Social Security at age 70 - starting on birthday (16th) vs. first of next month - will I lose benefits?

You dnt lose anything! SS pays for the entire month no matter what date. So if your bday is the 16th, you get paid for the whole month of July even though you were 69 for half of it. Thats how it worked for my husband anyway.

The previous comment is incorrect. Social Security retirement benefits are paid for the month FOLLOWING the month of entitlement. Your entitlement month would be July (the month you turn 70), so you would receive your first payment in August for July's benefits. You do NOT get partial month payments - it's always a full month. So if you apply for benefits to start the month you turn 70 (July), you'll get the full month benefit for July paid in August. If you wait and apply for benefits to start in August, you would lose a month's worth of benefits (not just 15 days). I recommend applying 3-4 months before you want benefits to begin. Since you want July, you should apply very soon if you haven't already.

Ugh Im SO frustrated with social security right now too!!! I turned 62 last week and tried to get retroactive benefits but theyr saying i cant go back 6 months because its retirement not disability???? This whole system is ridiculous and nobody answers the phones EVER.

As others have mentioned, Social Security benefits are paid for the entire month of eligibility regardless of which day in the month you become eligible. You become eligible for your age 70 benefits in July (the month of your 70th birthday). One important clarification: You actually receive your July payment in August. SS pays benefits in the month following the month for which they are due. This means: 1. Apply for benefits to start in July (your 70th birthday month) 2. You'll receive your first payment in August (for July's benefits) 3. The payment will be for the full month of July, even though you turned 70 on the 16th If you accidentally request an August start date, you would indeed lose an entire month of benefits - not just 15 days. Remember to apply about 3-4 months before you want benefits to start.

After trying like 50 times to reach someone at SSA about my widows benefits, I finally found a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in 20 minutes! claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Saved my sanity after being disconnected so many times. The agent was able to confirm everything about my start date and the retroactive payment.

I remember my neighbor was telling me his dad hit 70 and was getting the run around from SS. Tried to reach them for MONTHS and couldn't get through. Finally just went to the office but had to wait 4 hours!!!! Make sure u apply early cuz even when u get it right they can take forever to process!!!!!

One thing nobody has mentioned - make sure you check if you're eligible for 6 months of retroactive benefits after reaching FRA (Full Retirement Age). But be careful - this ONLY applies if you're past your FRA but haven't yet filed. At age 70, you could potentially get up to 6 months of retroactive benefits, but they would be at a slightly reduced rate compared to the age 70 amount. In your specific case, I would NOT recommend taking retroactive benefits since you've waited until 70 to maximize your benefit amount. Filing with July as your benefit month is the optimal choice.

Just wanted to add my experience from when I turned 70 last year - I applied online about 2 months before my birthday and it went smoothly. The online application asks you to specify your "month of election" which should be the month you turn 70 (July in your case). One tip: when you apply online, there's a section where you can upload documents. Even though it's not always required, I uploaded my birth certificate and W-2s just to speed up processing. My first payment came right on schedule the month after my birthday. Also, don't stress too much about the exact wording on the application - as long as you select July as your benefit start month, you'll get the full month regardless of your birthday being the 16th. The system is designed to handle this automatically.

As someone who just went through this process myself (turned 70 in December), I can confirm what others have said - you definitely want to apply for July as your benefit start month. The key thing to remember is that Social Security pays benefits for entire months only, never partial months. Since you turn 70 in July, that's your month of eligibility and you'll get the full month's benefit even though your birthday is on the 16th. I made the mistake of overthinking this too and almost delayed my application thinking I needed to wait until my actual birthday. Fortunately, a friend who works at SSA told me to apply for the month I turn 70, not the month after. You won't lose any money by having your birthday mid-month - that's just how the system works in your favor. One more thing - I applied online about 10 weeks before my birthday and everything went smoothly. The online application is pretty straightforward once you understand you're selecting your "month of election" (July) rather than a specific date. Good luck!

I'm also approaching 70 and have been researching this exact question! From what I've learned through the SSA website and talking to others, you definitely want to apply for July as your benefit start month. The system doesn't prorate benefits - you get the full month even if your birthday is mid-month. One thing I discovered is that you can actually apply online up to 4 months in advance, which helps avoid the phone wait times you've experienced. The online application at ssa.gov/retire2/apply.htm walks you through selecting your "month of election" - just choose July and you'll be all set. I applied about 3 months before my birthday and it was much less stressful than trying to call. Also, just to echo what others have said - your first payment will arrive in August for July's benefits, but it will be the full monthly amount calculated at your age 70 rate. Don't second-guess yourself by waiting until August 1st as your start date - you'd lose an entire month of benefits that way. Hope this helps and congratulations on reaching 70!

I just wanted to add another perspective as someone who works in benefits counseling. The advice you've received here is spot-on - definitely apply for July as your benefit start month. What I often tell my clients is to think of it this way: Social Security doesn't care what day of the month you turn 70, only what month. Since you become eligible for maximum benefits in July (the month you turn 70), that's when your entitlement begins, and you receive the full month's payment. One additional tip that might help ease your application anxiety: when you apply online, you'll see a question about your "desired month of entitlement" or "month you want benefits to begin." This is where you select July 2024. The system will automatically calculate your payment amount based on your age 70 rate for that entire month. Also, since you mentioned trouble reaching SSA by phone, I'd strongly recommend applying online if possible. The online retirement application is actually quite user-friendly and you can save your progress if you need to gather documents. You can find it directly at ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/apply.html. Best of luck with your application!

Welcome to the community! I see you're getting excellent advice here. As someone who recently navigated this same situation, I can confirm what everyone is saying - definitely apply for July as your benefit start month since that's when you turn 70. One thing that really helped me was understanding that SSA treats the entire birth month as your eligibility month, regardless of which day your birthday falls on. So your July 16th birthday means July is your month of maximum benefit eligibility, and you'll receive the full month's payment (which arrives in August). The online application really is the way to go given the phone wait times. I'd suggest gathering your documents first - birth certificate, W-2s, and any other tax records - before starting the application. That way you can complete it in one session without having to save and return. Don't stress about the exact timing within the month. The system is designed to work in your favor here. Good luck with your application!

As someone who's new to this community and just starting to research Social Security at 69, I want to thank everyone for sharing such detailed and helpful information! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational. I'm in a similar situation to Carter - turning 70 next year and trying to understand the timing. The consensus here seems very clear that applying for the birth month (not waiting until the following month) is the right approach to avoid losing a full month of benefits. The explanation that SSA pays for entire months regardless of which day your birthday falls on really helps clarify the confusion I had from reading the official website. I'm definitely planning to apply online now instead of trying to battle the phone system. Thank you to everyone who shared the direct links and tips about gathering documents in advance. This community is such a valuable resource for those of us navigating Social Security for the first time!

As someone new to this community and approaching my 70th birthday next month, I want to echo everyone's thanks for the incredibly helpful advice shared here! I've been lurking and reading through all the responses, and the consensus is crystal clear - apply for your birth month (July in Carter's case) to get the maximum benefit without losing any money. What really helped me understand this was the explanation that Social Security treats your entire birth month as your eligibility month, regardless of which specific day your birthday falls on. So even though Carter's birthday is July 16th, he becomes eligible for the full month of July benefits at his age 70 rate. I also want to thank everyone who shared the online application links and tips about applying 3-4 months in advance. After reading about all the phone system frustrations, I'm definitely going the online route. It sounds much more reliable and you can take your time gathering the necessary documents. This community has been such a valuable resource for understanding these nuances that aren't always clear on the official SSA website. The real-world experiences shared here are worth their weight in gold for those of us navigating this process for the first time!

As someone who's completely new to Social Security and just joined this community, I can't thank everyone enough for all the detailed explanations! I'm turning 70 in September and was having the exact same confusion as Carter about whether to apply for my birth month or the following month. Reading through all these responses has been like getting a masterclass in Social Security timing. The key insight that SSA pays for entire months (not partial months) and that your birth month is what matters regardless of the specific day really cleared up my confusion. I was initially worried about "losing" days if my birthday wasn't on the 1st, but now I understand that's not how the system works. I'm definitely going to follow the advice here and apply online for September as my benefit start month, rather than risk the phone system delays that so many have experienced. The tip about applying 3-4 months in advance is also really helpful - I'll start gathering my documents this week. This community is such an incredible resource for those of us navigating Social Security for the first time. The real-world experiences and practical advice shared here have been far more valuable than anything I've found on the official website. Thank you all for helping newcomers like me feel more confident about these important decisions!

As someone who just discovered this community while researching my own Social Security timing, I want to add my voice to thank everyone for the incredibly clear and consistent advice! I'm turning 70 in October and was having the exact same concerns as Carter about mid-month birthdays and potential benefit loss. What really struck me reading through all these responses is how the community consensus is so clear and backed by actual experiences - apply for your birth month, period. The explanation that SSA doesn't prorate benefits but pays for entire months regardless of when your birthday falls has completely eliminated my anxiety about this decision. I'm particularly grateful for the practical tips about applying online 3-4 months in advance and having documents ready. After reading about everyone's phone system nightmares, the online route seems like the obvious choice. The direct links to the SSA application that several members shared are incredibly helpful too. This community has provided more clarity in one thread than weeks of trying to parse the official SSA website. As a newcomer to both Social Security and this forum, I'm amazed at how generous everyone is with sharing their knowledge and real-world experiences. Thank you all for making this major life transition feel much more manageable!