I turned 65 this year. I was unable to apply for my benefits of Medicare and my monthly check (due to contracting Covid). I finally got signed up. My question is, do my SS payments go retro to my birthday or do they start from when I apply?

Hi. When you apply for Social Security retirement benefits prior to your full retirement age (FRA) you can't claim benefits retroactively for any months prior to the month of your application. The only way that you could be paid for any months prior to the month you applied is if you established an earlier protective filing date (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0200204010).

Part A Medicare coverage can start up to 6 months prior to the month of your application if you applied after the month in which you reached age 65. However, Part B Medicare coverage can't be claimed retroactively. You can only enroll in Part B of Medicare during an enrollment period. Your initial enrollment period (IEP) starts 3 months prior to the month you reach age 65, and ends with the 3rd month after you reach age 65. If you're not in your IEP, then you can only enroll for Part B in a special enrollment period (SEP) or a general enrollment period (GEP).

Then most recent GEP enrollment period ended March 31 2021, so if you're currently trying to enroll for Part B during a GEP then the earliest that your Part B coverage could start is July 2022. If you're not currently in your IEP, the only way that you could enroll before next year's GEP is if you're eligible for an SEP.

SEPs are only allowed for people who did not enroll in Part B of Medicare when they were first eligible because they were covered under a group health plan based on their own or a spouse's current employment. The individual can enroll at any time while covered under the group health plan based on current employment, or during the 8-month period that begins the month the employment ends or the group health plan coverage ends, whichever comes first.

Best, Jerry