At What Age You Should Apply For Social Security?

The ideal age to start receiving the monthly Social Security benefit checks is probably one of the most important and serious concerns for people near retirement. Well, there is no right or wrong answer because it varies on your financial condition. But you should wait longer to get a higher monthly check, if possible. 

The minimum required age of receiving a Social Security check is 62 but you can wait until you reach the full age of retirement to receive the whole benefit. If you manage to wait after the full retirement successfully, you can avail a bonus. 

When to Apply? 

Suppose your 62^nd birthday is December 15, you will be eligible for benefits in January and you will get your payment for January in February. If you’ve met all the eligibility requirements and you already turned 62, you can start getting Social Security benefits the same month of application, and the first payment would arrive the next month. 

The minimum age to apply for Social Security benefits is 61 years plus 9 months and the benefits will be processed after four months, i.e. next month after your 62^nd birthday. After completing the first month of eligibility in full, you will get your benefit payments. 

However, you will get less if you start receiving benefits at 62, as compared to the amount you can get by waiting for the normal age of retirement (i.e. by 70 years). 

How to Apply? 

The process of application is quite simple for getting Social Security benefits. You can apply either over phone, online or by visiting the nearest Social Security office. The official website of the Social Security Administration is the most convenient option. It takes up to 30 minutes to complete the process or you can save the application for future reference. You can also apply this application for Medicare benefits. Keep all the important details handy to complete the process quickly and easily. Some of the details you need are marriage and birth dates of both partners, proof of citizenship, Social Security number of the applicant, tax information, military records, employment history, bank details, etc.