When should we apply for Social Security retirement to get our first payment in January 2025?
My wife (62) and I (66) have decided we're going to start our Social Security retirement benefits in January 2025. This is a big step for us and I want to make sure we don't mess up the timing. I've heard different things about when to actually submit the application online - some people say 3 months ahead, others say you can do it 4 months before. We both have our MySocialSecurity accounts set up already, but neither of us has started the application process yet. Does anyone know exactly when we should submit our applications to make sure our first payments arrive in January? Also, since my wife will be taking benefits early and I'll be at my full retirement age, do we need to time our applications differently? I don't want us to apply too early and accidentally have payments start in 2024, but also don't want to apply too late and miss January. Thanks for any advice!
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CosmicCadet
You can apply up to 4 months before you want your benefits to begin. So for January 2025 payments, you should apply no earlier than September 2024, but I'd recommend doing it in early October just to be safe. The SSA specifically says on their website that you should apply for retirement benefits 3 months before you want them to start, so that gives you plenty of time to complete the process. When you apply online, you'll be able to specify January 2025 as your benefit start date. Since your situations are different (your wife taking early retirement at 62 and you at your FRA), you'll each need to complete separate applications, but you can apply at the same time. Just make sure you both clearly specify January 2025 as your benefit start date in your applications.
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Omar Farouk
•Thank you! So it sounds like sometime in October would be the sweet spot. We'll aim for that. One more question - will we both get paid on the same schedule once we start receiving benefits?
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Chloe Harris
I went through this exact process last year with my husband. The sweet spot is definitely 3 months before. I tried to do it 4 months ahead and the online system actually wouldn't let me specify the month I wanted because it was too far out! When we finally applied (exactly 3 months before), we had our confirmation within 2 weeks, and our first payments arrived right on schedule. The online application is actually pretty straightforward - took us about 30 minutes each. One tip: if you run into any issues with the online application, don't waste time with the regular SSA phone line where you'll wait for hours. I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real SSA agent in under 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - totally worth it when I had questions about some weird error message I was getting.
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Diego Mendoza
•does that claimyr thing actually work? seems sketchy that u can just bypass the phonelines when everyon else has to wait
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Chloe Harris
•It definitely worked for me! It's not really bypassing - they use technology to navigate the phone system and wait on hold for you, then call you when they get an agent. Saved me hours of frustration.
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Anastasia Popova
Just wanted to chime in and say congrats on your retirement! My husband and I started our benefits last year and it was such a relief when those payments started showing up.
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Omar Farouk
•Thanks! We're looking forward to it. Did you both get your first payments in the same month you planned for?
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Anastasia Popova
•Yes! Everything arrived right on schedule. Such a relief after working all these years!
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Sean Flanagan
When I applied last fall, I made a HUGE mistake that cost me 2 months of payments!!! I thought I was applying for benefits to start in November, but I didn't read the form carefully and somehow my application got submitted requesting payments to begin immediately. I could NOT get anyone on the phone to fix it!! MAKE SURE you double and triple check the start date on your application before you submit it. The SSA website is TERRIBLE and confusing. Once you submit it wrong, it's a NIGHTMARE to fix. I'm still mad about losing those 2 months because I wanted to keep working till November but once benefits started I hit the earnings limit problem!!
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Zara Shah
•This is important advice. When you're in the online application, there's a specific section where you select the month you want benefits to begin. It's on the page titled "Benefits Start Date" and it's a dropdown menu. Take a screenshot of this page after you make your selection as proof of what you requested. Also, for the original poster - since your wife is filing early at 62, be aware that if she's still working, she'll be subject to the earnings limit ($22,320 for 2023, likely higher for 2025). This doesn't apply to you since you'll be at FRA. The application will ask about expected earnings for this reason.
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NebulaNomad
my sister waited too long to apply and missed getting her january payment had to wait till february so dont cut it too close
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Omar Farouk
•Good point - we definitely don't want to miss January. Sounds like October is the time to do it.
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Luca Ferrari
I'm actually wondering about a similar situation, but I'll be turning 70 in February 2025 and want to make sure I get the maximum delayed retirement credits. Should I also apply 3 months ahead or is my situation different since I'm at the maximum age?
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CosmicCadet
•Your situation is slightly different. At age 70, you want to start benefits the month you turn 70 to get all your delayed retirement credits. In your case, you should apply in November 2024 (3 months before February) and specifically request February 2025 as your start month. Make sure the application specifies your benefits begin in February, not January, so you get that final month of delayed credits.
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Diego Mendoza
dont u get paid for the month before? like january payment comes in february? thats what my neighbor told me and shes been on SS for years
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Zara Shah
•Yes, that's correct. Social Security payments are made in the month following the month for which they are due. So if you want your benefits to start with January 2025, you'll receive your first payment in February 2025. This is an important point that many people misunderstand. When you specify January as your start month, you're requesting that your entitlement begins in January, but the actual deposit will come in February. The day of the month you receive your payment depends on your birth date: - Born on 1st-10th: Second Wednesday of the month - Born on 11th-20th: Third Wednesday of the month - Born on 21st-31st: Fourth Wednesday of the month And for those who started receiving benefits before May 1997, payments generally arrive on the 3rd of each month.
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