10,000 A DAY, it is more like 3 months or longer.  

This publication says you can apply up to (4) months you want your benefits to start ( page 5)  

SSA.gov - Retirement Benefits  

and since retiring early at 62 requires an additional step to verify that you aren’t gonna be making more than $ 23,400 (2025) to reduce your benefit any further- or end up with an overpayment and have to pay it back.

The SSA is WAY behind in processing disability benefit also - The SSA also processes claims for Supplemental Security Income as well as all Social Security benefits and the billing part of Medicare collections.

They also work on collecting back benefits which people got and should not have based on the rules of whatever program they are under.

All of these matters involve tons of appeals also - which they also work.

They are having lots of attrition currently - so we have old timers retiring and leaving and new folks being hired which have to be trained.

Of course, legislators are concerned about adding more and more staff to get over this increased workload - government is not too good at laying off workers when the workload modifies.  And also since any Administrative work they do for the Social Security System - Old Age or Retirement, including Spousal, Survivors and Social Security Disability - is billed to the Trust Fund.  

Maybe you hear that your benefits are ready before the date you requested them to start.  I think currently they are working on matters in a priority way not by the date it was submitted.  

I read reddit - Social Security where several current and retired employees explain the systems, programs and procedures.  

[annemarie401]

My spouse is in the same boat. She is well past full retirement age (FRA). She has a 50-year uncomplicated work history. They started her application in October '24 and the person working on it is not responding. 

UPDATE 2/5/2024 - my spouse received her first SS check today. They also approved Medicare but for some unexplained reason, they back dated it to July 2024. She didn't apply until October 2024. She turned 65 four years ago and had health insurance from her employer. She indicated that she wanted Medicare to start January 2025. I am not sure if that is shear incompetence or finagling by the system.

[YasminC909860]

I'm in the same situation. Applied Oct.24, 2024 and more than three months later I haven't heard anything. Went to local office two weeks ago and they told me to call the Baltimore office. If I couldn't get through to go local office to make an appointment. Two weeks was today. Called local office and they told me that they could see my application and asked when did I say I wanted my payments to start. I said "January." She said, 'okay, that means your payments will start in February and based upon your birthday it will be either Feb. 3 or Feb. 12. If you don't receive by Feb. 12, call us again." Very frustrating. Fortunately, I'm still working so I have an income coming in and I will also have a pension. But, if this were my primary source of income I would be SOL. 😞

[GailL1]

@annemarie401 

They are processing Retirement claims based on the effective date of the application if everything else is OK.

They are having lots of attrition and training going on now along with a record number of baby boomers retiring.  The processing time use to be 3-months, now it is 4-months.  Then like I said they are also looking at the start date of the application NOT the date when it was submitted or the date that it was logged in for the beginning.   Also it seems that the beginning of the year is also a time when many of the masses want to start their benefits - so all these things have jammed up the progress.

These are their goals and the map shows how they are meeting the goal.  

Personally, I don’t think 83% is a very good goal but if that’s all they can muster at the present time, I guess it will just have to do - just keep checking your online account rather than calling.

SSA.gov - Processing Time for Benefits - updated 01/07/2025 

[RandyB376906]

Applied Oct. 15th. Stuck at step 2 of 3 in Kansas City. Have not been contacted. Told to just wait.

[bluebell55]

Randy, same here.  I applied for Retirement benefit Jan 1, 2025. Application status went to Stage 2 and I've been stuck there ever since. It is now 4/6/25.  I called the main line and was told to be patient.  I went to my local office and was told to be patient.  I wrote my Congressman and have not received any response.  I am well past retirement age and never applied before because was told the WEP would eliminate any benefit, so this my first time applying.  Mine is not a complicated case. I just want the benefit I worked and paid for. I am still working and would finally like to retire. 

[Winter2025VA]

[Sunday 4/6/25]

@bluebell55 , good that you are still working as it seems from the posts ON THIS SITE - could be 4 or 5 months to get approved. Good luck, Nicole  👵

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[*** @bluebell55 wrote 4/6/25:

Randy, same here.  I applied for Retirement benefit Jan 1, 2025. Application status went to Stage 2 and I've been stuck there ever since. It is now 4/6/25.  I called the main line and was told to be patient.  I went to my local office and was told to be patient.  I wrote my Congressman and have not received any response.  I am well past retirement age and never applied before because was told the WEP would eliminate any benefit, so this my first time applying.  Mine is not a complicated case. I just want the benefit I worked and paid for. I am still working and would finally like to retire. ***]

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[gregoryz474599]

Exactly the same as me. I filled out a Fraud report to the SSA, and said that the fraud against me had been perpetrated by the SSA . Let's see if they can stop themselves.

[GailL1]

I was informed by some folks that work at the SSA that process Retirement Claims, that they try to do it based on the date of retirement or the date the beneficiary wants to begin benefits.  

They also look at the FRA and process those 1st since applying at FRA cuts out a step for them meaning the step where they have to verify your earnings.

You would be surprised at the number of people who don’t know about the earnings test if they are filing for benefits younger than FRA.  The SSA goes thru all the steps then has to inform the beneficiary that they make too much being younger than FRA to get a benefit and then kick it back to the beneficiary to prove that their income is gonna be dropping because they did stop work or that their employment amount had gone thru a reduction.

[lisaf92128]

Same, applied online November 7th and they are still at step 2 of 3. Have not asked for any documents or more information, have not been contacted by anyone throughout the process.

[FranM210968]

Any update?  Or is your app still in step 2?  Mine is hung up in Step 2 also. Wait time via phone for SS is 3 hours!  Asking around to see if anyone has any answers. 

[lisaf92128]

I went to my local SSA office the next day after my post here. My lical office is not the office where my claim is being processed.The agent at the lical office said everything appeared to be fine and  on schedule. She also sent an email to the office handling my claim to 'give them a little push'. A couple more weeks later, I got an email notification that sent me to the SSA website, where I logged in and got the secure message that told me I'm approved, the amount ai would be receiving, and that it would be the second Wednesday of every month, starting in March. They also deposited a one time sum into my checking account for the missed month. I didn't get any notification about that until a letter in the mail a week later. So in short, I believe going to my local office might have helped the process. I will update here again to let you know if I receive my first payment next week. I would encourage everyone to stop trying to reach them by phone and if you can, go to your closest SSA office. I hope this helps. Good luck.

[maryd666163]

Was your payment amount similar to your estimated payment?