Can I apply 4 months before turning 62 for early SS retirement benefits? Timing question

You can apply up to 4 months before you want your benefits to begin. Since you're turning 62 in January, you could apply as early as September of this year if you want benefits to start as soon as possible after your birthday. And yes, timing does matter! Social Security pays benefits the month AFTER they're due, so your January benefit (for your birthday month) would be paid in February. If you wait too long to apply, you might miss getting that first payment on time. One thing to remember - applying at 62 means about a 30% reduction in benefits compared to waiting until your Full Retirement Age. Make sure you've calculated if you can manage with that reduced amount.

my sister applied at 62 last yr and she said they told her exactly 3 months not 4. but maybe it changed? idk why they make this stuff so confusing lol

I just went through this!!! Applied last year exactly 3 months before my 62nd birthday. BIG MISTAKE! Something got messed up with my application and by the time I realized there was a problem and called SSA, they told me I missed getting my first payment on time because it couldn't be processed fast enough!!! DEFINITELY apply 4 months early if you can. And check your my Social Security account online REGULARLY to make sure your application is processing correctly. Don't assume everything is fine like I did. I ended up missing almost 2 months of payments because of the errors and it took FOREVER to get it fixed!!

I applied online 4 months before turning 62 and the process was pretty smooth. Here's my advice: 1. Gather all your documents first (birth certificate, marriage certificate if applicable, bank info for direct deposit, etc) 2. Create a my Social Security account if you haven't already 3. Apply exactly 4 months before you want benefits to start 4. Be precise about the month you want benefits to begin (this is important!) Remember that Social Security benefits are paid the month after they're due. So your January benefit comes in February. Your first payment will be for the full month regardless of what day your birthday falls on. Also keep in mind that taking benefits at 62 means a permanent reduction - for those born in 1960 or later, it's a 30% reduction from your full retirement age benefit. Make sure you've done the calculations on whether this makes financial sense for your situation.

I tried calling SSA for WEEKS trying to get through to discuss my early retirement application. Always got disconnected or was on hold for hours! Finally I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in under 5 minutes. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Saved me so much frustration and the agent was able to answer all my questions about application timing. Apparently there are certain situations where waiting until 3 months before can actually be better than 4 months, depending on your specific situation. Might be worth talking to an actual agent to get advice for your particular case.

One thing nobody has mentioned yet that's VERY important: The month you choose to start benefits affects when the earnings limit applies to you. In the year you turn 62, the earnings limit applies starting with the FIRST MONTH you receive benefits. So if you earn too much before applying, it doesn't count against you. But once your benefits start, you'll be subject to the annual earnings limit (around $22,320 for 2025 for early retirees). If you're still working or plan to work, this timing can make a HUGE difference financially. You might want to time your application so that your benefits start AFTER you've earned most of your income for the year.

also dont forget they take out medicare costs from ur check i think? my uncle said they took out like $170 from his SS check every month for medicare even tho he didnt sign up for it

DONT APPLY ONLINE!!!! The SSA website is TERRIBLE and full of GLITCHES!!! My online application disappeared into a black hole and I had to start all over by phone after waiting 2 months with no response!!! CALL THEM DIRECTLY even if you have to wait on hold all day!!!!!

One final tip - when you do apply, you'll be asked to select the month you want benefits to begin. This is DIFFERENT from your application date. For example, if you apply in September 2024 (4 months before turning 62 in January 2025), you would select January 2025 as your benefit start month. Don't select your application month by mistake or you might get a message saying you're not eligible yet, which confuses many applicants. Also, print or save a copy of your application confirmation. You should receive a confirmation number when you complete the online application - save this in a safe place.

Hey Andre! I just wanted to add one more thing that helped me when I applied at 62 - make sure you have your most recent tax return handy when you apply. They might ask for your earnings history to calculate your benefit amount, and having your tax documents ready can speed up the process. Also, if you have any gaps in your work history or worked for employers who might not have reported your earnings correctly, now would be a good time to check your earnings record on your mySocialSecurity account. You can request corrections if needed, but it's much easier to do this BEFORE you apply rather than after. The 4-month advance application timeline that others mentioned is spot on. I applied exactly 4 months early and had no issues. Just make sure all your paperwork is in order first - it'll save you headaches later!

Hi Andre! I went through this exact same process last year and can share what worked for me. I applied online exactly 4 months before my 62nd birthday and everything went smoothly. Here's what I learned: Yes, you can apply up to 4 months in advance, and I'd strongly recommend doing the full 4 months rather than waiting. The processing time can vary, and you don't want to risk missing your first payment like some people have experienced. One thing that really helped me was setting up direct deposit ahead of time through my mySocialSecurity account. Also, when you apply, you'll see a question about what month you want benefits to START - make sure you select January 2025, not your application month. That tripped me up initially. The reduction at 62 is significant (about 25-30% depending on your birth year), but it sounds like you've already considered that for your situation. Just remember that this reduction is permanent, even when you reach full retirement age. Also, keep checking your application status online after you submit. Don't just assume everything is processing correctly - stay on top of it! Good luck with your application!

Just wanted to add my experience since I literally just got approved after applying at 62 last month! I applied exactly 4 months early like everyone recommends and it was the right call. One thing I wish someone had told me - when you're gathering documents, also have your W-2s from the last couple years ready. They asked for mine during the application process to verify recent earnings. Also, if you're married, you'll need your spouse's Social Security number and birth date even if they're not applying. The online application took me about 45 minutes to complete, and I got a confirmation number right away. I printed that page and also took screenshots of every step - saved me when I had questions later and needed to reference what I submitted. Pro tip: Apply early in the morning if you can. The SSA website can get slow during peak hours, and you don't want to lose your progress halfway through. I applied at 7 AM on a Tuesday and had zero technical issues. Your health situation sounds similar to mine - sometimes taking the reduced benefit early is absolutely the right financial decision even with the permanent reduction. You know your situation best!

Andre, I just wanted to share one more piece of advice that saved me a lot of stress when I applied at 62 - make sure you understand how they calculate your first payment amount if you have earnings in your birthday month. Since you're turning 62 in January, if you're still working in January 2025, they'll prorate your first benefit payment. So if your birthday is January 15th, you'd only get benefits for the second half of January (paid in February). But if your birthday is January 1st or 2nd, you'd get the full month's benefit. This doesn't affect your long-term benefit amount, just that very first payment. I was confused when my first check was smaller than expected until I realized this was why. The SSA rep I finally got through to explained that they can't pay benefits for any month before you're actually 62. Also, I second what others said about applying online early in the morning - I tried applying on a Friday afternoon once and the site kept timing out. Applied the following Monday at 8 AM and it went through perfectly. You've gotten great advice here about the 4-month timeline. With your health concerns, taking benefits at 62 sounds like a smart decision. Better to have that financial security!

Hi Andre! I just wanted to chime in as someone who recently went through the early retirement application process. Based on all the great advice here, I'd definitely echo the 4-month application timeline - it really does give you that buffer in case there are any processing delays. One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you should also consider setting up your bank account for direct deposit BEFORE you apply if you haven't already. When I applied, they asked for my banking information during the application process, and having that ready made everything smoother. Also, since you mentioned health issues as part of your decision, you might want to document any medical expenses or treatments you're currently having. While it won't affect your Social Security retirement benefits, having that documentation organized can be helpful if you ever need to apply for disability benefits down the line. The fact that you're planning ahead and asking these questions puts you way ahead of where I was when I started this process. With everyone's advice here about applying in September for your January benefits, gathering your documents early, and staying on top of your application status, you should be in great shape!

Andre, I went through this exact process two years ago and wanted to share what worked for me! I applied exactly 4 months before my 62nd birthday and it was definitely the right timing. Here's what I learned: The SSA processes applications in the order they receive them, and there can be unexpected delays - especially if they need to verify any of your employment history or if there are discrepancies in your records. By applying the full 4 months early, I had plenty of buffer time. One thing that really helped me was calling my local SSA office (not the main number) about a month after I submitted my online application just to confirm everything was processing normally. The local offices often have shorter wait times than the national line. Also, since you mentioned health issues influenced your decision - I totally get it. The peace of mind of having that steady income starting right when you turn 62 is worth the reduction for many of us. You can always work part-time later if you want to supplement the reduced benefit. Make sure when you apply in September, you clearly specify January 2025 as your benefit start month. And definitely set up your mySocialSecurity account monitoring so you can track the application status. Good luck with everything!

Andre, I just wanted to add one more consideration that might be helpful for your situation. Since you mentioned mortgage payments as part of your decision to take early benefits, make sure you factor in that Social Security benefits may be partially taxable depending on your total income. If you have other income sources (pension, part-time work, investment income, etc.), up to 85% of your Social Security benefits could be subject to federal income tax. The thresholds are pretty low - for single filers, if your combined income is over $25,000, some of your benefits become taxable. This doesn't mean you shouldn't take early benefits - just something to plan for when budgeting with your reduced benefit amount. You might want to have a little extra set aside for taxes or adjust your withholding if you have other income. Also, since several people mentioned the mySocialSecurity account - if you haven't logged in recently, I'd recommend checking it now to make sure all your personal information is current (address, phone number, etc.). It'll save time when you're ready to apply in September. The 4-month advance timeline everyone's mentioned is definitely the way to go based on all the experiences shared here. You're really smart to start planning this early!

Hi Andre! I just wanted to add something that might help with your timeline planning. I applied exactly 4 months early like everyone's recommending, but what really made the difference was being super organized with my paperwork beforehand. Here's my suggestion: Start gathering your documents NOW, even though you won't apply until September. You'll need your birth certificate, Social Security card, bank information for direct deposit, recent tax returns, and W-2s from the last couple years. Having everything ready in a folder will make the actual application process much smoother. Also, I noticed you mentioned trying to call SSA with no luck. If you do need to speak with someone before applying, try calling your local field office directly rather than the national number. You can find your local office on the SSA website - they often have much shorter wait times. One last thing - when you do apply in September, make absolutely sure you select January 2025 as your benefit START month, not your application month. This is different from when you're submitting the application and confuses a lot of people. You're being really smart to plan this far ahead. With your health situation factored in, taking benefits at 62 sounds like the right decision for your circumstances. Good luck with everything!