Before you begin to apply for Social Security benefits, you should look at the Social Security website to determine what types of benefits are offered and which you may qualify for.
Social Security was basically created to provide retirement benefits to workers, but the program is continuing to grow significantly and now Social Security offers disability benefits, death benefits and other family benefits over and above retirement benefits.
To determine what Social Security benefits you may be eligible for, Social Security offers the BEST testing tool. With this tool you can determine whether you qualify for Medicare, Social Security incapacitation, Social Security retirement, survivor benefits, unique veterans benefits, or supplemental security income (SSI). Be prepared to answer questions such as your date of birth, how much you have earned during your employment as well as some info regarding your personal finances. This information is necessary to determine which benefits (if any) you may be qualified to receive.
When you've determined what benefits you may qualify for, how do you apply for Social Security benefits?
The Social Security administration provides several ways to submit an application for Social Security. You can try online at ssa.gov, by visiting your local Social Security office, or by calling the SSA at 1-800-772-1213.
The online Social Security application may be used to apply for retirement or spousal benefits, or to get Medicare. To apply for retirement benefits you must be at least 61 years and 9 months old. You must also look forward to starting your benefits within the next four months. Finally you have to live in the United States (or territories) to make use of the online application. In case you are close to age 65, you will apply for Medicare at the same time that you apply for Social Security retirement benefits.
When applying for benefits, you will be asked many questions regarding your age, your work history along with personal finance data. You will require the following documents available before you start the online application:
- Your birth certificate
- Your citizenship or the naturalization papers (if applicable)
- your military service documents (if applicable)
- your W-2 forms or self employment tax return for the last tax year.
In addition, you should be prepared to provide the following information:
- your birth-date with place of birth
- your Social security identification number
- your bank-account and routing number (if you are requesting direct deposit for your benefits)
- the amount of money you earned the last two years, and your employer's name and address
- information about your military service
- information about your current and any former spouses, including name, Social Security number and date of birth (or age in case you don't know the birth-date)
- your income history in the most recent Social Security statement
If you are applying for Social Security retirement benefits, you should carefully decide the right time to apply. While you may collect Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62, that may not be the best time to apply. Your benefits will vary substantially based on when you apply, or your decision on when to apply could affect your family.
If you want to have an idea how much you can expect to receive from Social Security, but you are not ready to apply for benefits now, the Social Security website provides several calculators to help you estimate your retirement benefit.
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