Use for Retirement Benefits

Starting your Social Security retirement benefits is a major step on your retirement journey. This page volition guide y'all through the procedure of applying for retirement benefits when you're ready to take that stride. Our online application is a user-friendly way to utilize on your own schedule, without an appointment. Y'all can as well employ past phone or by engagement at a Social Security role.

Spring to a topic on this folio:

Before You Apply / How To Apply / In one case You lot've Applied



Before You Apply

Before y'all employ, accept fourth dimension to review the basics, understand the procedure, and gather the documents you'll need to complete an application.

Review Retirement Benefits Basics

You can start your retirement benefits as early as age 62 or every bit late as age lxx. If you're preparing to apply for retirement benefits, knowing when you're eligible to use and how the organization works are the get-go steps in choosing what age is right for you. Before you lot submit an awarding, become to our Learn Well-nigh Retirement Benefits page to understand:

  • How you qualify for Social Security benefits.
  • How your earnings and historic period tin can affect your benefits.
  • What you should consider in deciding when to start receiving benefits.
  • Retirement benefits for spouses and family members.

Understand The Application Process

The retirement benefits application process follows these general steps, whether yous apply online, by phone, or in person:

  • Assemble the data and documents you need to apply.
  • Consummate and submit your application.
  • We review your awarding and contact you if we need more than information.
  • We postal service you a determination letter.
  • You start receiving your retirement benefits.
How Early Can I Apply?

You must exist at to the lowest degree age 62 for the unabridged month to be eligible to receive benefits. If yous were born on the first or second 24-hour interval of the calendar month, you encounter this requirement in the calendar month of your 62nd birthday. If you lot were built-in on any other day of the month, you do not see this requirement until the following month.

You tin utilize up to 4 months before you desire your retirement benefits to start. For instance, if yous plow 62 on December 2, yous can start your benefits as early on equally December. If you want your benefits to start in December, you tin apply in August. If y'all plough 62 any day after December ii, you are non age 62 for the unabridged month of December. You lot tin can outset your benefits as early as January when you are 62 for the entire calendar month. If y'all want your benefits to commencement in January, you lot can apply in September.

Social Security benefits are paid in the calendar month following the month they are due. If you are due benefits for the month of December, y'all volition receive your first cheque in January for December.

Set To Start Medicare?

If you'll plough 65 within 3 months, you tin use our online application to apply for Medicare and Social Security retirement benefits at the same time, or you can use it to utilize for just Medicare. To learn more most your Medicare options, review our section on Medicare Benefits.

Applying As A Spouse Or Family Member

Yous may be able to receive retirement benefits on your spouse or former spouse's record. Likewise, your spouse or family member may be able to receive benefits on your record if they qualify. Learn more near Benefits For Your Family.

Retirement Benefits For Survivors

If you are the spouse, divorced spouse, family member, or parent of a worker who has died and you are planning to utilize for retirement benefits, review our Survivors Benefits page to see how Social Security survivor benefits relate to your situation.

Gather Information You Need to Employ

Before applying, be gear up to provide your Social Security number and information about:

  • Dates of current and previous marriages, and where yous were married.
  • U.S. armed services service dates and branches.
  • Employer names and dates for the past ii years.
  • Self-employment income and type of business.
  • Bank information to gear up up your directly deposit.
  • Information on family members who may be eligible to receive benefits on your record.

We will enquire for certain documents we need to review and process your application. These documents may include:

  • Your original birth certificate or other proof of your historic period. This must be the original document or a certified re-create from the issuing agency.
  • Proof of U.Due south. citizenship if y'all were non born in the U.S. and accept not submitted proof for an earlier Medicare or Social Security claim. We must see the original document(southward) or copies certified by the agency that issued them. Nosotros cannot accept expired, notarized, or photocopied documents.
  • A re-create of your W-2 taxation grade(s) and/or self-employment tax render from terminal twelvemonth. A photocopy is acceptable.
  • A copy of your U.S. military service papers if you served earlier 1968. A photocopy is acceptable.

As y'all prepare to apply for benefits, outset gather the documents listed on our Checklist for Online Medicare, Retirement & Spouses Application. Instructions on how to submit your documents will appear at the end of the online application.

If applying by phone, get together the information in a higher place. Nosotros will walk you through the procedure on the phone.

If applying in person, inquire your local Social Security office what y'all need to bring when you call to schedule your appointment. They can help you if you don't accept all your documents right now.



How To Apply

Applying online is the easiest way to complete your application at a time that works for you, without a trip to the Social Security function. You lot can besides utilise by phone or at a Social Security office. This section volition tell you near the different options.

Use Online

Follow these steps to use online:

  • To kickoff your application, become to our Utilize for Benefits page, read and concur to the Terms of Service. Click "Side by side."
  • On that page, review the "Getting Ready" section to brand sure you accept the information you lot need to apply.
  • Select "Start A New Awarding."
  • We will ask a few questions about who is filling out the application.
  • Yous will and then sign into your my Social Security business relationship or you will be prompted to create 1.
  • Consummate the awarding.

Watch our video, "Welcome To Our Online Retirement/Medicare Application," for an overview of the process.

Tips For Using The Online Application

We've worked hard to make applying online as simple as possible while besides keeping your data safety.

For security reasons, the online application gives you a alarm if you lot leave information technology open and don't exercise anything for 25 minutes. You can choose to extend your time on the page if you lot go this warning. Yet, later on the third warning, you must motility to another page or your information volition not exist saved.

Here are more tips for using the online application:

  • If you become stuck on a question, you tin skip to the side by side question and come up dorsum subsequently.
  • You tin can save your awarding to finish another time if needed. Adjacent fourth dimension you sign in, go to "Return to a Saved Application."
  • You are not allowed to use periods, commas, or other special characters for some answers, including addresses. If y'all go a message near this, go back and enter the data without periods or other characters.

Start your awarding now.

Signing The Online Awarding

You'll take a chance to review your answers and make changes, if needed. One time yous've filled everything out, we'll ask you to confirm that your answers are true to the all-time of your knowledge. You lot tin be held liable for intentionally providing false or misleading information.

The last stride is to "sign" the online application by clicking "Submit Now." You can check the status of your submitted awarding using a confirmation number we provide.

Helping Someone Else Apply Online

Y'all may help someone else fill out their awarding, simply you are non allowed to sign it for them. Only the person applying for benefits can legally sign the awarding. If they are not able to sign online, we will mail service them a copy to sign. Read more about Helping Someone Utilize Online.

Apply With Your Local Office

You tin can do most of your business with Social Security online. If you cannot use these online services, your local Social Security office tin assistance you apply. Although our offices are airtight to the public, employees from those offices are profitable people by phone. You can find the telephone number for your local part by using our Field Office Locator and looking nether Social Security Office Data. The toll-free "Part" number is your local office.

Apply By Phone

Call ane-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, to use by phone.

If You Do Not Live In The U.Due south. Or Ane Of Its Territories

Contact the Federal Benefits Unit for your country of residence if y'all alive outside the U.S. or a U.S. territory and wish to apply for retirement benefits.



Once You've Applied

Once nosotros receive your application, nosotros'll review it and contact y'all if nosotros have whatever questions. We might request additional documents from you before we can procedure your application.

Look For Our Response

You lot'll receive a letter in the mail service with our decision. If you lot included information about other family members when yous practical, we'll allow you know if they may be able to receive benefits from your application.

Check The Condition

You lot can cheque the status of your application online using your personal my Social Security business relationship. If you are unable to cheque your status online, you tin call usa ane-800-772-1213 (TTY i-800-325-0778) from 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.chiliad., Monday through Fri.

Appeal A Decision

You have a right to entreatment any determination nosotros make virtually whether you're entitled to benefits. You must asking an appeal in writing within lx days of receiving our conclusion. There are four levels of appeal:

  • Afterthought by Social Security staff.
  • A hearing earlier an administrative law judge.
  • A review past Social Security's Appeals Council.
  • A review past the federal courts.

To learn more, visit Appeal A Decision.

Withdraw Your Awarding

Sometimes, life changes occur after you submit your awarding. Y'all have up to 12 months to withdraw your application, if you modify your heed. Y'all will be required to repay any benefits you lot've already received. Learn more near Withdrawing Your Social Security Retirement Application.