My DOB is 12/1/1958 so I will be 62 this year. What effective month should I use to get my benefits as early as possible?

Thanks.

Hi,

The earliest month that you can qualify for Social Security retirement benefits is the first month that you're age 62 for the full month. So, since you'll be 62 for the entire month of December, you could claim your retirement benefits as early as that month. Social Security pays benefits a month behind, though, so your benefit for December won't be paid to you until January.

Social Security allows you to apply for benefits up to 4 months in advance, so you could file your application as early as August. Before you apply, though, you should strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to determine the filing strategy that would be most likely to maximize your benefits.

Best, Jerry