Will waiting 6 months past FRA give any delayed retirement credits for Social Security?

Yes, Social Security does prorate the delayed retirement credits on a monthly basis! Your sister would get approximately 4% increase (about 2/3 of 1% per month) if she waits 6 months past her FRA. The exact calculation is 8% ÷ 12 = 0.667% per month. So waiting even a few months can help increase her benefit permanently.

My husband waited 9 months after his FRA and got a nice little boost. its definately prorated by month not just yearly. But remember she only gets the increase for the months shes alive to collect! So health is important consideration.

Just to add my two cents - Social Security definitely does calculate DRCs (Delayed Retirement Credits) monthly. For someone born in 1958, it's exactly 2/3 of 1% per month, so 6 months = 4% increase. This would be permanently added to her benefit amount. One thing to consider though - when she does decide to file, make sure she doesn't wait too long to actually submit the application. Benefits can only be paid retroactively for up to 6 months, and only for months after FRA. If she decides to file after waiting those 6 months but then delays submitting the application, she could miss out on some payments.

For what it's worth, I waited 8 months after my FRA before filing and SSA calculated my increase perfectly - got about 5.3% more. BUT the SSA phone lines were HORRIBLE when I needed to ask questions about how this would affect my other benefits. Spent 3 days trying to get through! I eventually used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get connected to an agent without the wait. They called me back when an agent was available. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Good luck with your sister's decision!

my uncle waited 4 month after FRA and SSA messed up his payments BIG TIME!!! took like 5 calls to fix it and they still got it wrong. make sure she checks her first payment carefully!!!!

Something else to consider - if your sister is still working, there's no earnings limit after FRA. So she could file for benefits in January 2025 and keep working with no reduction in benefits regardless of how much she earns. That might be better than waiting depending on her situation.

I'm surprised no one has mentioned that DRCs only accumulate until age 70. After that, there's no benefit to waiting longer. For someone with an FRA of January 2025 born in 1958, they would be able to accumulate DRCs until January 2029 (when they turn 70). Just something to keep in mind for the complete picture.

I WISH someone told me about retractive benefits before!!! I waited 8 months after my FRA thinking I had to choose an exact date and I picked 8 months later... then I filed 2 months after THAT so I missed 2 months of payments I couldve gotten! The SSA doesn't volunteer this info you have to know to ask!!!

This is such helpful information! I've been researching Social Security timing for my own situation (turning 62 next year) and this thread has clarified so many things I wasn't sure about. The monthly proration of DRCs is really important to understand - it gives people much more flexibility than having to wait full years. One thing I'd add is that your sister might want to create a my Social Security account at ssa.gov if she hasn't already. She can see her estimated benefits at different claiming ages, which might help with the decision. The online calculator shows exactly how much her benefit would increase for each month she delays past FRA. Also, given her health concerns, she might want to factor in spousal benefits if she's married. Even if her own longevity is uncertain, a higher benefit amount could benefit her spouse later through survivor benefits.

Just wanted to chime in as someone who works in retirement planning - this is a really thoughtful question and the advice here has been spot on! The monthly proration of DRCs is definitely one of the most misunderstood aspects of Social Security timing. One additional consideration for your sister: if she's concerned about health issues, she might also want to think about whether she has other sources of retirement income. If she has a good pension or significant 401k/IRA savings, she might be in a better position to delay Social Security for those extra DRCs. But if Social Security will be a major portion of her retirement income and she's worried about her health, claiming at FRA might give her more peace of mind. Also, just a heads up - if she does decide to wait the 6 months, she should mark her calendar to file in July 2025 and not delay the actual application. As others mentioned, you don't want to accidentally lose months of payments due to application delays. The SSA processes applications pretty quickly these days, but it's still good to file promptly once you've made your decision. Hope this helps with her planning!