Social Security delay after Medicare at 65 - need to notify SSA 3 months before claiming?

you dont need 3 months notice but u shoud give them at least 6 weeks or so. i did exactly what ur planning - took medicare at 65 but waited 10 months for SS. just make sure u know how your employer insurance works with medicare!!! thats the tricky part

You don't technically *need* to notify them 3 months in advance, but I strongly recommend starting the application process 2-3 months before you want benefits to begin. Here's why: 1. SSA can backdate retirement applications by up to 6 months (but no earlier than age 62) 2. The first payment is made the month after your entitlement month 3. If you wait until the exact month you want benefits, you might face processing delays When I retired in 2024, I applied 10 weeks before I wanted benefits to start, and everything went smoothly. You can apply online at ssa.gov, which is much easier than trying to get an appointment. Regarding your plan - it's perfectly fine to take Medicare at 65 and delay SS for increased benefits. Just be aware that without SS, you'll need to pay Medicare premiums directly instead of having them deducted from your benefit payment.

I TRIED TO GET MY SS STARTED WITH ONLY 4 WEEKS NOTICE LAST YEAR AND IT WAS A NIGHTMARE!!!!! Couldn't get anyone on the phone, the online system kept crashing, and then when I finally got through they said it would take 6-8 weeks to process everything. APPLY EARLY!!!!! The whole system is broken!!!

my sister waited until she was almost 67 to claim and she gets almost $600 more per month than her friend who claimed at 62 so waiting is smart but i personally couldnt wait that long i needed the money right away lol. but yeah they told her to apply like 6-8 weeks before she wanted the checks to start. thats what she did and it worked out fine

One more important point about your Medicare coverage while working part-time: make sure you understand whether your employer coverage is primary or secondary to Medicare based on your company's size. If your employer has fewer than 20 employees, Medicare becomes primary once you're 65, and not enrolling could leave gaps in your coverage. Your HR department should be able to provide guidance on this.

forgot to mention - when i did my SS claim, the backpay was nice (they paid me for the month i applied even tho i didnt get my first check til the next month) also check out if ur eligible for any spousal benefits maybe?

Since you're planning to continue working part-time while collecting, also be aware of how your earnings will be calculated for the earnings test. SSA counts income when it's earned, not when it's paid. So December bonuses count for December even if paid in January. Good news is that once you reach your Full Retirement Age, the earnings test no longer applies - you can earn any amount without reduction in benefits. For the year you reach FRA, there's a higher limit and a lower penalty rate for the months before your birthday month. Regarding application timing - I recommend applying approximately 2 months before you want benefits to begin. The SSA's processing times can vary dramatically depending on their workload and staffing.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who did exactly what you're planning! I took Medicare at 65 but delayed SS for about a year. The key things that worked for me: 1. Applied for SS benefits exactly 8 weeks before I wanted them to start - perfect timing 2. Set up automatic Medicare premium payments through my bank since I wouldn't have SS to deduct from 3. Created a my Social Security account online early to track my estimated benefits as they grew each month One thing I wish I'd known: if you're getting any kind of pension or 401k distributions while waiting, make sure those won't affect your future SS benefits calculation. Most won't, but it's worth double-checking. Also, since you mentioned reducing to 20 hours - that's actually a sweet spot for many people. You keep some income flowing while your SS benefits increase, plus you might qualify for some ACA marketplace subsidies if your employer plan gets too expensive. Good luck with your plan!