Confused about when to apply for Social Security at 70 - March birthday after the 2nd
I'm turning 70 in March 2025 and trying to apply for my Social Security retirement benefits online. I know I've delayed past my FRA to get the maximum benefit amount, but now I'm confused about WHEN exactly I should submit my application. The dropdown menu on the SSA site is showing March as an option, but my birthday is March 17th (after the 2nd of the month). The example on the website mentions something about birthdays on the 2nd or earlier getting paid differently, but doesn't clearly explain what to do in my situation. Should I be applying right now (4 months ahead)? Too early? Too late? Will my first payment come in March or April? I don't want to mess this up after waiting all these years for the maximum benefit amount!
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Amara Eze
You're doing the right thing by applying about 4 months before you want benefits to begin. Since your birthday is after the 2nd of the month, your benefit month will be March 2025 (the month you turn 70). Your first payment would arrive in April 2025, as Social Security pays benefits in the month following the month they're due. Go ahead and complete your application now - you're right on schedule!
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Liam McGuire
AuthorThank you! So I should select March 2025 as my benefit start month in the application? I was worried I might need to select April since that's when the payment would actually arrive.
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Giovanni Ricci
I went through this exact same confusion when I turned 70 last year! The Social Security website is so unclear about this. For what it's worth, I applied 3 months before my birthday (which is on the 25th), selected my birth month as the start date, and everything worked perfectly. My first check came the following month with the full delayed retirement credits included. Just make sure to specifically select March 2025 on the application.
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Liam McGuire
AuthorThat's really reassuring to hear! Did they send you any confirmation after you applied? I'm worried about submitting it and then just waiting for months without knowing if I did it correctly.
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NeonNomad
The 2nd of the month rule is confusing! If born on 1st or 2nd, you get paid for the previous month. Since your birthday is the 17th, your benefit month IS March, and you'll get paid in April. Applying 4 months early is PERFECT timing!
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
Actually thats not quite right. The rule is about WHEN you receive benefits not which month they're for. Everyone gets paid the month after the benefit month. The 1st/2nd birthday thing just determines if your benefit month is the month of your birthday or the month before your birthday. In this case March is 100% the correct benefit month to select.
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Dylan Mitchell
You're right on track applying 4 months in advance. Since your birthday is March 17th, your benefit month is March 2025. The SSA recommends applying 3-4 months before you want benefits to begin, so your timing is perfect. The rule about birthdays on the 1st or 2nd is called the "Special Rule for Month of Birth." Essentially: - If born on the 1st or 2nd: Your benefit month is the previous month (February in your case, if this applied) - If born on the 3rd-31st: Your benefit month is your birth month (March in your case) For payment timing: Regardless of when your benefit month is, you always receive the payment in the following month (so April for your March benefit). Select March 2025 as your benefit start month, and you're good to go!
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Liam McGuire
AuthorOh! That explanation about the Special Rule makes so much more sense than what I read on the website. Thank you for breaking it down so clearly. I'll definitely select March 2025 then.
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Sofia Martinez
i waited til 70 to get my ss also and REGRET IT!!! they told me i shoulda applied earlier cuz u can only get 6 months backpay!! did anyone tell you about that?? so if u wait too long after 70 u LOSE money forevre!!
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Dylan Mitchell
You're raising an important point about retroactive benefits, but since the original poster is applying before turning 70, this won't be an issue for them. You're correct that if someone waits until after 70 to apply, SSA will only provide up to 6 months of retroactive benefits, which means they could permanently lose some of their earned delayed retirement credits if they wait too long. For anyone reading who is already past 70 and hasn't applied yet - do it immediately to minimize any lost benefits!
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Dmitry Volkov
Have you tried calling the Social Security office directly? I've been trying to get through to them for weeks about my own retirement application and keep getting disconnected or told to call back. It's beyond frustrating when you just need a simple answer about your benefits that will affect your entire financial future.
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Amara Eze
I had the same problem trying to get through to SSA on the phone. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 20 minutes instead of spending hours on hold or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Made the whole process of clearing up my application questions so much easier. Might be worth checking out if you're still having trouble getting through.
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Fatima Al-Hashemi
Everyone here is mostly correct but there's a detail missing. When you turn 70, delayed retirement credits stop accruing. There's absolutely no benefit to waiting beyond that point. The only reason to wait would be if you're still working and earning enough that the earnings test would reduce your benefits, but that doesn't apply after FRA anyway. So yes, apply now to start benefits in March. And congrats on maximizing your benefit by waiting until 70!
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Liam McGuire
AuthorThanks for that clarification! Yes, I definitely don't want to wait past 70 - I've been planning my retirement budget based on starting at the maximum amount. I'm just relieved to hear I'm not applying too early or too late.
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Giovanni Ricci
One more tip from my experience - save/print a copy of your submission confirmation page after you complete the online application. I didn't do this and regretted it later when I needed to reference my application number. Also, set up your my Social Security account online if you haven't already - you can track your application status there.
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Liam McGuire
AuthorThat's excellent advice! I do have my mySocialSecurity account set up, but I hadn't thought about saving the confirmation page. I'll definitely do that.
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CosmicCruiser
Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who recently went through this process. I turned 70 in August and applied in April (4 months early, just like you're doing). The online application was actually pretty straightforward once I understood the timing rules everyone has explained here. One thing that helped me was double-checking my earnings record on my mySocialSecurity account before applying - I found a small error from 2019 that I was able to get corrected, which actually increased my benefit amount slightly. Since you've waited until 70 for maximum benefits, it's worth making sure your earnings history is completely accurate before you submit. Also, after you apply, you should receive a letter within a few weeks confirming your application and estimated benefit amount. Don't panic if it takes a bit longer than expected - mine took about 3 weeks to arrive. Good luck with your application!
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