When to apply for Social Security at 67 (past FRA) for February 2025 first payment?
Hi everyone, I'm trying to figure out the right timing to apply for my Social Security retirement benefits. I'll be turning 67 this December (already past my FRA which was 66 and 10 months). I've decided I want my first payment to arrive in February 2025 since that works best with my financial planning and some other income that's ending in January. I know you can apply up to 4 months before, but I'm confused about exactly WHEN I should submit my application to make sure the payments start exactly in February - not January, not March. I don't want to mess this up! Has anyone recently gone through this who can tell me the ideal application date? Should I apply in October? November? Also wondering if it matters whether I apply online or in person at my local office for timing purposes? Thanks for any help!
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Grant Vikers
You should apply in October 2024 if you want your first payment in February 2025. Social Security allows you to apply up to 4 months before you want benefits to begin. When you complete the application, you'll specifically indicate February 2025 as your benefit start month. The online application has a specific section where you select your start date. Applying online is honestly easier than going to the office - you can take your time with the application and save/return to it if needed. Make sure you have all your documents ready: birth certificate, marriage/divorce records if applicable, and your bank information for direct deposit. One important note: February payments actually arrive in March. Social Security pays benefits in the month following the month for which they are due. So your February benefit will be deposited in March.
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Amaya Watson
•Thank you so much! That's super helpful. I didn't realize the February payment would actually come in March - that's good to know for my budget planning. I'll plan to apply online in October and make sure I select February as my start month. Does the system let you choose any specific day in February, or is it just the month?
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Giovanni Martello
i did this last year and totally messed it up lol. thought i was getting january but ended up with december benefits. make sure u actually READ the screens when u pick ur start date. also they ask weird questions about family i wasnt expecting so have that info ready
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Amaya Watson
•Oh no! That's exactly the kind of mistake I'm trying to avoid. Thanks for the warning about reading the screens carefully. What kind of family questions did they ask? I'm divorced (15+ years ago) if that matters.
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Savannah Weiner
SSA is a mess right now with processing times. My sister applied 3 months ahead for her retirement and her first payment was still late by 2 weeks!!! They blamed it on "processing backlog" whatever that means. I'd apply even earlier than October just to be safe, maybe September. You can never trust the government to do anything on time. 😠
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Giovanni Martello
•yep happened to my neighbor too!! she had to call like 50 times and nobody would help her. total nightmare
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Levi Parker
•While I understand the frustration, applying earlier than 4 months in advance won't actually help in this situation. The SSA has a firm policy of not accepting applications more than 4 months before benefits are to begin. If OP wants February 2025 benefits, October 2024 is the earliest they can apply. What I would recommend is applying right at the 4-month mark and then verifying everything is on track about 30 days after submission. If there are processing delays, it's better to know early so you can address them.
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Libby Hassan
Congrats on making it to retirement! 👏 I'm still a few years away. Hope everything goes smoothly with your application!
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Amaya Watson
•Thank you! It's a little nerve-wracking trying to make sure everything goes smoothly. I've been planning for this for years but now that it's actually happening, I'm second-guessing everything!
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Grant Vikers
To answer your follow-up question - no, you don't get to select a specific day in February. Social Security benefits are paid monthly, and the day you receive your payment depends on your birth date: - Born on the 1st-10th: Payment on second Wednesday - Born on the 11th-20th: Payment on third Wednesday - Born on the 21st-31st: Payment on fourth Wednesday Since you'll be getting your first payment, there might be some processing time, but going forward, your payment date will be fixed based on your birthday.
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Amaya Watson
•Perfect explanation, thank you! My birthday is on the 28th, so sounds like I'll be on the fourth Wednesday schedule. It's good to know these dates are predictable once everything starts flowing.
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Hunter Hampton
I just went through this whole process last month. They asked about my work history from like 35 years ago and I barely remembered some of those jobs! Had to dig through old tax returns. Also, if you were married before, even if divorced, have those dates handy. And they ask about any children under 18 or disabled adult children too, even if they're not applying for benefits on your record. The one thing I wish someone told me is that I could have gotten an estimate of my benefit amount before I applied. Would have saved me some stress.
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Grant Vikers
•You're absolutely right about being prepared with your work history. Just to add to this helpful comment - the OP can create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov to see their benefit estimate before applying. This will show what their benefit amount should be at their current age (past FRA). It's a very useful planning tool.
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Sofia Peña
After trying for THREE DAYS to get through to SSA on the phone to ask questions before my application, I finally used Claimyr.com to get through to a representative in under 10 minutes. It was such a relief after all those busy signals and disconnections! They have a video demo showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed everything about my application timing and answered all my questions. Definitely worth it if you need to speak with someone about your specific situation before applying.
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Amaya Watson
•Thank you for suggesting this! I've been dreading having to call them with questions. I might check out that service when I'm ready to apply in October. I'll probably have last-minute questions and don't want to deal with endless hours on hold.
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Libby Hassan
•I used this too! Worked great when my mom needed help with her Medicare enrollment last month.
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Giovanni Martello
dont forget to think about taxes too!! i didnt plan for withholding and got a surprise tax bill 😫
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Levi Parker
•This is a very important point. When you apply, you'll be asked if you want federal taxes withheld from your benefits. You can choose to have 7%, 10%, 12%, or 22% withheld. If you have other income sources, up to 85% of your Social Security benefits may be taxable depending on your combined income. It's worth consulting with a tax professional if you're unsure about what percentage to withhold.
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Amaya Watson
Thank you everyone for all the fantastic advice! I've learned so much: 1. Apply in October 2024 (4 months before) and specifically select February 2025 as my start month 2. Be aware my February payment will actually arrive in March 3. My payment date will be the 4th Wednesday of each month (since my birthday is the 28th) 4. Have all my work history, marriage/divorce info, and family details ready 5. Consider tax withholding options when I apply 6. Create a my Social Security account to check my benefit amount before applying I feel so much more prepared now! I'll plan to apply online in October, and if I run into phone issues, I'll try that Claimyr service. I really appreciate everyone taking the time to help me understand this process better!
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Grant Vikers
•You've got it all correct! One last tip: print out or save a PDF of your confirmation page after you submit your application. It will have your confirmation number which is extremely helpful if you need to follow up. Best of luck with your retirement!
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