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Will Repaying Six Months Of Benefits Add Six Months Of Delayed Retirement Credits To My Own Retirement Benefits?
In May of this year I reached Full Retirement Age and I started receiving my Social Security (SS) Retirement benefits. In November I suspended those benefits and I applied for SS Survivors benefits. The Social Security Administration (SSA) allowed me to start those survivors benefits retroactively 6 months. I will have to repay the SSA for the 6 months I was paid for my own retirement benefits.
My question is: will the repayment of those 6 months add 6 months to the delayed retirement credit of my own retirement benefits? Thank you.
Hi. You say that you suspended your Social Security retirement benefits and applied for survivor benefits, but you couldn't be paid survivor benefits if your own benefits are suspended (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0202409100). I assume what you actually did was request a withdrawal of your application for retirement benefits, in which case you'd be required to repay all of the retirement benefits you were paid.
If you withdraw your claim for retirement benefits and repay the benefits you've received, the result would be the same as if you never applied for benefits. So, yes, you would then receive delayed retirement credits (DRC) for any months that you don't receive retirement benefits between your full retirement age (FRA) and age 70, including any months that you repaid benefits.
Best, Jerry