When to start Social Security if birthday is late in month - avoid income gap?

Social Security payments come in the month AFTER they're due. So if you start benefits in April, your first payment would arrive in May. There's always going to be at least a small gap. As far as working in the month you first claim, yes, you'd need to stay under the earnings limit for April (currently $1,770/month for 2023 if you're under FRA, though this will be higher in 2025). I recommend calling SSA directly to discuss your specific situation.

when i retired last yr i had the SAME PROBLEM!! the social security rep told me the best thing is to time ur last day of work with when u want benefits to start so u dont lose $$$. i worked until the 25th which was my bday and started benefits that day so i only had like 5 days with no income that month. not perfect but better than nothing for weeks!!

I went through this exact situation last year. Here's what I learned: 1. Social Security benefits are paid the month AFTER they're due 2. The month you claim counts as your first benefit month (even if only for a few days) 3. If you're not at Full Retirement Age yet, the earnings limit applies for the whole month My advice: If your birthday is April 28th, work through April 27th, then start your benefits on April 28th. Yes, you'd be under the earnings limit for April (should be around $2,000/month in 2025), but that way you minimize the income gap. Also, your first payment will likely arrive in late May. SS pays benefits based on your birth date: - 1st-10th: paid on 2nd Wednesday - 11th-20th: paid on 3rd Wednesday - 21st-31st: paid on 4th Wednesday So with an April 28th birthday, you'd get paid on the 4th Wednesday of May.

I tried calling the SSA about a similar issue last month and spent HOURS just trying to get through to someone. Ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Saved me tons of frustration and the agent was able to explain exactly how the payment timing would work in my situation.

Lots of misinformation here! The earnings test is ANNUAL, not monthly for most people. The monthly test only applies in your first year of retirement. So yes, in April 2025, you would need to stay under the monthly limit (probably around $2,000 by then). But the bigger issue is payment timing. SSA pays benefits for a given month in the FOLLOWING month. So April benefits come in May. And yes, there WILL be a gap between your last paycheck and first SS payment. I'd suggest working until April 28 (your birthday), then starting benefits that same day. This way you minimize the gap. Just make sure your April earnings stay under the monthly limit. IF possible, have some savings set aside to cover the gap between your last paycheck and that first SS payment in May. There's simply no way around this gap.

has anyone tried asking their employer for a lump sum vacation payout to cover the gap? thats what my brother in law did when he retired. said it worked perfect for him

One thing nobody has mentioned - when you apply, select "I want my benefits to begin" with the month you want (April 2025 in your case). Don't overthink the specific day too much. SSA pays for full months, not partial months. So whether you pick April 1st or April 28th, you'll receive benefits for the whole month of April, paid in May. The only reason the specific day matters is for the earnings test - you need to stay under the monthly limit for any month you're entitled to benefits in your first year of retirement.

my sister just went thru this last yr and she said the whole thing was a nightmare!! no matter what she did there was like a 6 week gap between her last check and SS starting. she ended up having to borrow money from her kids ☹️

I want to clarify something important: Your first month of entitlement (April in your case) is the first month you're eligible for benefits. The actual payment for April will come in May. Here's what I recommend based on my experience: 1. Work until your birthday (April 28th) 2. Make sure your April earnings stay under the monthly limit (around $2,000/month in 2025) 3. Have savings to cover expenses from your last paycheck until late May 4. Apply for benefits 3-4 months before April (so December 2024/January 2025) This approach minimizes your income gap while ensuring you don't lose benefits due to excess earnings. And applying early gives SSA time to process everything so your May payment isn't delayed.