Social Security retirement benefits backpay question - filing at 63 and payment timeline confusion

Yes, you'll receive back payments from your filing date (minus the one month in arrears). So in your example, if you file with an effective date of November 1st and your first payment comes in March, you should receive payments for November, December, and January all at once (February would be paid in March due to the one-month arrears schedule). Just make sure when you speak with SSA that you clearly specify November 1st as your preferred filing date, and get confirmation they've recorded it correctly. They'll ask you when you want benefits to begin, and that becomes your "month of entitlement.

i filed at 62 last year and ya they give u all the months from when u said u wanted to start. took me almost 5 months to get first check but they paid me for all the months since my start date except 1 month cuz of the arrears thing

This is a common point of confusion! Let me clarify a bit more technically. When you apply for retirement benefits, you're establishing what SSA calls your "month of entitlement" (MOE). Your MOE can be up to 4 months retroactive from your application date if you're beyond FRA, but since you're filing early at 63, your MOE can only be as early as the month you apply. The first month's benefit is always paid in the following month (the "arrears" you mentioned). So if your MOE is November, you're entitled to a November benefit that will be paid in December. But since your application processing might take until March, your first payment would include: - November payment (normally paid in December) - December payment (normally paid in January) - January payment (normally paid in February) - February payment (paid on schedule in March) One important note: Make sure to specify if you want the earliest possible filing date or specifically November 1st. If you apply in October and want benefits ASAP, your MOE could be October.

When I filed last year they asked me when I wanted my benefits to start and I just told them "as soon as possible" and they set it to that month. Just FYI they don't automatically backdate it to the earliest possible date if you don't specifically ask! My neighbor lost 2 months because she didn't know to specify.

Actually this is NOT always true!! My husband filed back in 2023 and even though we requested a specific start date (May 1), SSA messed it up and only started his benefits from July when the application was approved. We've been fighting for MONTHS to get the back pay for May and June!!! Don't assume anything will be automatic!!! GET EVERYTHING IN WRITING AND FOLLOW UP CONSTANTLY!!!

I had a nightmare trying to reach SSA by phone to confirm my filing date earlier this year. After getting disconnected 4 times, I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in under 20 minutes. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Totally worth it since I needed to make sure my filing date was recorded correctly for exactly the reason you're asking about - wanted to make sure I got all my backpay from my intended start date. The agent was able to confirm my MOE was set correctly.

to answer ur other question they put all my back pay in 1 lump deposit. was a nice surprise seeing that much in my account lol

Thanks everyone for the helpful responses! I've got a much clearer picture now. I'll make sure to: 1. Specifically request November 1st as my Month of Entitlement when I apply 2. Get confirmation in writing about my MOE 3. Check my award letter carefully when it comes 4. Expect a lump sum back payment for any months between my MOE and when processing completes (minus the one month arrears) I'll be applying online next week and following up by phone to confirm everything was recorded correctly. If I have trouble getting through, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned.

wait im confused about somethin else. if ur turning 63 why not wait til FRA? ur getting a permanent reduction filing early right?

One more thing! Make sure you know about the earnings limit if you're planning to work at all while collecting benefits before your FRA. In 2025, you can only earn up to around $24,000 (they adjust it every year) without having benefits withheld. If you go over, they withhold $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit.

Just wanted to add one more tip from my experience - when you apply online, there's a section where you can specify your preferred month of entitlement. Don't just click through it quickly! Take your time on that page and make sure November 2025 is clearly selected. I rushed through my application and accidentally selected the wrong month initially, which caused a delay while they corrected it. Also, after you submit online, you should get a confirmation number. Keep that handy when you call to verify everything was recorded correctly. The phone agents can pull up your application immediately with that number instead of having to search by SSN. Good luck with your application! It sounds like you've got a solid plan.

As a newcomer to this community, I really appreciate this detailed discussion! I'm 61 and starting to think about my own Social Security strategy, so this is incredibly helpful to see all the nuances explained. One question I have after reading through everything - if someone applies online and then calls to verify their MOE was recorded correctly, about how long should they wait between submitting the online application and making that verification call? I want to make sure the system has time to process the initial application before I call to check on it. Also, has anyone had experience with the local SSA field offices for this type of verification, or is the phone line generally the better route? I live in a smaller town and our local office might be less busy than the national phone system.

As someone who just went through this process at 62, I want to emphasize how important it is to get that confirmation call in! I thought my online application went through perfectly, but when I called a few days later to verify, they had somehow recorded my MOE as two months later than I requested. The agent was able to fix it immediately over the phone, but if I hadn't called to check, I would have lost two months of benefits. She told me this happens more often than you'd think - sometimes it's a system glitch, sometimes it's user error during the online application. My advice: apply online for convenience, but ALWAYS follow up with a phone call within a week to confirm your Month of Entitlement is exactly what you wanted. Don't assume anything is automatic or correct just because you submitted it online. Better safe than sorry when it comes to your retirement income!