Can I collect 6 months of Social Security back pay if I wait until 70 and a half to file?

you can definitely do that! i waited till 70 and 4 months to file and got backpay to when i turned 70. They will automatically pay you back to ur 70th bday no matter when you file after that. my neighbor waited almost a whole year and got all his money.

You're partially correct, but let me clarify how this works with delayed retirement credits (DRCs). You earn delayed retirement credits for each month you delay claiming past your Full Retirement Age up to age 70. After 70, no additional DRCs accumulate. If you file after turning 70, the SSA will automatically pay you retroactive benefits back to age 70, up to 6 months. So yes, you can file at 70 and 6 months and receive those missed payments in a lump sum. However, waiting beyond 70 doesn't increase your monthly benefit amount - it just means you missed payments you were entitled to. To maximize your benefits, you should apply 3-4 months before you want benefits to begin. Since you're planning to maximize by waiting until 70, I'd recommend applying around age 69 and 8 months with a specified start date of your 70th birthday month.

My sister waIted til she was 71 to file and Social Secrity only gave her 6 months of back pay!!!! They STOLE 6 months of HER MONEY that she paid in all those years!!! The government doesnt want u to know this but they will ONLY back pay 6 months no matter how long u wait!! The system is RIGGED

I had such a nightmare trying to sort this out with Social Security last year. I turned 70 in March 2024 but didn't apply until December because I was caring for my sick husband. When I called SS to file, I was on hold for 3+ hours only to get disconnected. Then I tried visiting my local office, but they were appointment-only with a 2-month wait. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an actual SS agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with confirmed exactly what others have said - I got 6 months of back payments to June 2024, but lost the payments from March-May since they only go back 6 months maximum. Wish I'd known this earlier!

I waited until I was 70 years and 8 months to file last year and everyone here is right, they only gave me 6 months of backpay. But I'm wondering - does the backpay come as one big lump sum? Does that affect taxes? I got hit with a huge tax bill because suddenly my income was much higher for that year. Just something to consider when you're planning!

Thank you all for your helpful responses! This clarifies things - it sounds like I should: 1. Plan to apply 3-4 months before my 70th birthday in June 2025 2. Specify that I want benefits to start the month I turn 70 3. Be aware of the potential tax implications of receiving benefits And most importantly - there's absolutely no advantage to waiting beyond age 70 to file. I'm glad I asked here before potentially losing months of benefits!

Great thread everyone! Just wanted to add one more practical tip for Mei - when you apply 3-4 months before your 70th birthday, make sure to explicitly tell the SSA representative that you want your benefits to BEGIN in your birth month (June 2025), not the month you're applying. Sometimes there can be confusion about this, and you want to make absolutely sure they understand you're not trying to start benefits early, but rather scheduling them to start at the optimal time when you turn 70. Also keep all your documentation - application number, confirmation letters, etc. The whole process can take 2-3 months to fully process, so applying early gives you a buffer in case there are any delays or issues that need to be resolved.

This has been such an informative discussion! I'm 69 and have been stressing about the timing for months. Reading everyone's experiences has really helped me understand that the 6-month retroactive payment rule is real, but there's absolutely no benefit to waiting beyond 70. One thing I wanted to add from my research - I've been using the Social Security Administration's online retirement estimator tool (ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/estimator.html) to model different scenarios, and it's been really helpful for visualizing exactly how much I'd receive at different claiming ages. For anyone still on the fence about timing, I'd recommend plugging in your numbers there to see the concrete dollar differences. Also, for those worried about getting through to SSA on the phone, I've found that calling right when they open at 8 AM local time significantly reduces wait times. I called last week just to ask some preliminary questions and only waited about 15 minutes versus the horror stories of 3+ hour holds. Thanks to everyone for sharing their real experiences - it's so much more valuable than just reading the official SSA publications!

This has been such a comprehensive and helpful discussion! As someone who's 68 and planning to file at 70, I wanted to add one more consideration that my elder law attorney mentioned - the importance of having all your documentation organized before you apply. Beyond just knowing when to file, make sure you have easy access to your birth certificate, marriage certificate (if applicable), tax returns from the last few years, and any military service records. The SSA rep will need to verify various details, and having everything ready can make the process much smoother. Also, if you have any name changes throughout your life (maiden names, etc.), be prepared to provide documentation for those as well. I learned this the hard way when helping my sister apply - what should have been a straightforward call turned into weeks of back-and-forth because she couldn't immediately provide proof of a name change from 30 years ago. One last tip: consider setting up a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov before you apply. You can review your earnings history to make sure everything is accurate, which could save time during your application call. Plus, once you start receiving benefits, you can access statements and manage certain aspects of your account online rather than having to call. The collective wisdom in this thread has been invaluable - thank you all for sharing your real-world experiences!