Smart choice waiting until FRA! I made the same decision last year and it was absolutely the right call. The peace of mind alone was worth it - no tracking earnings, no worrying about overpayments, no confusing letters from SSA. One tip for when you do apply in August: even though there are no earnings limits after FRA, SSA will still ask about your work plans on the application. Just be honest about continuing to work through October. They need this info for tax purposes and Medicare coordination, but it won't affect your benefits at all. Also, don't forget that your benefits will be subject to federal income tax if your combined income (including work earnings) exceeds certain thresholds. Might want to discuss tax withholding options with SSA when you apply, especially since you'll have work income through October.

Just want to add another perspective as someone who went through this decision process. I was in almost the exact same situation - turning FRA in July 2024 and debating whether to start benefits early while working part-time. I ended up starting benefits 3 months before my FRA, and honestly, it worked out fine for me. The key was being VERY conservative with my earnings estimates and staying well below the higher earnings limit ($56,520 in 2024 for those reaching FRA that year). I earned about $35,000 in those first 7 months and had no issues with benefit withholding. That said, I completely understand why you're choosing to wait until FRA - the peace of mind factor is huge! The earnings test rules are genuinely confusing even when you think you understand them. Plus, you'll avoid the permanent reduction factor that applies to early benefits. One thing I'd suggest: even though you're waiting until August, go ahead and create your my Social Security account online NOW if you haven't already. This will make the application process much smoother when the time comes, and you can use the benefit calculators to see exactly what your full benefit amount will be.

Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences! As someone who just joined this community, I'm impressed by how helpful and detailed all the responses have been. I'm actually in a similar boat - my dad will be turning 70 next year and we've been having the same discussions about documentation. Based on all the success stories shared here, it seems like the consensus is pretty clear: if you're already on Medicare, the birth certificate usually isn't needed, but it's smart to check your mySocialSecurity account first to make sure everything matches up. The tip about applying 3 months early and being careful about the benefit start date seems crucial too. This thread has been a goldmine of practical advice - I'll definitely be bookmarking it for when we go through this process with my dad!

Welcome to the community and thank you for posting this question! As someone who works in benefits counseling, I can confirm what most others have shared - your brother is most likely correct that he won't need his birth certificate since he's already on Medicare. The SSA typically has all the identity verification they need from the Medicare enrollment process. However, I'd suggest a compromise approach that might give you both peace of mind: have him log into his mySocialSecurity account now (not when he's ready to apply) and verify that all his personal information matches exactly what he expects - full name, date of birth, Social Security number, etc. If everything looks correct, he should be all set to apply without additional documents. If there are any discrepancies or if anything looks off, that's when you'd want to gather supporting documents ahead of time. This way you're being proactive without creating unnecessary work. Also, definitely emphasize the importance of applying 3-4 months before his 70th birthday and being very careful to select his birthday month as the benefit start date, not the application month. This ensures he gets those maximum delayed retirement credits he's been working toward! The online application through mySocialSecurity is generally very user-friendly, and the system will clearly indicate if any additional documentation is needed during the process.

I just wanted to add another perspective from someone who recently navigated this process. Like many others have mentioned, there's absolutely no separate WEP form - it's all handled through the standard retirement application. One thing that really helped me was creating a simple timeline document before applying. I listed out: 1) All my years of SS-covered employment with approximate earnings, 2) All my government employment years, 3) When my pension would start and the estimated monthly amount, and 4) When I planned to start Social Security. Having this all laid out made filling out the application much easier and helped me spot potential timing issues. Also, I'd strongly recommend calling the SSA national number (1-800-772-1213) about 3-6 months before you plan to apply, not just to ask about WEP but to do a "dry run" of the information you'll need to provide. The representative I spoke with was very knowledgeable about WEP and helped me understand exactly what documentation I'd need. One last tip: if your state has a public retirement system website, check if they have any resources about Social Security coordination. Mine had a whole section explaining how WEP works with our specific pension system, including examples of benefit calculations. It was more helpful than the general SSA materials because it was tailored to our exact situation. You're smart to plan ahead - being prepared really makes the whole process much smoother!

Just wanted to share my experience since I went through this exact process about 8 months ago after 32 years with the state. Everyone here is absolutely right - there's NO separate WEP form to file! The key thing that saved me a lot of headaches was being super proactive about getting my Social Security earnings record corrected BEFORE I applied. I found that 3 years of my early employment were miscoded as government work when they should have been regular covered employment. Getting that fixed took about 6 weeks but it actually reduced my WEP penalty because those years counted toward my "substantial earnings" total. Also, I can't stress enough how important it is to be crystal clear about your pension being from "non-covered employment" when you fill out the application. The online application has dropdown menus and checkboxes - don't just select "government pension," make sure you select the options that specifically indicate it's NON-COVERED. The system uses those selections to trigger the WEP calculations. One more thing - keep copies of EVERYTHING you submit. I had to reference my original application details twice during the process when they recalculated my benefits. Having my own records made those conversations with SSA much easier. You're asking all the right questions and planning well ahead. That preparation will definitely pay off!

As someone who recently navigated this exact situation with my father, I can't stress enough how important it is to act quickly while your dad can still participate meaningfully in the process. The Social Security Administration is incredibly strict about their own forms - your regular POA, even if it's comprehensive and mentions government benefits, simply won't be accepted. I learned this the hard way after spending weeks trying to get them to honor our attorney-drafted documents. Here's what worked for us: **Immediate priority**: Get Form SSA-1696 (Appointment of Representative) completed and submitted while your father is still cognitively able to understand what he's signing. This gives you the authority to handle inquiries, applications, and appeals on his behalf. **Longer-term planning**: Start the Representative Payee process (Form SSA-11) if his cognitive decline is progressing. This allows you to actually receive and manage his benefit payments. You'll need a letter from his doctor specifically stating that cognitive issues prevent him from managing his financial affairs. **For Medicare**: Set up authorized representative access through MyMedicare.gov now while he can consent. This is much easier than the SSA process and your existing POA might work with individual Medicare plans. **Pro tip**: Schedule an in-person appointment at your local SSA office rather than trying to handle this over the phone. Bring your dad, multiple copies of all documents, and be prepared to explain the situation clearly. The staff can walk you through exactly what's needed for your specific circumstances. The whole process took us about 2-3 months from start to finish, so don't delay. You're being smart to address this proactively - it will save you enormous headaches down the road.

I'm just beginning to navigate this same situation with my elderly parents, and this thread has been absolutely invaluable! Reading through everyone's experiences has really clarified what seemed like an overwhelming bureaucratic maze. The consistent message about regular POAs not working with SSA is particularly important - I was planning to rely on the documents we already had prepared, but it's clear that's not going to be sufficient. The distinction between the SSA-1696 form (for representation) and the Representative Payee process (for actually managing benefits) makes much more sense now. I'm especially grateful for the practical tips about scheduling in-person appointments, bringing multiple copies of everything, and getting the doctor's letter with specific language about financial management capacity rather than general cognitive decline. One thing I'm still trying to wrap my head around - for those who have been through this process, did you find that having these SSA-specific arrangements in place affected your ability to use your regular POA documents for other financial institutions (banks, investment accounts, etc.)? I want to make sure we're not creating any conflicts or confusion across different aspects of my parents' financial management. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed, real-world guidance. This is exactly what someone new to this process needs to hear!

Just wanted to add another perspective on the timing question! I work as a benefits counselor and see this confusion all the time. The "3 months before FRA" rule is absolutely correct for avoiding payment delays, but I always tell my clients to also consider their personal financial situation. If you're still working and earning good money, there's no rush to start benefits exactly at FRA - you could even delay beyond FRA to earn delayed retirement credits (8% per year until age 70). But if you need the income to start right at FRA, then yes, definitely apply 3 months early. The key is that SSA processes thousands of applications and 3 months gives them adequate time to review everything, verify your earnings record, and set up your payments. I've seen people wait until their birthday month and then stress for months waiting for their first check. Don't be that person!

As someone who went through this exact situation last year, I can confirm that applying 3 months early is definitely the way to go! I turned 67 in September and applied in June. Got my first payment right on schedule in October (which covered September benefits). One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned - when you apply online, save/print a copy of your confirmation page and application summary. I had a minor glitch where SSA's system didn't show my application for a few days and I was panicking, but having that confirmation number helped when I called. Also, don't be surprised if they ask you to verify some information from your work history. They had questions about a job I had 15 years ago because the employer name in their system was slightly different from what I remembered. Just be prepared to provide as much detail as you can recall about past employment. The whole process was actually much smoother than I expected once I stopped overthinking the timing. Three months early = no benefit reduction, just gives them processing time. You've got this!