Can I get retroactive Social Security benefits for 4 months between FRA and when I applied?

Yes! You're absolutely entitled to retroactive benefits in this case. Social Security allows up to 6 months of retroactive benefits after FRA (but not before FRA). Since you only waited 4 months past your FRA to apply, you should be eligible for all 4 months of back payments. You need to specifically request this though - call SSA and tell them you want to file for retroactive benefits from your FRA date. They should be able to process this for you. The back payment usually comes as a lump sum separate from your regular monthly benefit.

i got retro $ last yr when i did the same thing. waited 5 mths past FRA to apply. they gave me ALL the back pay no problm

When I filed 3 months after my FRA, I had to explicitly tell the agent I wanted retroactive benefits. It wasn't automatic. The agent initially just set up my ongoing monthly benefits starting from my application date. When I specifically asked about retroactive benefits, they said "Oh, you want those too?" like it was optional! Make sure you clearly state you want the retroactive benefits going back to your FRA. Also, be prepared for a potential tax implication since you'll get a lump sum payment in addition to your regular benefits this year.

You should be able to get those months back but WHY didn't SSA tell you about this when you applied?? That's what drives me CRAZY about them - they don't volunteer important info that could help you! My brother lost a whole YEAR of benefits because nobody told him he could file retroactively. The system is designed to save them money by keeping people in the dark!!

I had a similar situation and was able to get my retroactive benefits, but it took persistence. After trying to call for weeks with no luck, I discovered Claimyr.com which got me through to a live SSA agent in about 15 minutes. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU that shows how it works. Once I got through to a real person, they processed my retroactive payment request right away. The back pay showed up as a separate deposit about 3 weeks later. Much easier than trying to handle this through the local office or waiting on hold for hours.

My mother-in-law just went through this exact situation last year! She was 4 months past her FRA when she applied. Initially they only started her benefits from her application date, but when she specifically requested retroactive benefits, they approved it without any issues. The back payment came about a month after her first regular payment. Just make sure you specifically use the words "retroactive benefits" when you talk to them. Good luck!

This is why the Social Security system is so frustrating! They make these complicated rules and don't clearly explain them to people. I waited 8 months after my FRA to apply and thought I could get all 8 months retroactively, but was told they only go back 6 months maximum after FRA. Still got something though. You definitely need to ask specifically for it - they don't volunteer this information.

One important thing no one has mentioned yet - when you receive retroactive benefits, you'll need to indicate this on your taxes. If the lump sum is large enough, it could potentially push you into a higher tax bracket or affect how much of your Social Security is taxable. You might want to talk to a tax professional about using the "lump sum election" method on your tax return, which might help reduce the tax impact.

btw when i got my retroactive $$ it was for the full benefit amount for those months not reduced or anything

After you get this sorted out, you might want to check if you made the optimal claiming decision. At FRA, you receive 100% of your primary insurance amount (PIA), but each year you delay past FRA (up to age 70) adds 8% in delayed retirement credits. If you're in good health and have other income sources, sometimes it's more beneficial to delay even past FRA. Just something to consider for others reading this thread - in your case, definitely claim those retroactive benefits!