Social Security check timing question - FRA in May but when should benefits actually start?
I'm turning my full retirement age (FRA) on May 15th this year and planning to start collecting SS benefits then. I'm getting confused about when I should tell SSA to actually start my benefits. Should I request a start date of May 1st or April 1st? And then when would I actually receive my first payment? The SSA website is so confusing on timing and I don't want to mess this up and lose any money! Also, does it make any difference that my birthday falls in the middle of the month? Thanks for any help!
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Ryder Greene
Social Security benefits are paid in the month following the month they're due for. If your FRA is May 15th and you want to start benefits at your FRA, you would tell SSA to start your benefits effective May 2025. You would then receive your first payment in June 2025, typically on the 3rd Wednesday since your birthday is on the 15th (benefits are paid on the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th Wednesday depending on birth date).
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Leeann Blackstein
•Thank you! So even though I turn FRA on May 15th, I'd still set May 1st as my start date? And I'd get my first check in June? That's what was confusing me.
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Carmella Fromis
congrats on hitting FRA! i got so confused with all this timing stuff too lol. my husband just went through this last year. they pay a month behind so yeah you'll get june payment for may benefits
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Leeann Blackstein
•Thanks! It's all so confusing with the month behind thing. I just want to make sure I don't accidentally lose a month of benefits by putting in the wrong date.
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Theodore Nelson
To clarify some important details: Social Security benefits are always paid in the month following the month for which they are due. The month you reach Full Retirement Age, you're eligible for your full benefit amount for the entire month, regardless of which day your birthday falls on. So if your FRA is May 15th: - Tell SSA to start benefits in May 2025 (not April) - First payment will arrive in June 2025 - Payment date depends on your birth date: 2nd Wednesday (1st-10th), 3rd Wednesday (11th-20th), or 4th Wednesday (21st-31st) With a birthday on the 15th, you'd receive payments on the 3rd Wednesday of each month. Make sure to file your application 3-4 months before May to ensure timely processing.
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Leeann Blackstein
•Thank you for spelling it out so clearly! I'll make sure to tell them May 2025 and expect my first payment in June. I already started my application online but got stuck on the start date part.
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AaliyahAli
DONT LISTEN TO THESE PEOPLE!! They will CHEAT you out of money!!! You NEED to say APRIL to get your FULL amount!!! My brother lost a WHOLE MONTH because some idiot at SSA told him the wrong date!!! They're all trying to save the government money by making you start LATER!!! If your FRA is May 15 you MUST backdate to April 1!!!!!
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Theodore Nelson
•This is incorrect information. Starting benefits in April when your FRA is in May would actually mean you're claiming one month before FRA, resulting in a permanent reduction in benefits. There is no advantage to starting before FRA unless you specifically want payments sooner and accept the reduction.
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Ellie Simpson
I just went through this last year. When you apply they'll ask for the month you want benefits to begin. Just say May since that's when you reach FRA. They handle all the behind-the-scenes stuff. And yes, you'll get paid in June for May's benefit.
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Arjun Kurti
Has anyone actually been able to get through to SSA lately to ask questions like this? I've been trying for WEEKS to talk to someone about my application and I either get disconnected or told the wait time is over 2 hours. It's ridiculous! How are we supposed to make these decisions with no help?
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Raúl Mora
•I had the same issue trying to reach them about my disability review. After getting nowhere for days, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in under 10 minutes. They basically navigate the phone tree and wait on hold for you, then call you when an agent is on the line. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Worth it for important questions like benefit start dates where you need to talk to an actual person.
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Carmella Fromis
my cousin said she got her first check the month after her birthday month so that sounds right what everyone is saying about getting paid in june
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Ryder Greene
One more important detail: if you're still working when you reach FRA, the earnings test no longer applies starting the month you reach FRA. So even though you reach FRA on May 15th, the earnings test would not apply for the entire month of May (and obviously beyond). This is different from the rule that applies before the year you reach FRA, where the earnings test applies to the entire year.
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Leeann Blackstein
•Oh that's good to know! I'm actually planning to work part-time for another year or so, but I wasn't sure how that would affect my benefits once I reach FRA. So there's no earnings limit at all once I hit FRA in May?
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Theodore Nelson
•That's correct. Once you reach FRA, there is no earnings limit whatsoever. You can earn any amount without affecting your Social Security benefits. The month you reach FRA (May in your case), the earnings limit disappears completely, even though you reach FRA partway through the month.
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Ellie Simpson
btw dont forget to check if you should apply for Medicare too if you haven't already! thats a whole other thing with different deadlines
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Leeann Blackstein
•Yes, I already signed up for Medicare when I turned 65. But thanks for the reminder! There are so many different things to keep track of with all this retirement stuff.
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