Welcome to the community! As someone who just navigated this exact same situation last year, I can tell you that you're overthinking the date selection - and that's totally normal! The Social Security system is designed to handle these birthday timing questions automatically. When you select June as your benefit start month, the system will begin your entitlement on June 1st regardless of your actual birthday being on the 17th. You'll receive the full monthly benefit amount even though you only reach FRA partway through the month. One thing I wish I had known beforehand is that your first payment will arrive in July (for June benefits) and will be deposited on the third Wednesday of the month since your birthday falls between the 11th-20th. The online application process itself took me about an hour to complete, but make sure you have all your documents ready - birth certificate, recent tax returns, and banking information for direct deposit. I'd recommend applying soon since you want June benefits and it can take several weeks to process. Don't stress about the phone system - the online application is much more efficient and you can save your progress if needed. Congratulations on reaching this milestone!

Welcome to the community! I just want to echo what everyone else has said - you're definitely overthinking the date selection, but that's completely understandable since this is such an important decision! The key thing to remember is that Social Security operates on a monthly basis, so whether you put June 17th or June 1st, your benefits will start for the entire month of June. Since you'll reach your FRA on June 17th, you can confidently select June as your benefit start month and receive your full monthly benefit amount. Your first payment will arrive in July (covering June benefits) and will be deposited on the third Wednesday since your birthday falls on the 17th. I'd definitely recommend starting your application soon since processing can take several weeks. The online system is much more reliable than trying to get through on the phone. Make sure you have your documents ready - Social Security card, birth certificate, recent tax returns, and bank information for direct deposit. Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! You're asking all the right questions and clearly being thorough about this important step.

I'm new to this community but facing the exact same situation at 62! This entire thread has been incredibly enlightening - thank you everyone for sharing your real-world experiences. The confusion between "taking from earnings" vs "withholding from benefits" was exactly what I was struggling with too, Sofia! What's really helped me understand this better is how several of you broke it down practically. So to confirm my understanding: if I earn $25,000 next year (about $2,200 over the likely limit), SSA would withhold $1,100 from my annual SS benefits, not reduce my paycheck by that amount. And this gets reconciled when I file taxes. I'm definitely going to implement the buffer zone strategy that several people mentioned - aiming for maybe 85% of the annual limit rather than trying to maximize right up to it. The unpredictability of part-time work schedules makes this seem like the safer approach. The biggest revelation for me was learning about the benefit recalculation at Full Retirement Age from StarGazer101. I had no idea that withheld benefits could actually result in higher monthly payments later! This completely changes how I'm thinking about early retirement planning. Has anyone here actually experienced this recalculation personally, or is this still theoretical for most of us? Also planning to try that proactive approach of calling SSA before starting benefits to set up proper withholding. Based on everyone's experiences, it sounds like being organized and proactive is key to avoiding surprises!

I'm new to this community and just turned 62, facing the exact same decision about starting SS benefits while working part-time! This thread has been absolutely incredible - thank you all for sharing real experiences instead of the confusing official SSA jargon. Reading through everyone's responses has really helped me understand that SSA withholds $1 from your SS benefits (not your paycheck) for every $2 you earn over the annual limit, and it's based on gross earnings calculated annually. The monthly earnings test for your first year that Emma mentioned is fascinating - I had no idea timing your benefit start date could make such a difference! But the biggest game-changer for me was learning about the benefit recalculation at Full Retirement Age from StarGazer101. Knowing that withheld benefits aren't truly "lost" but can actually increase your monthly payment later completely changes how I'm thinking about this decision. Has anyone here actually experienced this recalculation firsthand? I'm definitely going with the buffer zone strategy that many of you mentioned - planning to stay about 80% of the annual limit rather than trying to maximize right up to it. Between seasonal work fluctuations, potential overtime, and bonuses all counting toward the limit, the peace of mind seems worth potentially leaving some income on the table. Going to try calling SSA proactively like Oliver suggested to set up proper withholding from the start, and maybe look into that Claimyr service Ava mentioned if the phone lines are as bad as everyone says. The spreadsheet tracking idea from GalacticGuru is brilliant too - definitely implementing that! This community has given me so much more confidence about navigating this process. Thank you everyone for the practical, real-world advice!

Just wanted to add something that might help others in similar situations - if you're approaching 65 and unsure about your work credits, you can create a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov to check your exact credit count and earnings history. This will show you precisely how many quarters you've earned and help you understand which Medicare options apply to your situation. It's much faster than calling and waiting on hold, and you'll have the information right in front of you when you do need to speak with an agent. Also, the account will show your estimated Social Security benefits, which can help you plan for retirement. It's free and takes just a few minutes to set up with some basic verification questions.

I'm so glad to see this thread has been so helpful! As someone who works in benefits counseling, I wanted to add that you should also consider looking into Medicare Supplement insurance (Medigap) once you're enrolled in Medicare Parts A and B. Since you'll be eligible for premium-free Part A through your husband's work record, a Medigap policy can help cover the out-of-pocket costs like deductibles and coinsurance that Original Medicare doesn't pay. The best time to buy Medigap is during your 6-month Open Enrollment Period that starts when you're 65 and enrolled in Part B - during this time, insurance companies can't deny you coverage or charge more due to health conditions. After this window closes, it becomes much harder and more expensive to get coverage. Just something to keep in mind as you plan your Medicare strategy!

This is really helpful information! I'm 64 and planning to work until 70 while collecting benefits starting at my FRA. One question I have - does the automatic recomputation also apply to delayed retirement credits? I know you get 8% per year for delaying past FRA, but if I'm working those years too, do I get both the delayed credits AND the benefit recalculation from higher earnings? Or is it one or the other? I'm trying to figure out if working those extra years gives me a double benefit boost or if there's some limitation I should know about. Thanks for all the insights everyone has shared!

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the timing of when you'll actually see the money. Even though SSA does the automatic recomputation every year, there can sometimes be delays in processing, especially if there are any discrepancies in your earnings record. I'd recommend keeping copies of your pay stubs and W-2s from these high-earning years just in case you need to provide documentation later. Also, if you're self-employed or have any 1099 income in addition to your W-2 wages, make sure you're reporting all of it correctly on your tax returns since that's what SSA uses for the recomputation. The extra documentation might save you headaches down the road if there are any questions about your earnings record.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this exact situation about 18 months ago when my husband passed at 61. Like you, I was confused when nothing showed up on my mySocialSecurity account about survivor benefits. What I learned is that the SSA system is set up in a way where survivor benefit eligibility isn't displayed on your personal account portal - it's only calculated and shown when you actually apply for those benefits. Think of it like this: your mySocialSecurity account shows YOUR work history and YOUR projected benefits, but survivor benefits are based on your spouse's work record, which is a separate calculation they do when you're ready to claim. The good news is that since you already received the $255 death benefit, everything is properly linked in their system. When you're ready to apply (whether that's at 60 for reduced benefits or later for full benefits), they'll have all the information they need. One piece of advice: start thinking about your claiming strategy now, even though you won't apply for years. Since you're only 54, you have time to plan whether it makes more sense to take survivor benefits first and delay your own retirement benefits until 70, or vice versa. A fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security can help you run the numbers when you're closer to decision time.

I'm so sorry for your loss. I understand your concern about not seeing survivor benefit information on your account, but everyone here is absolutely right - this is completely normal. The mySocialSecurity portal only shows your own earnings record and projected retirement benefits, not potential survivor benefits. I wanted to add one thing that might be helpful for your planning: when you do eventually apply for survivor benefits, you'll want to ask SSA about "deemed filing" rules. Basically, if you apply for survivor benefits before your full retirement age, they may automatically file you for your own retirement benefits too (and vice versa), so you'll receive whichever is higher. But there are strategies to avoid this if it makes sense to take one benefit first and the other later. Also, since your husband passed before claiming his benefits, your survivor benefit will be based on 100% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) when you reach your full retirement age, not the reduced amount he would have received if he had claimed early. This is actually advantageous compared to if he had already been receiving reduced benefits. You're smart to get organized now while you have time to plan. No need to stress about calling SSA until you're actually ready to apply.