When to apply for Social Security retirement, Medicare Parts A/B/D and Medigap Plan G before reaching FRA in November?

You're actually right on time! For Social Security retirement benefits, you can apply up to 4 months before you want benefits to begin. Since you're reaching FRA in November, you could apply as early as July if you want benefits to start right at your FRA. For Medicare, it's a bit different. You have a 7-month Initial Enrollment Period that includes 3 months before your 65th birthday month, your birthday month, and 3 months after. If you're already 65 or older, you should apply for Medicare right away to avoid potential late enrollment penalties. Parts A and B are applied for together through Social Security. For Part D and Medigap Plan G, you'll work with private insurers, but timing is important. You typically have a 6-month Medigap Open Enrollment Period starting the month you're both 65+ AND enrolled in Medicare Part B.

i went thru this last yr. its a NIGHTMARE!!! the SSA website kept crashing when i tried to apply online!! ended up waiting 3 hrs on the phone just to schedule an appointment that was 6 weeks out!!!! almost missed my enrollment period cuz of their stupid system

Just to clarify a common misunderstanding: Medicare and Social Security are separate decisions. You can enroll in Medicare at 65 even if you're delaying Social Security until your FRA. For Medicare timing, here's the proper sequence: 1. Apply for Medicare Parts A & B through SSA (these are applied for together) 2. Once approved for Parts A & B, then shop for and enroll in Part D 3. During your Medigap Open Enrollment Period, apply for Plan G Since you're past 65 and were covered by employer insurance, you likely qualify for a Special Enrollment Period for Medicare. You generally have 8 months after employment or group coverage ends to sign up without penalties.

I just went through this last month! One tip - when you apply for Medigap Plan G, get quotes from at least 3 different companies. I found price differences of over $60/month for identical coverage! Also make sure you understand the difference between Plan G and Plan G High Deductible - huge price difference there too.

Has anyone here tried calling the SS office lately?? I tried for TWO WEEKS to get through and either got busy signals or was disconnected after waiting for hours. Absolutely ridiculous that they expect seniors to deal with this. How are we supposed to apply if we can't even reach a human???

Quick correction to some of the advice here - if you delayed Medicare at 65 because you had employer coverage, you need to apply within 8 months of losing that coverage to avoid penalties. But there's a separate deadline for Part D (prescription coverage) which is only 63 days after losing your previous prescription coverage! This catches many people by surprise.

For your Social Security retirement benefits, since you'll reach your FRA in November, here's what I recommend: 1. Apply in July (4 months before) if you want benefits to start right at your FRA 2. Make sure you understand that starting at your FRA means you'll get 100% of your benefit amount 3. If you're still working, at FRA there's no earnings limit to worry about For Medicare: 1. Apply for Parts A & B immediately since you're in a Special Enrollment Period after employer coverage 2. Apply for Part D within 63 days of losing employer coverage to avoid penalties 3. Apply for Medigap Plan G as soon as your Part B is approved to use your guaranteed issue rights Doing things in this order will ensure you don't miss any deadlines or face penalties.

For your Social Security application, you'll need: - Birth certificate (original or certified copy) - Social Security card or number - Most recent W-2 or tax return - Direct deposit information (bank routing and account numbers) - Marriage certificate if applying for spousal benefits - Military discharge papers if you served For Medicare, you'll need similar documentation plus information about any current health coverage. When shopping for Plan G, make sure you understand that while the coverage is standardized, the PRICES vary significantly between insurance companies for identical coverage. Get multiple quotes!

Thank you everyone for the helpful advice! I'm going to apply for Medicare Parts A & B immediately, then get my Part D within the 63-day window, and apply for Social Security in July for my November FRA. I really appreciate all the timeline clarification and document requirements - this has been so much clearer than anything I found on the SSA website!