Applying for Social Security at 67 while still working - timing to avoid gaps between paychecks

You're in a good position since you're already at your Full Retirement Age (FRA). There are NO penalties or reductions for working while collecting Social Security once you've reached FRA (67 for those born in 1960 or later). You can earn unlimited income without it affecting your benefit amount. As for timing, SSA recommends applying about 3 months before you want benefits to begin. Benefits are paid the month after they're due, so if you want your first payment shortly after your last paycheck, plan accordingly. The only consideration is taxes - more of your SS benefits may be taxable if your combined income is higher. But that's just a tax consideration, not a penalty.

congrats on retiring! i started taking my ss while working part time at 67 too and it was fine. just remember the money comes a month behind so like january payment comes in february. i didnt know that and got confused lol

When I retired at 68, I applied about 2 months before my planned retirement date and it worked out perfectly. There's absolutely no penalty for working while collecting benefits once you're past your Full Retirement Age. In fact, continuing to work might even increase your benefit amount slightly if you're having a high-earning year, since SSA recalculates annually. The only real consideration is taxation - up to 85% of your Social Security can be taxable depending on your combined income. If you'll be making a lot in your final working months, you might want to wait until you actually stop working to start benefits just to simplify your tax situation. One tip: set up direct deposit when you apply - it speeds up the whole process significantly.

I tried calling SSA for weeks with a similar question last year when I was retiring. Always busy signals or disconnections after hours on hold! Finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me connected to a real person at SSA in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I finally got through, the agent told me that applying 2-3 months before I wanted benefits to start was ideal. They also explained there's no penalty for working while collecting once you're past full retirement age (which you are at 67).

my sister started her ss at 67 while still working part time and had no problems. she said just make sure you know what month you want the benefits to START not when you apply because thats different

BEWARE applying online!! The system is TERRIBLE!! I tried to do this myself last year and somehow my application got lost in their system for TWO MONTHS! Nobody contacted me, nothing! When I finally got through to someone they had no record of it and I had to start all over again. LOST THOUSANDS in benefits I could have been receiving!! Don't trust their fancy online system - go in person if you possibly can!!!

hey i just remembered something important. they pay benefits a month BEHIND. so june benefits come in july. dont forget that when ur planning for no gap.

One more thing to consider - when you apply, you'll have the option to choose which month you want benefits to start. This gives you flexibility in timing. You could apply now, but request benefits to start the month after you plan to stop working. This ensures everything is processed and ready to go without creating potential tax complications from overlapping full salary and benefits. Also, if you haven't already, create a my Social Security account on ssa.gov to see your estimated benefit amount. This will help with your retirement budget planning.

That sounds like a solid plan! Just to reinforce what others have said - applying in April for July benefits is perfect timing. Since you're already past FRA, you're in the clear for earnings restrictions. One small detail that might help with your planning: Social Security payments are typically deposited on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday of the month based on your birth date. So your July payment would actually arrive sometime in the third or fourth week of July, not July 1st. Might want to factor that into your financial planning for the transition period. Also, make sure to keep good records of your final work paystubs - you'll need them for tax purposes since you'll be mixing W-2 income and Social Security benefits in the same tax year. Good luck with your retirement!

Just wanted to add one more consideration that might be helpful - since you're a nurse, you might want to check if your employer has any policies about receiving Social Security while still employed. Some healthcare facilities have specific HR policies or benefit coordination rules you should be aware of, even though there's no federal restriction at your age. Also, since you mentioned wanting to avoid gaps between paychecks, you might want to consider whether your nursing job offers any kind of retirement payout for unused vacation/sick time. If so, the timing of that payout relative to your Social Security start date could affect your tax situation for the year. Your plan to apply in April for July benefits sounds perfect though - that gives SSA plenty of processing time and aligns well with your June 30th retirement date!

Welcome to the retirement planning journey! As someone who just went through this process myself last year, I can tell you that you're asking all the right questions. The timing strategy you're considering (applying in April for July benefits after a June 30th retirement) is exactly what I did and it worked seamlessly. One thing that really helped me was creating a month-by-month budget for the transition period. Since Social Security payments come a month behind (July benefits paid in July, but typically in the 3rd or 4th week), I made sure I had enough savings to cover any gap between my final paycheck and that first SS deposit. Also, don't forget to factor in Medicare if you're not already enrolled - that has its own enrollment timeline that's separate from Social Security. And definitely take advantage of the online my Social Security account to track your application status once you submit it. You're doing great by planning this out so carefully in advance. The peace of mind from having it all mapped out is worth the extra planning effort!

One more tip that really helped me when I was in your situation - consider setting up a Social Security online account (if you haven't already) and familiarize yourself with the application process before you actually submit it. You can start the application, save it as a draft, and come back to complete it when you're ready. This way you can make sure you have all the information and documents you need without feeling rushed. Also, since you mentioned you're a nurse, you might want to double-check that all your earnings are properly recorded in your Social Security statement. Healthcare workers sometimes have earnings from multiple employers or agencies that don't always get reported correctly, and any corrections need to be made before you apply for benefits. Your timeline sounds perfect - applying in April for July benefits gives you a nice buffer and ensures everything will be processed smoothly for when you need it!

This thread has been incredibly thorough and helpful! As someone who's also approaching retirement (turning 67 next year), I'm taking notes on everything discussed here. The consensus seems clear: apply 2-3 months before you want benefits to start, no penalties for working past FRA, and be mindful of the payment timing (benefits paid the month after they're due). One question I haven't seen addressed - if you're planning to do some part-time or consulting work after retirement, does that change any of the timing considerations? I'm thinking of doing some PRN nursing shifts occasionally after I "officially" retire, and I'm wondering if that affects the Social Security application strategy at all. @Caden Turner - sounds like you've got a solid plan mapped out! The April application for July benefits timeline makes perfect sense given all the advice here.

This has been such a comprehensive and helpful discussion! As someone who's been putting off making the call to SSA because of all the horror stories about wait times, reading through everyone's experiences and advice has really clarified the process for me. I'm in a similar situation - turning 67 in a few months and planning to retire from my teaching job at the end of this school year. The consensus here about applying 2-3 months ahead seems solid, and it's reassuring to know there are no penalties for working while collecting benefits once you're past FRA. One thing I'm curious about that I didn't see mentioned - for those of you who have gone through this process, did you find it helpful to have any specific documents ready when you applied? I want to make sure I'm fully prepared when I start my application, especially after reading about the draft feature that someone mentioned. Thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences - this thread is going to save me (and probably many others) a lot of stress and confusion!

This thread has been incredibly informative! As someone who just turned 67 and is working in healthcare administration, I'm facing a very similar decision about timing my Social Security application. Reading through everyone's experiences has really helped clarify the process. One thing I wanted to add that might be helpful - I recently attended a retirement seminar through my employer's benefits department, and they emphasized the importance of understanding how your state taxes Social Security benefits (if at all). Some states don't tax SS benefits at all, while others do, which could affect your overall tax planning during that transition period when you're receiving both work income and benefits. Also, for anyone worried about the online application process after reading about some of the technical difficulties mentioned here - my HR department told me that many local Social Security offices now offer appointments where they can help you complete the online application in person. It might be a good middle ground between doing it entirely yourself online and waiting for phone support. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this is exactly the kind of real-world advice that's so hard to find elsewhere!