How to cancel a Social Security benefits claim

The Social Security Administration lets you withdraw an application within 12 months of filing if you change your mind. The tradeoff is that you must repay every benefit you have received so far. If a spouse or children are collecting on your work record, that money has to be paid back too.

If you can meet those conditions, the Social Security Administration will act as though you never applied for benefits. When you file again later, your monthly checks will be larger than they were the first time. But this is a one-time option, and after that, your next application locks you in.

For many people, withdrawing a claim is not realistic because repaying the benefits already received is not possible. If that is the case, you will have to keep your current checks for now. Once you reach your full retirement age, which is 67 for most people, you can choose to suspend your benefits instead.

That can raise your payment by 2/3 of 1% per month, or 8% per year, until you turn 70 or decide to restart your checks. The total boost can be as much as 24%, but it also means going without Social Security income for a period of time, which can be difficult on a tight budget.

Your benefits can still grow even if you cannot undo your claim

If withdrawing an application or suspending benefits at full retirement age is not an option, your payments can still edge up each year through annual cost-of-living adjustments, or COLAs. These increases depend on inflation and are meant to help you keep pace with higher living expenses, not necessarily get ahead.

Working older adults may also see their future benefits rise over time, especially if their earnings are higher now than they were in earlier years. If you lost money in prior years because of the earnings test, you could also receive a meaningful benefit increase when you reach full retirement age. If you have questions, contact the Social Security Administration.