Can I sign up for Medicare now but delay SS benefits until my FRA without penalty?

You can absolutely enroll in Medicare without taking Social Security! These are separate decisions. Many people do exactly what you're considering - take Medicare at 65 but delay SS until FRA or even age 70 for higher benefits. As for timing, if you're losing employer coverage, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period for Medicare. You should apply for Medicare right away to start May 1st to avoid any gaps in coverage. This won't force you to take SS benefits - you can wait until September for those.

my neighbor did this exact thing last year. signed up for medicare but waited til 67 for SS. said it was no problem at all.

DONT DO COBRA!!!! It's a HUGE ripoff! I paid almost $1,700 a MONTH for just me and my wife. Medicare will be SO MUCH cheaper. And yes you can absolutely do Medicare without SS - I did that for 8 months last year before starting my retirement benefits.

You need to apply for Medicare about 2-3 months before you want coverage to start. Since you're losing employer coverage, you qualify for a Special Enrollment Period, which means you won't face late enrollment penalties as long as you sign up within 8 months of losing your coverage. The process is: 1. Go to SSA.gov and apply for Medicare only (Parts A & B) 2. You'll need to complete form CMS-L564 (Request for Employment Information) and have your employer complete their section 3. When applying online, indicate you want ONLY Medicare, not retirement benefits 4. You'll also need to decide if you want a Medicare Advantage plan or a Medigap policy plus Part D And yes, waiting until your FRA in September for Social Security is smart financially if you can afford to do so.

I'm in the exact same situation except I'm 65 and my FRA isn't until 67. I've been trying to call the Social Security office for TWO WEEKS to ask these same questions and I literally cannot get through. Always busy or disconnects me after being on hold forever. So frustrating!!!

Just want to add another detail - when u sign up for Medicare only, make sure you DECLINE the automatic SS benefits enrollment. There's a specific question during the process about this. If u miss it, they might automatically start ur SS benefits too.

One more thing to consider - if you're planning to continue working after starting Medicare but before claiming Social Security, make sure you understand how Medicare premiums work in that situation. Since you won't have the premiums automatically deducted from SS benefits, you'll receive quarterly bills for Medicare Part B (and Part D if applicable) that you'll need to pay directly. Also, your Medicare premiums may be higher based on your income from 2 years ago (called IRMAA - Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). This is something to factor into your planning.

Yes, the IRMAA amounts adjust each year based on your tax returns from 2 years prior. So in 2025, your Medicare premiums will be based on your 2023 income. But once you're retired with lower income, you can file Form SSA-44 (Life-Changing Event) to request an immediate reduction in your IRMAA if you've experienced a work stoppage or reduction. About your original question: you're making the right choice by separating the Medicare and Social Security decisions. Each month you delay SS after FRA increases your benefit by 2/3 of 1%, which is 8% per year - that's a guaranteed return you can't beat elsewhere!

Did anyone mention Medigap vs Medicare Advantage? That's another big decision you need to make when signing up for Medicare. I went with Advantage because it was cheaper upfront but now I'm regretting it because of all the authorization requirements and network limitations.

As someone who went through this exact situation 2 years ago, I can confirm you absolutely can and should separate these decisions! I enrolled in Medicare at 65 when I lost my employer coverage, but waited until 67 (my FRA) to start Social Security benefits. A few practical tips from my experience: - Apply for Medicare about 60-90 days before you need coverage (so start NOW for May 1st) - When you apply online at ssa.gov, there's a clear option to select "Medicare benefits only" - You'll need proof of your job loss/coverage ending date for the Special Enrollment Period - I chose traditional Medicare + Medigap Plan G + standalone Part D, which has worked wonderfully - no network restrictions and predictable costs The whole process took about 3 weeks from application to getting my Medicare card. Don't stress about the timing - you're making a smart financial move by maximizing your SS benefits while ensuring you have health coverage!

Just wanted to add one more consideration that helped me when I was in a similar situation - if you're concerned about any gaps or delays in the Medicare enrollment process, you might want to look into short-term health insurance as a backup plan. It's not ideal long-term, but it can bridge any unexpected gaps between losing employer coverage and Medicare starting. Also, since you mentioned your wife was laid off, don't forget that she may also qualify for a Special Enrollment Period for her own coverage options through the marketplace or COBRA. Sometimes couples forget to coordinate both spouses' coverage transitions when one loses employer benefits. The advice everyone's given about separating Medicare and SS is spot on - I did the same thing and it worked out great financially. Just make sure you have all your paperwork ready (employment verification, loss of coverage documentation) when you start the Medicare application to avoid any delays.

I went through this exact same situation 3 years ago and can definitely confirm what others have said - you absolutely CAN enroll in Medicare without starting Social Security benefits! One thing I'd add that hasn't been mentioned yet: when you apply for Medicare online, make sure you have your employer's EIN (tax ID number) handy. They'll ask for it on the application to verify your current coverage situation. Also, keep documentation of when your employer coverage actually ends - I had to provide a letter from HR stating my coverage end date. The timing sounds perfect for you - applying now for May 1st coverage gives you plenty of buffer time. I applied about 75 days before I needed coverage and everything went smoothly. And waiting until your FRA in September for SS benefits is absolutely the right financial move if you can swing it. One last tip: once you get your Medicare card, don't forget to notify any current healthcare providers about the insurance change so they can update their billing systems before your first appointments under Medicare.

I'm in a similar situation and this thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 65 and losing my employer coverage in June, but my FRA isn't until 67. Reading everyone's experiences has given me the confidence to move forward with Medicare-only enrollment. One question I haven't seen addressed - for those who did Medicare without SS benefits, how did you handle the Medicare premium payments? Did you set up automatic bank withdrawals, or do you just pay the quarterly bills when they arrive? I'm trying to plan out my budget for the transition period. Also, has anyone had experience with appealing IRMAA adjustments? My 2023 income was higher than what it will be in retirement, so I'm expecting to pay the higher premiums initially but hoping to get them reduced once I file the life-changing event form.