Will delaying Social Security application by 6 months at age 64 increase my benefit amount?

yes it matters! SS calculates ur benefits monthly not yearly so every month u wait between 62-70 u get a little more. dont listen to people who say it only matters by year thats wrong

Social Security retirement benefits do indeed increase for each month you delay claiming between age 62 and 70. The increase is approximately 0.5% to 0.67% per month depending on your exact Full Retirement Age (FRA). So yes, waiting those 6 months would increase your benefit amount. To calculate the exact difference, you'd need to know your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) at your FRA and then apply the reduction factor based on your claiming age. For someone with an FRA of 66 and 8 months, claiming at 64 reduces benefits by about 14.4%, while claiming at 64 and 6 months reduces benefits by about 11.1%. The most accurate way to see this difference is to create a my Social Security account online and use their calculator, or call SSA directly and ask them to calculate both scenarios for you.

When I applied last year, I was going through the SAME exact dilemma!!! I ended up waiting 8 more months past my 64th birthday and it DID increase my monthly amount. NOT by a ton but over time it adds up!!! The whole system is SO CONFUSING though and the SSA website calculator gave me different numbers than what I actually got when I applied. The WORST part was trying to get through to someone on the phone to explain it all to me - I spent HOURS on hold and got disconnected THREE TIMES!!!!

I worked as a benefits counselor for years, and here's my practical advice: Yes, your benefit increases for every month you delay, but you need to consider the break-even point. If you wait 6 months, you'll get a higher monthly amount but will have missed 6 months of payments. Typically, it takes about 12-15 years to reach the break-even point where the higher amount makes up for those missed months. Your health, current income needs, and whether you're still working should factor into this decision more than the slight increase. If you're still working and earning good money, waiting might make sense. If you need the income now, taking it at 64 might be better. Also, don't forget that applying doesn't happen instantly - it can take 2-3 months for your application to process and payments to begin.

When I applied at 63, I had TERRIBLE trouble reaching someone at SSA to answer my questions about exactly this issue. I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person at SSA in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU After I actually spoke with the SSA rep, she calculated both scenarios for me and it helped me make my decision. For me, the difference was about $47/month more by waiting 8 months longer. Worth it in my situation, but might not be for everyone.

It depends. The monthly increases are there, but you also need to think about your overall financial situation. Are you still working? Will you work until your FRA? Do you have other income sources? For some people, waiting even a few months makes a big difference, for others it doesn't. Social Security is just ONE PIECE of your retirement puzzle.

my sister waited til 66 got way more than me i took at 62 but i needed $ then so no choice really

btw u should apply like 3 months before u want benefits to start cuz processing takes forever these days!!!

One additional consideration: If you're planning to work while receiving benefits and you haven't reached your Full Retirement Age, be aware of the earnings limit ($21,240 in 2025). If you earn over that amount, $1 in benefits will be withheld for every $2 you earn above the limit. This might influence your decision about when to start benefits if you're continuing to work.