Will my Social Security benefit amount be based on filing date or approval date if I file 3 months before turning 67 and 8 months?

Your benefit amount will be based on the month you choose as your start date, not when you file or when it's approved. When filing, you'll select the month you want benefits to begin. You can file up to 4 months before you want benefits to start, which is what SSA recommends. So you can file 3 months early and specify you want benefits to start when you turn 67 and 8 months. The benefit amount will be calculated based on that age, not when you submitted paperwork.

im not sure about the exact dolalr amout BUT my sister just did this last month and she said the lady at SSA told her to apply 2-3 months early to make sure everything goes thru on time but she got the full amount for her age anyway. not sure if thats helpful lol

The previous responses are correct. When you file for retirement benefits, you will specify the month you want benefits to begin (your "month of entitlement"). The amount is calculated based on your age at that point, not when you file the application. SSA specifically allows you to file up to 4 months before you want benefits to begin precisely to give them processing time. Your benefit amount will be calculated based on your age of 67 and 8 months as long as you specify that as your start month. One important note: your first payment will arrive the month AFTER your entitlement month. So if your benefits start for the month you turn 67 and 8 months, you'll receive that payment the following month.

I WISH EVERYONE GOOD LUCK getting through to SSA by phone to even ask this question!!! I spent 4 HOURS on hold last week trying to ask a simple question about MY application and then got DISCONNECTED!!! Their system is BROKEN and they don't care about us at all!!!

This is actually one of the smarter questions I've seen on here. Most people don't think about the timing aspect and then get surprised when their benefit amount isn't what they expected. Planning 3 months ahead is exactly right.

Yep others are right, its based on the start date you choose not when you apply. My question is how did you get to $4k a month?? That's well above average! Did you max out your earnings for 35+ years?

One additional tip based on your target amount of $4,000: Make sure you understand how your benefit might be affected by Medicare premiums if you're enrolling in that at the same time. Also, depending on your other income in retirement, up to 85% of your Social Security might be taxable, which could affect your net monthly amount.

wait a minute my uncle always told me that the computer system automsticly calculates your amount when u turn exact age?? so maybe im wrong about what I said before??

As someone who just went through this process myself, I can confirm what others have said - you absolutely can file 3 months early and specify your benefit start date as when you turn 67 and 8 months. I filed online in January for benefits to begin in April, and my benefit amount was calculated based on my April age, not my January filing age. One thing that helped me was creating a my Social Security account online first to see my estimated benefit amounts at different ages. That way I could verify the math before filing. The online application is pretty straightforward and clearly asks you to specify your desired benefit start month. Just make sure you don't accidentally select an earlier start month when filling out the form - double-check that section since it directly affects your benefit calculation!

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who works with retirees regularly - you're absolutely doing this the right way by planning ahead! The 3-month early filing strategy is exactly what financial advisors typically recommend to avoid any processing delays. One small additional consideration: if you're married, make sure you've also thought through the timing of spousal benefits if applicable. Sometimes coordinating the timing of both applications can maximize household Social Security income, especially if there's an age gap between spouses. But to directly answer your original question - yes, you're safe to file 3 months early as long as you specify the correct benefit start month. The benefit calculation will be based on your age at that start date, not when you submit the paperwork.

Great question and smart planning! I went through this exact scenario last year. Filed in September for benefits to start in December when I turned my FRA + 8 months. The key thing to remember is that on the application form (whether online or paper), there's a clear section asking "What month do you want your retirement benefits to start?" - that's where you put your target month. Just a heads up - when you file online through your my Social Security account, the system will show you the exact benefit amount based on the start month you select, so you can verify it matches your $4,000 expectation before submitting. This gave me peace of mind that I was getting the right calculation. The processing did take about 10 weeks in my case, but I received my first payment right on schedule the month after my benefits began. Definitely recommend filing 3 months ahead like you're planning!

As someone new to this community, I want to thank everyone for such detailed and helpful responses! I'm approaching my own retirement planning phase and this conversation has been incredibly educational. The clarification about benefit amounts being based on the chosen start date rather than filing date is exactly the kind of insider knowledge that's hard to find in the official SSA materials. I particularly appreciate the real-world experiences from those who've recently gone through this process - it really helps to hear that the system works as intended when you plan ahead properly. One follow-up question for the group: for those who filed online, did you find the "my Social Security" account interface intuitive, or were there any parts of the application process that were confusing or unclear? I'm trying to decide whether to file online or visit a local SSA office when my time comes.

As a newcomer to this community, I want to echo what others have said about how valuable this discussion has been! I'm still a few years away from retirement but starting to educate myself on the process. One thing that really stands out to me from reading through all these responses is how important it is to understand the distinction between filing date and benefit start date. This seems like such a critical detail that could easily trip people up if they don't know to look for it. @Amina Bah - your original question was excellent and really got to the heart of a timing issue that I'm sure many people face. The $4,000 monthly benefit you mentioned is impressive - it's motivating to see what's possible with careful career planning and maximizing contributions over time. For those who shared their recent experiences going through this process (@Tami Morgan, @Connor Richards, @Diego Chavez), thank you for the real-world insights! It's reassuring to hear that the online system works as designed and that filing 3 months early with the correct benefit start date produces the expected results. I'm definitely bookmarking this thread for when my time comes to file. This community seems like such a valuable resource for navigating these important financial decisions!