When to apply for Social Security before reaching FRA - 3 months or 6 months ahead?

You can apply up to 4 months before you want benefits to start. So if you want your first payment in October (for September), you could apply as early as June. But honestly you could do it 3 months before and be fine too. I applied exactly 3 months before my FRA and everything went smooth.

SSA recommends applying 3-4 months before you want benefits to begin. If you're turning 67 in September and want benefits to start that month, applying in June would be ideal. Applying too early (more than 4 months) doesn't affect your benefit amount, but it means your application sits in the system longer than necessary. Applying less than 3 months before could potentially delay your first payment. Your benefit amount is determined by your earnings history and age at claiming, not by when you submit your application. Since you're claiming at exactly your FRA, you'll receive 100% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA).

Dont listen to ppl saying 3-4 months is enough!!! I applied only 2 months before my FRA and my first payment was DELAYED by 6 weeks!!! The SSA is EXTREMELY backed up right now in 2025, way worse than before. Some offices are taking 5-6 months to process applications!!! Apply 6 months early to be safe!!!

i applied 3 months before and got my first check right on time. just make sure you have all your documents ready when you apply. birth certificate, ssn card, etc.

My situation is kinda similar to yours. I'm turning 67 in July and planning to stop working in June. I've been trying to call SSA for weeks to ask these same questions but can't get through. Always says "all representatives are busy" then hangs up on me! So frustrating!!

My uncle waited til just 1 month before his FRA to apply and his payments were delayed by 3 months! Don't cut it too close. But 6 months is definitely TOO early. SSA website says 4 months is the earliest they even accept applications for retirement benefits. So your brother is wrong.

Also dont forget that SS benefits are paid a month behind. So your September benefit gets paid in October. Some people get confused about this.

my son works for ssa. he says apply online its WAY faster than going to the office or calling

To summarize what everyone has shared: 1. The official SSA recommendation is to apply 3-4 months before you want benefits to begin 2. You can't apply more than 4 months before (so your brother's advice about 6 months is incorrect) 3. If you want benefits to start for September (your birth month), applying in June would be ideal 4. Benefits are paid the month after they're due, so your September benefit will arrive in October 5. Applying online is typically faster than other methods 6. Having all your documents ready will help speed up the process Since you're reaching FRA and have a straightforward case, 3-4 months should be sufficient.

Just wanted to add that you should also check your earnings record on your my Social Security account before applying to make sure everything is accurate. I found an error in mine from 2018 that would have reduced my benefit if I hadn't caught it. It took about 6 weeks to get corrected, so definitely worth checking well before you apply. You can access it at ssa.gov/myaccount. Also, if you're married, don't forget to consider spousal benefits strategies - sometimes it makes sense to coordinate timing with your spouse's application.

I went through this same process last year when I turned 67. I applied exactly 3 months before my birthday and everything went smoothly - got my first payment right on schedule in the month after my FRA. One thing I'd recommend is to gather all your documents beforehand (birth certificate, tax returns, W-2s) and apply online early in the morning - I found the system was faster then. Also, after you submit your application, you'll get a receipt number that you can use to track your application status online. Don't stress too much about the exact timing - as long as you're in that 3-4 month window, you should be fine. The SSA processes thousands of these applications every day, so they have it down to a science!

I'm in a similar boat - turning 67 in November and trying to figure out the best timing. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been really helpful! It sounds like the 3-4 month window is definitely the sweet spot. I've been putting off applying because I wasn't sure, but now I'm planning to submit my application in August. One question though - for those who applied online, did you need to upload scanned copies of all your documents, or do they request them later if needed? I want to make sure I have everything digitized and ready to go when I apply. Also, has anyone had experience with how they handle it if you're still working part-time during your birth month? I'm planning to reduce my hours significantly but not stop completely until December.

I just went through this process myself in January when I turned 67! I applied exactly 3 months before my FRA and received my first payment right on time. The key thing to remember is that SSA processes applications much faster when you apply online versus going to an office or calling. I'd definitely recommend the 3-month timeframe - it gives them enough processing time without your application sitting in the system too long. One tip: make sure to create your my Social Security account first if you don't already have one, as you'll need it to apply online and track your application status. The whole process took me about 45 minutes to complete online, and I got confirmation immediately with a receipt number. Don't overthink it - June would be perfect timing for your September FRA!

As someone who works in benefits administration, I can confirm that the 3-4 month window is absolutely correct. I see these applications daily, and the online system is definitely your best bet - it's much faster than phone or in-person applications. One thing I'd add is that you should double-check that your Direct Deposit information is set up correctly in your my Social Security account before applying, as this can prevent delays in receiving your payments. Also, make sure your legal name exactly matches what's on file with SSA - any discrepancies can slow things down. Since you're planning to stop working in August, that timing works perfectly with a June application for September benefits. The system is actually running pretty efficiently right now despite what some people are saying about delays.