Hi, I am currently recieving disability benefits, and will reach fra in just a few weeks (4 jan 2017). To recieve drc when do I need to notify soc sec in Nov or Dec? Do I say effective with fra benefits? or suspend fra benefits? Having read the questions regarding drc benefits am quite confused. If I claim at age 70, would my full drc be included in the Jan 2021 benefit? and if I claim somewhere between fra and age 70, would I first recieve the fra amount with a retroactive adjustment to reflect the drc at a later date? Many thanks, enjoyed your (purple papers?) thoughts/solutions on the pbs newshour/making sense page.

Hi,

Under the new voluntary suspension rules (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/suspendfaq.html), if you want to suspend your benefits effective with January 2017, you must make your request by December 2016. You simply need to notify Social Security, preferably in writing, that you want to voluntarily suspend your benefits effective with January 2017 in order to accrue delayed retirement credits (DRC).

Once your benefits are suspended, you may request reinstatement anytime between full retirement age (FRA) and age 70, or else they will automatically resume effective with the month you reach age 70. In your case, that would be January 2021, which is the payment due in February 2021. And yes, if you do not reinstate your benefits prior to then, your benefits will include the full 32% DRC adjustment when they resume.

If you decide to reinstate your benefits between FRA and age 70, you must make your request no later than the month prior to the month of reinstatement. DRCs are credited through the December preceding the month of reinstatement, so if you reinstate effective with any month other than January, DRCs due for the year of reinstatement will be credited effective with the following January.

Best, Jerry