Larry, I read your article regarding "suspending" SS benefits after FRA, how the folks at SS often don't have a clue what it is and can only spout the rules regarding "withdrawing" which is for younger than FRA folks. They told me that even though I'm past my FRA I would have to pay back everything from my past 5 years of benefits! My question is, why doesn't SOMEONE, either SS, or in your posts on-line actually state that THERE IS NO PAYBACK REQUIREMENT when suspending benefits between FRA and age70?! Please let me know if I'm correct about this information as I would like to suspend soon. Thank you

Hi. Yes, you're correct. You don't need to repay any benefits in order to be allowed to voluntarily suspend your Social Security retirement benefits between full retirement age (FRA) and age 70. However, you can't suspend your benefits retroactively. The first month that you can suspend your benefits is the month after the month that you submit your voluntary suspension request to Social Security.

If you or anyone else is wrongly informed by a Social Security representative that you can't voluntarily suspend your retirement benefits between FRA and age 70, refer them to section GN 02409.110 (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0202409110) of the Social Security operations manual (i.e. POMS).

Best, Jerry