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.

[bobandsherry]

My experience for my wife.... applied Nov 20th.  Email confirming application received and assigned to office on Nov 21st.  Email noting approval on Nov 26th.  Under a week from start to finish.  

[CarrollB59738]

I also filed my application right before Thanksgiving and I'm still in the Step 2 process.  When I applied, I also recall they said that I may get a call, possibly on a wkend, from SS with any questions they may have which I assume would be what % of taxes do I want withdrawn.  As I'm under 65, Medicare deductions would not apply.  I hope I don't have to wait much longer, I need to put my husband in daycare at least one day a week (Alz) and that SS is earmarked to pay for the costs.  I don't want to incur debt paying for via credit cards in the interim.

[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.

[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. 

[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".

[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. 

[TeresaG918891]

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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[GailL1]

@TeresaG918891 

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. 

[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.

[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.

[andrea59b]

I am in the same boat. Applied it Oct 15th of 2024 and still not approved. No docs asked for and have not contacted me on anything either. How can we get hepl can anyone answer us???

[RobinL675376]

Same here. I applied in October 2024.  My application was assigned to an office in another state on Nov 1st, and I am still on step two of the process.

[TeresaG918891]

Same...applied back in October and now it's approaching 3 months and mine also was assigned to a person in another state...Ugh!

[rolocedoc]

6 weeks is only a month and 2 weeks; I've waited 3-4 months and have not received any or update notification if there's any missing documents that I've submitted - should we wait longer to suffer?

[JuneH580660]

I got the run around and all set now getting my deposits monthly. However I did find every SS number and called regularly. Look to see what office is handing yours. Mine was being handled in Jamaica queens even though I am in Jersey. I was on the phone everytime for a long hold. I would use my time to go thru paperwork or clean my house, not hanging up until I got a live person. Finally the person that helped and blessed me fixed the glitch, holding up my letter of approval and I was able to get a copy of it within hours. The squeaky wheel, as they say. Real Shane, but this is reality. Don't give up. Fight Fight Fight! 

[MaryS526238]

 Hi how did you get the Jamaica Queens number. I can’t find it anywhere?

[KarenC940882]

Please close comments on your post.  They are becoming redundant and the commenters are not reading to see what has already been answered.  Surely by now you have the answers you were looking for.  Thanks,

[GailL1]

@KarenC940882 

If you are getting emails on the replies to this thread - you can change that by YOUR SETTINGS - subscriptions and notifications.  

[JuneH580660]

No one on this has the answers they are looking for. Why the delays? Even when everything is correct and you have earned every dime and all the records match and there are no documents needed. These are people that worked for over the 35 year requirement and they are not asking for disability. They are asking to get what they have earned and asking what the delay is. No one has answered why the delay?. I know exactly when I am supposed to receive my first check, but why isn't the application approved., when it was submitted timely and said takes 2 to 4 weeks and it has been 6 now. For others on here the delay is much more severe. 

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@KarenC940882 wrote:

Please close comments on your post.  They are becoming redundant and the commenters are not reading to see what has already been answered.  Surely by now you have the answers you were looking for.  Thanks,

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@KarenC940882 wrote:

Please close comments on your post.  They are becoming redundant and the commenters are not reading to see what has already been answered.  Surely by now you have the answers you were looking for.  Thanks,

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[iamonewithhim]

Congress, especially Republicans, refused to give SSA additional funds for hiring new staff, even though they are at an all time low, and more and more baby boomers are retiring. The country voted this new administration in so this is just the beginning of things to come, although I do hope and pray Congress and the President and his minion Musk will have a change of heart. I would want to be a federal worker right now. And that's another problem. With the new administration coming in, more and more people are leaving or retiring early.

https://www.govexec.com/management/2024/10/without-budget-anomaly-ssa-hiring-restricted-and-overtime...

[karblaze]

Minimum requirement of employment is 10 years. 40 credits.  If you worked much longer, they take the top income of  35 years to do the calculationof your benefit. That's where the 35 years comes from.

[GailL1]

@JuneH580660 

For specifics on your account, you will have to contact them to find out about the delay.  It could be just about anything - 

Like a problem I was reading about recently - the beneficiary was making too much money at 62 to get a benefit since the benefit is reduced  $ 1.00 for every $ 2.00 he makes over the earnings cap ( 2024 = $ 22,230 ) before FRA (Full Retirement Age)

He initially got the benefit for a few months in 2023 and then got a letter explaining that it would be stopped until he stopped working or made much less money.

https://www.reddit.com/r/SocialSecurity/comments/1ceflrs/comment/l1iln3i/?context=3 

This has to do with the Earnings Test -because you are or will be 62

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0302501021 

Then there is the Entitlement rule that state you have to be 62 for a full month before benefits begin.

https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0300201001 

So you see it does have to go thru a process and for those who are 62 there are additional reviews like the ones above in the SSA Program Operations Manual System (POMS)

Sorry it has been delayed for some reason.