Suspension can stop benefits paid to other people on your record and change how Medicare Part B premiums are collected. Ask SSA how the request affects your record before proceeding.
Confirm that this is the correct procedure
Voluntary suspension is for a person already entitled to Social Security retirement benefits who has reached full retirement age and is not yet 70. It is different from withdrawing a retirement application: suspension pauses future payments but does not erase the original application or require repayment of benefits already received.
Choose when to request the suspension
SSA says suspension can begin no earlier than the month after the month of the request, full retirement age, and the month of entitlement. Social Security pays benefits the month after they are due, so a payment received after the request may be for the month before suspension began.
Contact Social Security
Ask SSA to voluntarily suspend your retirement benefit payments. SSA accepts the request orally or in writing; its official page does not require a signed form. Use an official SSA contact channel and keep a note or copy showing when and how you made the request.
Understand effects on other benefits
People receiving benefits on your earnings record generally cannot receive those benefits during your voluntary suspension, except a divorced spouse. Benefits you receive on another person’s record are also suspended. If you receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI), voluntarily suspending retirement benefits makes you ineligible for SSI.
Plan for Medicare premiums
If you have Medicare Part B, its premiums cannot be deducted from suspended Social Security payments. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services will bill future premiums. Follow the bill and payment instructions to avoid risking Part B coverage.
Restart the payments
Payments restart automatically at age 70. To restart earlier, tell SSA; SSA permits reinstatement beginning with the month after the request to resume. Ask for confirmation of the effective month and review the first payment.
What happens next
During eligible suspension months, delayed retirement credits can increase the future retirement benefit. The exact effect depends on the record and timing, so review your personalized estimate rather than calculating from this guide.
Official sources
- SSA — Suspending your retirement benefit payments
- SSA — Voluntary suspension FAQ
- SSA — Delayed retirement credits