Can I change my Social Security start date from January to March after filing?
I'm having a bit of a panic moment here. Just submitted my retirement benefits application online yesterday and realized I made a mistake with my benefit start date. I put January 2025 but I actually want to start receiving in March 2025 (turning 67 in February). Is this something I can fix by calling the SSA directly? Or do I need to withdraw my application completely and start over? Really don't want to mess this up since I know it affects my monthly amount. Has anyone dealt with changing their start date after submitting?
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TechNinja
Yes, you can absolutely call SSA to change your benefit start date as long as you do it before your benefits actually begin. This is a common adjustment they handle all the time. Just call the main SSA number at 1-800-772-1213, explain the situation, and they'll help you update the start date from January to March. Make sure you have your confirmation number or Social Security number ready when you call. No need to withdraw your entire application!
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Lena Müller
•Oh thank goodness! I was worried I'd have to start the whole process over again. I'll call them tomorrow morning. Do you know if this will cause any delays in processing my application?
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Keisha Thompson
i did the exact same thing last year lol. put february instead of april. called them and they fixed it in like 2 minutes. super easy dont worry
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Lena Müller
•That's such a relief to hear! Did they send you any kind of confirmation after they made the change?
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Paolo Bianchi
GOOD LUCK getting through to anyone!!! I've been trying for THREE WEEKS to reach someone about my benefits calculation error. Keep getting disconnected or waiting for 2+ hours. The whole system is broken. And then when you finally get someone, half the time they don't know what they're talking about and give wrong information. Hope you have better luck than me but don't hold your breath!!!
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Yara Assad
•I had the same awful experience trying to get through to SSA about my husband's survivor benefits. After days of trying, I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of hours. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - totally worth it for avoiding the frustration of constant busy signals and disconnects. The agent was able to fix my issue right away once I actually got through to someone.
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Paolo Bianchi
•Never heard of that but might try it. ANYTHING is better than their ridiculous phone system. Been on hold so long I could write a novel about the experience!!!
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Olivia Clark
Just to add some important context - changing your start date from January to March is actually a very simple administrative adjustment that won't require reprocessing your entire application. The SSA deals with this frequently. However, you're making a smart financial move here. By delaying from January to March, you'll get a slightly higher monthly benefit amount due to delayed retirement credits (assuming you're at or near full retirement age). Each month you delay adds approximately 2/3 of 1% to your benefit amount. Just make sure you call before benefits actually begin processing for payment.
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Javier Morales
•Is that true for everyone though? My neighbor said something about getting 8% more per year but I think thats only before you hit full retirement age? The rules are so confusing
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Olivia Clark
•Your neighbor is partially right but has it backward. The 8% per year increase (or 2/3% per month) applies ONLY if you delay AFTER reaching your Full Retirement Age (FRA), which is between 66-67 depending on birth year. If you delay before reaching FRA, you're simply avoiding the early filing reduction. The OP mentioned turning 67 in February, so delaying from January to March would indeed give them a slight increase since they'd be past their FRA.
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Natasha Petrov
When I filed last year I put down the wrong bank account number and had to call to fix it. The wait time was horrible but once I got someone they fixed it on the spot. Just be super patient with the phone system. I called right when they opened at 8am and still waited about 45 minutes.
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Lena Müller
•Thanks for the tip about calling at 8am. I'll try that tomorrow. Did they send you any confirmation of the change afterwards?
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Natasha Petrov
•Yeah they actually mailed something about a week later showing the updated info. I think everything is still tracked in their system even if you don't get immediate proof of the change.
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Keisha Thompson
anyone know if changing ur start date effects the medicare part b enrollment? i think theyre connected right?
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TechNinja
•Good question! Medicare Part B enrollment is separate from your Social Security retirement benefits start date. If you're already 65 or older, your Medicare coverage can begin regardless of when you start your Social Security benefits. If you want specific Medicare enrollment dates changed, you should mention that specifically when you call, as they handle these as separate processes even though you can apply for both at the same time.
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Lena Müller
UPDATE: Finally got through to SSA this morning! The agent confirmed they can easily change my start date from January to March 2025. She said it happens all the time and won't affect my application processing. She also mentioned I'll receive a letter confirming the change within 2 weeks. Thanks everyone for your help and suggestions!
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Javier Morales
•Awesome! Glad it worked out for u! 👍
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Paolo Bianchi
•You got LUCKY. Mark this day on your calendar lol
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