Some people over think this. For example, they know that Social Security checks come one month behind. In other words, the September 2021 Social Security check is paid in October. So if a guy turns FRA in September, he thinks too hard, and he puts October as his starting month. But the Social Security application question isn’t asking you which month you want your check to show up in your bank account. It’s asking you which is the first month you want to be eligible for a Social Security check.
One little bit of clarification. Social Security eligibility always goes by month, not by days. For example, if you were born on Sept. 21, 1955, meaning your full retirement age is 66 and two months, and that’s when you want your benefits to begin, you don’t indicate Nov. 21, 2021, as your eligibility date. You simply indicate November 2021.
So to repeat once again. If you want benefits to start in the month you reach full retirement age, then simply indicate that month as your starting month on the application form.
Some guys have told me that they are afraid to file for benefits early because they are worried sick that they will get benefits before their full retirement age. For example, Bob and I recently had a back and forth email exchange. He was born Aug. 14, 1955. His full retirement age is 66 and two months. And he wants to make sure his benefits begin at his FRA, which would be October 2021. He asked me when he could file for benefits. I told him he could start the ball rolling now. But then he said he doesn’t want to do that because he is worried they will use August as his starting date. I told him that he will indicate October as his starting date on the application, and that is when his benefits will start. But he wrote back to say he was just so concerned about getting benefits on the wrong date, so he was going to wait until October to apply.