How long to get first Social Security payment after applying at FRA?

I applied right at my FRA last year and it took about 5-6 weeks for my first payment to hit my bank account. Social Security pays a month behind, so even if you apply today, your first payment will be for next month's benefit, which you'll receive the following month. So roughly 6-8 weeks from application to payment in my experience. Regarding backpay - they'll only pay you from the month you apply unless you specifically request a retroactive start date (which you can do for up to 6 months at FRA). If you reached FRA last month and apply now requesting benefits to start last month, they should include that in your first payment.

my hubby just did this he waited till 5 months after his FRA to apply online... took about 3 weeks to get approved then got first payment exactly 30 days later. they did not automatically backpay him for the months he missed after FRA he had to call and specifically ask for it!!! dont forget to ask!!

The benefit payment schedule with Social Security is confusing. Your payment date is determined by your birth date. If born on 1st-10th, payment comes on 2nd Wednesday. If born on 11th-20th, payment is 3rd Wednesday. If born on 21st-31st, payment is 4th Wednesday. The payment you receive is always for the previous month. As for timing, when I applied online, my approval came in about 2-3 weeks, and then my first payment arrived according to that schedule. BUT... they don't automatically give you retroactive benefits even though you're entitled to them at FRA! You need to specifically request retroactive benefits during your application.

If you submit your application today, expect approximately 30-45 days for processing, then your first payment will arrive according to your birth date payment schedule as others have mentioned. Since you're already at FRA, you can request up to 6 months of retroactive benefits if applicable. Here's what affects the timeline: 1. Whether your application requires manual review (income verification, etc.) 2. If you submitted all necessary documents 3. Current SSA processing volumes I recommend applying online today and specifically requesting benefits to begin from the month you reached FRA. The online application is straightforward, but if you have trouble reaching someone at SSA to ask about your application status or retroactive benefits, try using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They've got a service that helps you reach a live SSA agent without the typical hours-long wait. I was skeptical but their video demo (https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU) shows how it works, and it saved me a lot of frustration when I needed to sort out my retroactive payment issue.

DONT TRUST WHAT SSA TELLS YOU!!!! I applied right at FRA last July and they CLAIMED my first check would come in September. It didn't show up until NOVEMBER and they never explained why!!! And then they only paid me from August forward even though I asked for July too when I hit FRA!!! The system is BROKEN!!!

One more thing I forgot to mention - make sure you have all your documents ready before applying. They'll need your birth certificate, possibly marriage certificate if applying for spousal benefits, direct deposit information, and employment history. Having everything ready can speed up the process significantly. In my case, I had everything prepared and my application was approved in about 21 days.

Thank you all for the helpful information! I just submitted my application online and made sure to request retroactive benefits starting from the month I reached FRA. The system estimates I'll receive approximately $2,750 monthly. I've set a reminder to follow up if I don't see any updates in my mysocialsecurity account within the next 3 weeks. I'll update this thread once I receive my first payment for anyone who might be in a similar situation.

Just a technical clarification: Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month for which they are due. So if you apply today with benefits starting this month (April 2025), your April benefit would be paid in May, May's benefit in June, and so on. Regarding processing time, the SSA's current average is approximately 3-4 weeks for straightforward retirement benefit applications. However, if there are any issues requiring manual review, it can take longer. Once approved, your payment date is determined by your birth date, as others have explained. The retroactive benefits provision at FRA is important - you can request up to 6 months of retroactive benefits, but you must specifically request this during application or within 6 months of filing. The retroactive payments are typically included in your first regular payment.