Social Security filing timeline confusion - apply at 65 or wait until FRA at 67?

you dont need to tell them anything now. just apply when ur ready to get benefits. i waited til 68 to start mine and just applied online when i was ready. took like 15 minutes

I work for a financial planning firm, and this is a question we get frequently. You don't need to notify SSA of anything at age 65. The only exception is Medicare - you should apply for Medicare Part A and Part B three months before your 65th birthday to avoid late enrollment penalties, unless you have creditable employer coverage. For retirement benefits, you can simply apply when you're ready to receive them. The system is designed to accommodate applications at any point from age 62 onward. By waiting until 70, you'll receive 124% of your FRA benefit amount due to delayed retirement credits of 8% per year after FRA. One thing to consider: if you're still working, there's an earnings test before FRA that could reduce benefits if you claim early. After FRA, there's no earnings limit.

I turned 65 last year and was panicking about the same thing!! The SS office was NO help when I called. Got disconnected 3 times after waiting on hold for over an hour each time. Finally my sister told me I didn't need to do anything until I was ready to claim. I'm planning to wait until 68 probably.

To add some clarity to your question: 1. You do NOT need to notify SSA of your intention to delay retirement benefits. Their system is designed with the assumption that people will apply when they want benefits to begin. 2. Medicare is completely separate from retirement benefits. You should apply for Medicare at age 65 regardless of when you plan to take retirement benefits (unless you have qualifying employer coverage). 3. When you do decide to apply (whether at FRA or at 70), you'll simply complete the application and benefits will be calculated with all applicable delayed retirement credits automatically applied. 4. If you wait until 70, you'll receive your maximum possible benefit (approximately 124% of your FRA amount). There's no advantage to waiting beyond 70. 5. "Restricted applications" no longer apply to most people born after 1953, so your neighbor's advice is likely outdated or doesn't apply to your situation. Hope this helps clarify things!

I waited till 69 to file. BIG MISTAKE!!!! SSA only pays 6 months retroactive benefits MAX!!! So I lost 6 months of payments I could have gotten if somebody had told me this!!! Make sure you file NO LATER than 6 months after whenever you decide you want benefits to start!!!

Hiya! I just went through this whole thing last year. For me, I was confused between Medicare and SS retirement - they're totally different! Signed up for Medicare at 65 (do this!!!) but I'm waiting till 69 probably for the SS payments. My husband's still working so we don't need the money yet. When I called they said I can just call whenever I'm ready to start. No paperwork needed now. Also my neighbor said be careful about working while collecting before FRA, apparently there's some complicated earnings limit but after FRA you can earn whatever you want?

Wow, I'm blown away by all the helpful responses! Thank you everyone. So to summarize what I've learned: 1. I don't need to notify SSA about delaying retirement benefits 2. I SHOULD apply for Medicare now (will do that this week) 3. When I decide to collect (probably at 70), I just apply then 4. There's an earnings limit before FRA but not after 5. I need to be aware of the 6-month retroactivity limit This forum has been so much more helpful than the official SSA website! I feel much better informed now.

Great thread! I'm going through something similar - just turned 64 and planning my strategy. One thing I'd add is to create a my Social Security account online at ssa.gov if you haven't already. It shows your earnings record and benefit estimates at different claiming ages, which really helps with planning. You can see exactly how much you'd get at 62, FRA, and 70. Also, don't forget that Social Security benefits may be taxable depending on your other income - something to factor in when deciding on timing. The online account also lets you get benefit verification letters if you need them for other purposes while you're waiting to claim.

Just wanted to add my experience as someone who recently navigated this exact situation! I turned 65 in January and was similarly confused about the timing. What really helped me was scheduling a phone appointment with SSA (yes, it took forever to get through, but the appointment system worked better than just calling randomly). The representative confirmed everything others have said here - no action needed on retirement benefits until you're ready to claim. However, they also mentioned something useful: you can actually file your application up to 4 months in advance of when you want benefits to start. So if you decide to claim at 70, you could file the application when you turn 69 and 8 months, and specify that you want benefits to begin the month you turn 70. Also echoing what others said about Medicare - definitely don't delay that! I almost made that mistake. And if you're married, don't forget to consider spousal benefit strategies too. There might be some optimization opportunities there depending on your spouse's work history and age.

As someone who just went through this process at 66, I want to emphasize one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - keep really good records of your earnings if you're still working! Even though there's no earnings limit after FRA, SSA sometimes needs documentation if there are any questions about your work status when you do apply. Also, I'd suggest checking your Social Security Statement annually even while you're delaying benefits. Sometimes there are errors in reported earnings that are easier to fix sooner rather than later. I found a missing quarter from 2019 that would have reduced my benefit calculation if I hadn't caught it. One last tip - if you're planning to wait until 70, consider setting a calendar reminder for when you turn 69 and 8 months (like Kayla mentioned) to start the application process. That way you won't accidentally miss out on any benefits or have to deal with delays in processing right when you want payments to start.

This has been such an informative thread! I'm 63 and starting to think about my own strategy. One thing I wanted to add that might help others - if you're considering delaying benefits, it's worth factoring in your health and family longevity when making the decision. The "break-even" point for waiting until 70 vs. claiming at FRA is usually around age 82-83, so if you have reason to believe you'll live well beyond that, the delay strategy makes more financial sense. Also, for those still working part-time like the original poster, remember that continuing to work and pay into Social Security can actually increase your benefit amount even after you reach FRA. SSA recalculates your benefit annually if your most recent year of earnings is higher than one of the years used in your benefit calculation. So there can be multiple advantages to working longer - not just the delayed retirement credits, but potentially higher lifetime earnings in your calculation too.

I'm 66 and just started this whole process myself! One thing that really helped me was talking to my HR department before making any decisions. They had some great resources about coordinating Social Security timing with my 401k withdrawals and pension (if you have one). Also, I discovered that some employers offer "Social Security optimization" seminars - mine brought in a financial advisor who specialized in this stuff and it was super helpful for understanding all the moving pieces. Might be worth asking if your employer offers anything like that, especially since you're still working part-time. The Medicare piece everyone's mentioning is SO important - I almost missed my enrollment window and would have faced penalties. Don't put that off!

I'm 67 and just went through this decision-making process last year! One resource that really helped me was the AARP Social Security calculator - it's more user-friendly than the SSA website and lets you play around with different claiming scenarios. You can see how various strategies affect your lifetime benefits based on different life expectancy assumptions. Also wanted to mention something about spousal benefits that might be relevant if you're married - even if you delay your own retirement benefits until 70, your spouse can potentially claim spousal benefits once you reach FRA (67 in your case), as long as you file and suspend or file a restricted application. The rules have changed over the years, so it's worth understanding what options are still available for your birth year. One more practical tip: when you do decide to apply, consider doing it online rather than by phone if possible. The online application saved me hours compared to trying to get through on the phone, and you can save your progress and come back to it if needed. Good luck with your decision!

Just wanted to share my recent experience since I'm going through this exact same situation! I turned 65 last month and was completely overwhelmed by all the decisions. What really helped me was making a simple spreadsheet with three scenarios: claiming at 67 (FRA), 68, and 70, with the monthly benefit amounts and total lifetime benefits based on different life expectancy estimates. The key insight for me was realizing that this decision isn't just about maximizing total dollars - it's also about when you'll actually NEED the income. Since you mentioned you're still working part-time and don't need the money right now, waiting makes a lot of sense. I'm planning to reassess every year and can always change my mind if my financial situation changes. One thing that surprised me: my local library actually offers free AARP tax and financial counseling sessions where volunteers help with Social Security planning. Might be worth checking if yours does too - it was way more helpful than trying to navigate the SSA phone system! And yes, definitely get that Medicare application in ASAP - I almost missed my window and learned that penalty can really add up over time.