How do I apply for Social Security retirement benefits? (2024)
You can apply for retirement benefits up to 4 months before you want to start receiving your benefits. Even if you are not ready to retire, you still should sign up for Medicare 3 months before your 65th birthday.
The easiest and most convenient way to apply for retirement benefits is by using our online application. You will need to create or log in to your personal my Social Security account. If we are not able to process your request, you will receive specific information on how to contact us by phone or schedule an appointment.
You can also apply by calling us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. local time or visiting your local Social Security office. (Call first to make an appointment.)
By calling our national toll-free service at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or visiting your local Social Security office. Call ahead to make an appointment.
If you do not live in the U.S. or one of its territories, you can also contact your nearest U.S.
Once you have decided when you want to start receiving your monthly Social Security benefit, you can apply up to four months before the date you want your benefits to start. Visit www.ssa.gov/retire to apply.
Your first check won't arrive until the month after the one you pick in your application. You can apply any time up to four months before the month you pick.
The easiest and most convenient way to apply for retirement benefits is by using our online application. You will need to create or log in to your personal my Social Security account.
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, you are entitled to full benefits when you reach your full retirement age. If you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age up to age 70, your benefit amount will increase.
Social Security income can be taxable no matter how old you are. It all depends on whether your total combined income exceeds a certain level set for your filing status. You may have heard that Social Security income is not taxed after age 70; this is false.
To be eligible for SSI, your assets must be less than $2,000 for an individual and less than $3,000 for a married couple. However, not all assets count towards the resource limits. The Social Security Administration lists 44 resource exclusions.
The earliest you can apply for retirement benefits is four months before you want your benefits to start. If you want your benefits to start more than four months in the future, you need to apply for benefits at a later date. If you are already age 62, your benefits could start as early as this month.
1. You're Planning Your End-of-Life Care. Your Social Security benefits stop paying at your death, so if you die before collecting benefits, you'll have missed out on benefits entirely.
The full retirement age is 66 if you were born from 1943 to 1954. The full retirement age increases gradually if you were born from 1955 to 1960 until it reaches 67.
You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. However, there is a limit to how much you can earn and still receive full benefits. If you are younger than full retirement age and earn more than the yearly earnings limit, we may reduce your benefit amount.
According to the SSA's Office of the Actuary, retired-worker beneficiaries who were 62 years old in December 2023 received an average check of $1,298.26.
You can apply up to 4 months before you want your retirement benefits to start. If you're not ready to begin receiving retirement benefits, but are thinking about doing so soon, visit our website at www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement to learn more.
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