AARP Hearing Center
@Linda
Just a couple of things that could have some delay on your application progressing in the system.
Since you filed for early Social Security retirement at the age of 62 - one important rule that many people don’t seem to know about is that you have to be 62 for an entire month before receiving benefits.
SSA.gov - Retirement Age and Benefit Reduction
You can file up to 4-months before you want your benefits to begin - at 62 it cannot be any more than that because the online system will keep looking at your age and if you aren’t already 62 then it will keep trying to give you the Disability application since that is the benefit that those less that 62 can apply for benefits.
The average wait times for benefits has always been 3-4 months now it is more like always at least 4 because there are so many baby boomer retiring now - 10,000 a day and this will continue up until 2030.
Sure a few applications can get thru very fast - 30 days - but those are usually the one that are at or over their full retirement age - better yet, those who have hit 70 and their benefits stop accruing any increase except for Cost of Living.
For the majority of people it take 4-months to get the application in, reviewed, get clarification on any issue to which they have questions about your benefits.
SSA sorts the applications by the month a beneficiary wants their benefits to begin. Since benefits are paid one month in arrears - let’s say you put down you wanted your benefits to begin in July, your 1st benefit will be deposited in August depending on the day of your birth based on this calendar. The legend is shown on the bottom left of the Social Security calendar.
I do not know why your retirement application has not progressed passed Step 1.
1. When did you turn 62 years of age?
2. What month did you put down on your retirement application to begin benefits?
Since you also filed for SSDI at the same time - which you most certainly can do - that application is gonna take much longer but if approved for SSDI you will get the larger amount at the time you are approved for SSDI. This could take a very long time depending on your diagnosis and the reason why you cannot work.
To help your SSDI application go thru swiftly your diagnosis would have to be one (or more than one) of the ones listed on the SSA ‘s Compassionate Allowance list or your condition is terminal and has been medically documented by your docs as being so.
SSA.gov - Compassionate Allowance List
Your history of the [any] disability with doctors and other providers records, your treatments to date and any treatment plan you are currently on or have recently received along with your diagnosis(es) and prognosis - all are very valuable for the disability review.
Remember that the disability has to stop you from working - any work at least during application if at all possible.
But IF you are successful in getting SSDI, your retirement benefit will be cancelled and you will get your full benefit under the SSDI program - you will also be in line to get Medicare after you have been on SSDI for 24 months.
Thought I would give you a heads up on how both of these benefits work at least during the application process.
Good Luck
IF filing for Retirement benefits early at age 62, you must be at least 61 years and 9 months old to apply for benefits - filing any earlier will bring up a Disability application rather than Retirement because you aren’t yet eligible for filing for Retirement benefits.
The earliest you can apply for retirement benefits is four months before you want your benefits to start.
If you are under full retirement age and you are still working after you file for receiving retirement benefits, SSA may withhold some of your benefits if you have excess earnings over the earnings limit for Retirees that are younger than full retirement age.
Beneficiaries that are at or over their Full Retirement age are the ones that might be approved and start their benefits in that 30 day window - less stuff has to be checked and reviewed at that point.
If you listed July as the month you wanted your benefits to begin and you applied in April and you have not heard anything yet about being in the queue and at at least step 1 or 2 out of 3, you may need to find out if you applied too early or if there is a problem with your earnings. Have you checked your online account and there is no indication there as to where it is in the system? IF NOT, make an appointment with your local SSA office to check on it.
This is not to say that it will not be started in the month of July (Paid in August) - just concerned that you have not heard that it has at least been received and it is in Step 1 out of 3.
Here is the SSA pay calendar so you can see when to expect payment every month when they are started. The legend is on the bottom left as to which Wednesday will be your direct deposit date.
"I downloaded AARP Perks to assist in staying connected and never missing out on a discount!" -LeeshaD341679
