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.