Social Security start date confusion - born in August 1958 with FRA of 66 and 8 months

Thank you! So to be clear, I'd reach my FRA in April 2025, and then receive my first payment in May 2025? I didn't know about the Wednesday schedule - that's really helpful information for my planning.

This is CONFUSING! I thought if your birthday was the 1st of the month, you got paid for the prior month? My sister's birthday is the 1st of February and she got her first payment early. The SSA rules are so complicated and NO ONE EXPLAINS THEM CLEARLY!!!

That's really helpful, thank you! I was actually born on August 15th, so it sounds like I'll reach FRA in April 2025 and get my first payment in May. Do you know if I need to apply in advance to make sure I get that first payment on time?

good advice! i waited til the last minute to apply and my first payment was delayed by 2 months! such a headache

Thank you for sharing this! I've been worried about running into issues with my application. I'll definitely check out that service if I have trouble reaching someone at SSA. I really can't afford any delays with my retirement timeline.

That's correct about the 8% per year delayed retirement credits, but that's a completely personal decision based on your financial situation, health, and family longevity. The break-even point is typically around age 82-83. If you expect to live beyond that, waiting can be beneficial. But not everyone can afford to wait, and there's something to be said for having the money earlier in retirement when you might be more active.

That's a great tip - I'll definitely check my earnings record. I worked for a small company in the 90s that went out of business, so I should make sure those years are recorded correctly.

Thank you so much for this clear summary! This is exactly what I needed. I've set a reminder to apply in December 2024, and I'll be checking my earnings record this weekend. Really appreciate everyone's help!

That's a great point about spousal benefits! As someone new to all this retirement planning, I hadn't even considered how my spouse's benefits might factor into the timing decision. We're both around the same age, so I should probably look into whether it makes sense for one of us to file before the other. Do you know if there's a good resource for understanding all the different spousal benefit strategies? This is getting more complicated than I initially thought, but I really appreciate everyone sharing their knowledge here!

For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's own publication "What Every Woman Should Know" (it applies to men too despite the title) and their spousal benefits page on ssa.gov. There are also some good books like "Get What's Yours" by Laurence Kotlikoff that break down the strategies in plain English. The key things to understand are: spousal benefits can be up to 50% of your spouse's benefit at their FRA, you can't collect spousal benefits until your spouse has filed, and there are different timing strategies depending on your ages and benefit amounts. It's definitely worth consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security if your situation is complex - the decisions you make now are permanent and can impact your lifetime benefits significantly!

For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's official publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" - it has a whole section on married couples. Also, AARP has some really good articles that break down the different scenarios in plain English. The basic rule is that a spouse can get up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit at their own FRA, but there are strategies like "file and suspend" that were eliminated, and others like maximizing the higher earner's benefit by delaying until 70. It can definitely get complex, so you might want to consider meeting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning. They can run scenarios based on both of your earnings records to show you the optimal timing. Good luck with your planning!

For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend checking out the SSA's publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10147) - it covers a lot of the coordination strategies. Also, AARP has some really good online tools and articles about maximizing Social Security for couples. The key things to consider are: if one spouse has significantly higher earnings, they might delay benefits to age 70 while the lower-earning spouse files at FRA; spousal benefits can be up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit; and survivor benefits are based on what the deceased spouse was receiving (or entitled to receive). It definitely gets complex, but taking the time to understand your options can mean thousands more in lifetime benefits!

For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's own publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" which covers spousal scenarios. The AARP website also has some really clear explanations about maximizing benefits for couples. One key thing to understand is that a spouse can receive up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit at their own FRA, but if they file early, it's reduced. There's also the "file and suspend" strategy that was eliminated in 2016, but some people still think it's available. Since you're both around the same age, you might also want to look into whether one of you qualifies for any government pension that could affect Social Security benefits (like the Windfall Elimination Provision). It definitely gets complex, but taking the time to understand your options now can potentially increase your lifetime benefits significantly!

Hey Ava! For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's official publication "What Every Woman Should Know" (even though it's titled for women, it covers spousal strategies that apply to anyone). The AARP website also has some really good articles on Social Security claiming strategies for couples. One key thing to understand is that if you're the higher earner, delaying your benefits until age 70 not only maximizes your own benefit but also maximizes the survivor benefit for your spouse. But if you're the lower earner, it might make sense to claim earlier while your spouse delays. Definitely worth talking to a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning - the strategies can save you tens of thousands over your lifetime!

Welcome to the retirement planning journey! For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's official publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10147) which covers spousal scenarios. The AARP website also has some really good calculators and articles about coordinating benefits between spouses. Since you mentioned you're both around the same age, you'll want to look into concepts like "file and suspend" (though that strategy was mostly eliminated in 2016) and consider factors like your respective earnings histories. Sometimes the higher earner delays while the lower earner files earlier, or vice versa depending on survivor benefit considerations. It can definitely get complex, so don't hesitate to schedule a consultation with your local SSA office once you've done some initial research!

For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's own publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" - it covers the basics pretty well. Also, AARP has some really good articles that break down different scenarios in plain English. One key thing to know is that a spouse can claim up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit at their own FRA, but if they claim early, it's reduced. There's also the "file and suspend" strategy that used to be popular (though it's been mostly phased out). Given the complexity, it might be worth consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security optimization - they can run scenarios based on your specific situation. The decisions you make can literally be worth tens of thousands of dollars over your lifetime, so it's worth getting it right!

@Ava Hernandez The SSA website has a publication called When "to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits Publication" (No. 05-10147 that) covers spousal strategies pretty well. Also, many people find the book Social "Security For Dummies helpful" for understanding all the different claiming strategies. Since you and your spouse are close in age, you might want to run different scenarios through the SSA calculator - sometimes having the higher earner delay while the lower earner files at FRA can maximize your combined lifetime benefits. It s'definitely worth spending some time on this decision since it affects your income for the rest of your lives!

@Ava Hernandez The SSA website has a good section on spousal benefits, but I d'also recommend checking out AARP s'Social Security calculator - it lets you model different filing strategies for couples. You can also consider meeting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security optimization. There are strategies like file "and suspend though" (that s'been mostly eliminated and) coordinated filing that can maximize lifetime benefits for married couples. Since you re'both around the same age, you might benefit from having the higher earner delay filing while the lower earner files at FRA, but it really depends on your specific benefit amounts and financial needs.

@Ava Hernandez For spousal benefit strategies, I d'recommend checking out the SSA s'publication What "Every Woman Should Know even" (though it s'titled for women, it covers spousal strategies that apply to everyone .)The AARP website also has some really good calculators and articles about optimizing benefits for married couples. One key thing to remember is that spousal benefits are based on the higher earner s'record, so if there s'a significant difference in your earnings histories, the timing strategy becomes even more important. You might also want to consider consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security - they can run scenarios specific to your situation. The extra cost upfront could save you thousands over your retirement!

@Ava Hernandez The SSA website has a publication called What "Every Woman Should Know that" covers spousal benefits really well, even though the title suggests it s'just for women - it applies to everyone! There s'also a section on their site about When "to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits that" walks through different scenarios. For more complex situations, you might want to consider meeting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning. They can run different scenarios to show you the long-term impact of various filing strategies. It s'definitely worth taking the time to understand all your options before making any decisions!

For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's official publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" - it covers the basics of spousal benefits pretty well. There's also a good section on their website under "Retirement Benefits" that explains how spousal benefits work. The key thing to understand is that a spouse can receive up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit at their own FRA, but if they file early, that percentage gets reduced. Sometimes it makes sense for the lower-earning spouse to file first while the higher earner delays to age 70 for those delayed retirement credits. But honestly, with all the variables involved (your respective ages, benefit amounts, health considerations), it might be worth talking to a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security planning. The decisions you make can impact your household income for decades, so it's worth getting it right!

Welcome to the retirement planning journey! For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's official publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" - it has a whole section on married couples. The AARP website also has some really good articles that break down different scenarios in plain English. One key thing to know is that spousal benefits can be up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit, but the timing of when each spouse files can really impact the total household benefit over time. You might also want to consider talking to a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security - they can run different scenarios based on your specific situation. It definitely gets complex, but taking the time to understand your options can potentially add thousands to your lifetime benefits!

For spousal benefit strategies, the SSA website has some good explanations, but honestly I found it pretty dry and hard to follow. What really helped me was talking to a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security optimization. They can run different scenarios based on both spouses' earnings records and help you figure out the best claiming strategy. Some libraries also offer free AARP workshops on Social Security that cover spousal benefits - those might be worth checking out in your area. The key things to understand are spousal benefits (up to 50% of higher earner's benefit), survivor benefits, and strategies like "file and suspend" (though some of those rules changed in recent years). It's definitely worth getting professional guidance if your situation is complex!

For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend checking out the SSA's publication "What Every Woman Should Know About Social Security" - it covers spousal benefits really well even though the title suggests it's just for women. The AARP website also has some excellent articles on maximizing Social Security for couples. One key thing to understand is that a spouse can claim up to 50% of the higher earner's full retirement age benefit, but timing matters a lot. If the higher earner delays past FRA to get delayed retirement credits, the spousal benefit doesn't increase - it's still based on the FRA amount. So sometimes it makes sense for the higher earner to file at FRA so the spouse can start collecting, then the higher earner can suspend and restart later for the delayed credits. It's definitely worth consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security strategies!

Hi Ava! For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend checking out the SSA's publication "What Every Woman Should Know" (even though it's titled for women, it covers spousal benefits that apply to everyone). The AARP website also has some really good calculators and articles about maximizing benefits for couples. One key thing to know is that a spouse can claim up to 50% of their partner's full retirement benefit, but only if the primary earner has already filed. There are also "file and suspend" strategies that were mostly eliminated in 2016, but some people still think they're available. The rules can definitely be tricky, so it might be worth consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security if your situation is complex!

Hey Ava! For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's own publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10147) - it has a section on spousal benefits. Also, AARP has some really good articles explaining different claiming strategies for couples. The key things to understand are: spousal benefits can be up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit, you generally can't claim spousal benefits until your spouse has filed, and there are different optimal strategies depending on your age gap and respective benefit amounts. It definitely gets complex, but taking the time to understand your options can potentially add thousands to your lifetime benefits!

For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend checking out the SSA's publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" (Publication No. 05-10147) - it covers a lot of the coordination strategies. Also, AARP has some really good online calculators and articles about maximizing benefits for couples. The key things to consider are: if one spouse has significantly higher earnings, they might delay to age 70 while the lower earner files at FRA; spousal benefits can be up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit; and survivor benefits are based on what the deceased spouse was actually receiving (including any delayed credits). It definitely gets complex, but taking the time to understand it now can potentially add thousands to your lifetime benefits!

For spousal benefits strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's official publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" which covers married couples scenarios. The AARP website also has some good articles about maximizing Social Security for couples. One key thing to understand is that a spouse can claim up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit at their own FRA, but if they claim early it gets reduced. Also, if one spouse delays until age 70 for those delayed retirement credits, it can increase survivor benefits too. It definitely gets complex with two people's benefits to coordinate! You might want to consider meeting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security strategies - they can run scenarios based on both of your earnings records.

For spousal benefit strategies, I'd recommend starting with the SSA's official publication "When to Start Receiving Retirement Benefits" - it has a whole section on married couples. The AARP website also has some really good articles explaining different scenarios. One key thing to understand is that a spouse can claim up to 50% of the higher earner's benefit at their own FRA, but if they claim early, it's reduced. There's also the "file and suspend" strategy that used to be available but was eliminated in 2016, so make sure any resources you're reading are current. A fee-only financial advisor who specializes in Social Security can be worth the cost if your situation is complex - they can run scenarios to show you the lifetime value of different claiming strategies.