Social Security application timing: How early to apply and selecting future start dates after 62?

SSA recommends applying about 3 months before you want benefits to begin. And yes, you can absolutely specify a start date after your eligibility begins! When you apply, there's a section where you indicate when you want benefits to start. This can be any month after you're eligible (turning 62), so you could apply in January 2025 and request benefits to start in July 2025 if that fits your financial planning better. Just be aware that the longer you wait to start benefits (even after applying), the higher your monthly payment will be. Each month you delay between 62 and your Full Retirement Age increases your benefit amount slightly.

To add some technical details to what was already mentioned: When you file for retirement benefits, you'll be asked to specify your "month of election" - this is the month you want benefits to begin. This can be the month you turn 62 (benefits would start the month after you turn 62) or any future month. SSA actually lets you apply up to 4 months before you're eligible for benefits. For retirement benefits, that means you can apply up to 4 months before the month you turn 62. Important note about payment timing: SS benefits are paid in the month following the month they're due. So if your benefits start in April 2025, you'll receive your first payment in May 2025.

I went through this last year and it was INFURIATING trying to get straight answers from SSA. I called at least 5 times and got disconnected or was on hold forever. When I finally got through, they gave me incomplete information! I ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual agent quickly. They have a video explaining how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Totally worth it for peace of mind and getting my questions answered correctly. To your question - yes, you can definitely specify a later start date after you're eligible. I turned 62 in August but had my benefits start in November because I was still working part-time until October and wanted to avoid the earnings limit issues.

You know what's funny, I overthought this whole thing too! I stressed about exact dates and spent hours reading contradictory info online. Then my neighbor just walked into our local office without an appointment and got everything sorted in 30 minutes! Sometimes the old-fashioned way works better lol

my wife got so confused by all this timing stuff she just applied at 62 and then realized she could have waited to increase her benefit! nobody explained you could pick a later date even after applying!! don't make the same mistake!!

Wait, I'm confused about something... if I apply early but select a later date to begin benefits, does that mean I'm still taking "early retirement" with the permanent reduction? Or does the reduction only apply based on when I actually start receiving the money?? This is so complicated!!!

not to make things more confusing but remember the earnings limit if ur still working!! if ur under FRA and make more than $22,500 (for 2025) they take back $1 for every $2 u earn above that. so maybe u want to time ur benefit start date for when u actually stop working or reduce hours??

One thing I didn't see mentioned - if you're married, coordinating the timing of your benefit application with your spouse's can make a HUGE difference in lifetime benefits. My husband and I carefully planned who would claim when, and it will likely result in over $40,000 more in lifetime benefits compared to if we had both just claimed at 62.