Social Security benefit start date confusion - FRA birthday on the 16th, do I select exact date or end of month?

Social Security benefits always start on the first day of a month, regardless of your birth date. Since you're reaching FRA on the 16th, you'll be eligible for a full month of benefits for September. However, the actual payment for September would come in October (SS pays a month behind). When you file, you'll select September as your benefit start month - not a specific day of the month. The online application doesn't actually let you pick a specific date, just the month.

The day doesnt matter at all!! SS pays by month not by day. my husband just went thru this last yr. his bday is on the 22nd and he got his full payment for that month. they dont divide it up by days or anything weird like that

WRONG INFORMATION ABOVE!!! If you're reaching FRA during a month, benefits actually start the NEXT month unless your birthday is on the 1st or 2nd of the month. I got caught by this and had to wait an extra month!!!! Check the SSA website!!!!

just want to say congrats on waiting till FRA! i filed early at 62 and really regret it now. my sister waited like you and gets almost $900 more per month than me! smart move.

When you apply online, you'll be asked which month you want benefits to begin, not which day. If you reach FRA in September, you can select September as your start month and you'll get the full month's benefit. The day of the month only matters for determining which MONTH you're eligible, not for prorating within a month. One thing to note: Social Security benefits are paid the month after they're due. So your September benefit would be paid in October. The payment date depends on your birth date - if you were born on the 16th, your payment date will be the third Wednesday of each month. Hope this helps!

Trying to call SSA to confirm this kind of specific question is almost impossible these days. I spent 3 hours on hold last month trying to verify something about my wife's spousal benefits. If you need to talk to someone at SSA quickly, I recently used a service called Claimyr that got me through to a representative in about 15 minutes instead of hours of waiting. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU or visit their website at claimyr.com. Made a huge difference for me when I needed a quick answer about my application.

My husband and I both applied for SS last year and the rep specifically told us that the computer system only lets you apply for benefits by MONTH, not by day. So don't worry about the exact date - just put September 2025 as your benefit start month. The system doesn't even give you an option to pick a specific day.

btw make sure u start the application process 3-4 months BEFORE ur FRA date!! don't wait until the actual month cuz processing takes time and u might have to wait longer for first payment

ugh my sister in law is going thru this right now. she filed online and somehow they messed up her start date and now shes fighting with them to fix it. make sure you print out EVERYTHING and save confirmation numbers!!!!

One last thing to add - when you file, you'll receive a letter confirming your benefit start month and estimated payment amount. Double-check that letter when it arrives to make sure the month is correct. If there's any error, contact SSA immediately to have it corrected. Much easier to fix it early than to try to get retroactive adjustments later.

Just wanted to add that I went through this exact same situation last year - my FRA birthday was on the 18th and I was worried about the same thing. The previous comments are absolutely correct - you'll select September as your benefit start month and receive the full month's benefit. The SSA online application is actually pretty straightforward once you get to it. One tip: when you're filling out the application, take your time and don't rush through it. I made a small error on a date field and had to call (which took forever) to get it corrected. Also, make sure you have all your documents ready beforehand - W-2s, tax returns, bank account info for direct deposit, etc. The whole process took me about 45 minutes to complete online. Good luck with your application!

I just wanted to chime in as someone who works in retirement planning - all the advice here is spot on! The key thing to remember is that Social Security benefits are always calculated and paid on a monthly basis, never daily. Since you're reaching FRA in September (even though it's mid-month), you're entitled to the full September benefit. The application process will only ask you to select September 2025 as your start month - there's no option to pick specific dates within the month. One additional tip: consider creating your my Social Security account online now if you haven't already. This will give you access to your benefit estimates and make the application process smoother when the time comes. You're making a smart financial decision by waiting until your FRA!

I'm in a very similar situation - my FRA birthday is on the 23rd of next month and I was having the exact same concerns! Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful. It's such a relief to know that Social Security operates on a monthly basis rather than daily calculations. I was worried I'd somehow lose part of my benefit by having a mid-month birthday, but it sounds like that's not the case at all. The advice about applying 3-4 months early is something I wish I'd known sooner - I'm cutting it a bit closer than I should be. For anyone else in this situation, I'd also recommend double-checking your earnings record on the SSA website before applying. I found a couple of years where my earnings weren't properly credited, and getting those corrected ahead of time saved me potential headaches later. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences - it's so valuable to hear from people who've actually been through this process!

As someone who just went through this process six months ago, I can confirm everything everyone has said here is accurate! My FRA birthday was on the 14th, and I was equally confused about the date selection. The online application really does only let you choose the month - September in your case - and you'll receive the full month's benefit regardless of your birthday being mid-month. One thing I wish someone had told me: after you submit your application, it can take 2-3 weeks to receive your official approval letter with your benefit amount. Don't panic if you don't hear back immediately! Also, if you're married and your spouse will be eligible for spousal benefits, you might want to coordinate your applications. My wife was able to apply for spousal benefits at the same time I applied for my retirement benefits, which streamlined the whole process. The peace of mind you'll have after waiting until FRA is absolutely worth it - enjoy those full benefits!

I just want to echo what everyone else has said - you're absolutely making the right choice by waiting until your FRA! I'm currently 64 and planning to do the same thing when I reach my FRA in about 18 months. Reading through all these responses has been educational for me too, since I'll be facing the same decision soon. It's really reassuring to see so many people confirming that Social Security works on a monthly basis rather than daily calculations. The advice about applying 3-4 months early and setting up your my Social Security account ahead of time are great tips that I'm definitely going to follow. Thanks to Sofia for asking this question and to everyone who shared their experiences - this thread is going to be really helpful for anyone approaching their FRA!

I went through this exact same situation about two years ago when I reached my FRA in the middle of the month. Everyone here is absolutely correct - Social Security benefits are paid monthly, not daily, so you'll get your full September benefit regardless of your birthday being on the 16th. When you apply online, you'll simply select September 2025 as your benefit start month. There's no option to pick specific days within the month. One additional piece of advice: make sure you understand the payment schedule. Your September benefit will actually be paid in October (Social Security pays benefits the month after they're earned). Since your birthday is on the 16th, your payments will arrive on the third Wednesday of each month going forward. Also, don't stress too much about the application process itself. The online system is pretty user-friendly and will guide you through everything step by step. Just make sure you have all your documents ready beforehand - tax returns, W-2s, bank information for direct deposit, etc. The whole thing took me about an hour to complete. Congratulations on making it to your FRA and maximizing your benefits - that patience will really pay off in the long run!

This has been such a helpful thread! As someone who's about a year away from my own FRA, I've learned so much from reading everyone's experiences. It's really reassuring to see the consistent advice that Social Security operates on a monthly basis - I was having similar concerns about my mid-month birthday affecting my benefits. The tips about applying 3-4 months early, setting up the my Social Security account ahead of time, and having all documents ready are definitely going on my to-do list. Thanks to Sofia for asking this great question and to everyone who shared their real-world experiences. It's so much more valuable than trying to decipher the official SSA website! I'm bookmarking this thread for when I get closer to my application date.