When should I apply for Social Security retirement benefits - 3 or 4 months before my FRA?

Social Security recommends applying 3 months before you want your benefits to begin. I retired last year and the 3-month timeframe worked perfectly for me. You can apply online at ssa.gov/applyforbenefits which is much easier than calling. Your birthday falling on a weekend doesn't affect anything - they'll calculate everything based on your actual birth date regardless of what day of the week it falls on.

3 months is SUPPOSED to be enough time but let me tell you about MY experience!! I applied exactly 3 months before and my first check was LATE by almost 2 weeks! When I finally got through to someone they said 'oh we had a backlog' but wouldn't give me any real answers. The system is completely broken. If I had to do it again I'd apply 4 months early just to be safe. You can't trust what they tell you on their website.

i applied bout 3.5 months before turning my fra last summer. went fine. first deposit hit bank account on 3rd wednesday of month after my bday. all u need is ur birth certificate, SSA card, and maybe tax forms if self-employed. good luck!

The official SSA guidance is to apply 3 months before you want benefits to begin. This typically provides sufficient processing time. The specific payment schedule depends on your birth date: - Born 1st-10th: Payment on 2nd Wednesday - Born 11th-20th: Payment on 3rd Wednesday - Born 21st-31st: Payment on 4th Wednesday Since you're turning FRA in August, your first payment would arrive in September (they pay a month behind). I'd recommend applying in May for an August retirement date. Also, gather these documents before starting: birth certificate, most recent W-2 or tax return, and bank information for direct deposit.

I had such a nightmare reaching someone at Social Security when I was applying last year. After spending weeks trying to get through the regular phone line, I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in under 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU I was skeptical at first, but it saved me so much frustration. I was able to confirm my application was received and ask questions about my specific situation. Way better than waiting on hold for hours only to get disconnected!

My daughter helped me apply for my retirement last year and we did it exactly 3 months ahead. Everything went smooth except they asked for an additional document which delayed things by about a week. But that was my fault for not having everything ready. Just make sure you have ALL your paperwork ready before you start the application. And write down your confirmation number when you finish the online application! I lost mine and that caused problems later.

I think everyone's overthinking this lol. I applied exactly 90 days before I wanted benefits and it was fine. The online system is actually pretty decent compared to other government websites. Took me like 15 minutes tops. Just don't wait till the last minute and you'll be fine either way. 3 months, 4 months, not a huge difference unless there's something complicated about your situation.

One additional point that hasn't been mentioned: if you're continuing to work after claiming benefits at your full retirement age, there's no earnings limit to worry about. However, if you were claiming before FRA, you'd be subject to earnings limitations. Since you mentioned stopping work in July and you're reaching FRA in August, the timing works out well for you - you won't face any benefit reductions due to earnings.

hey forgot to say my cousin applied only 2 months before and had problems... payment was late by like 6 weeks and she had to keep calling. total hassle. def do at least 3 months not less

Just a warning - the SSA is SERIOUSLY understaffed right now! I've heard processing times are getting longer and longer. If I were you I'd apply 4 months early just to be safe. The official recommendation might be 3 months but that was before all the staffing issues they're having now. Better safe than sorry!!!