DEAR RUSTY: I just turned 65 years old in February. I need to sign up for Social Security but don’t even know where to start. — Seeking Assistance
DEAR SEEKING: It is fairly easy to sign up for your Social Security benefits, by either calling the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 or your local SS office, to make a telephone appointment to apply, or by completing your application for Social Security benefits online at www.ssa.gov/apply. However, to apply for benefits online you will need to first create your personal “my Social Security” account at ssa.gov/myaccount. Once you have your personal account set up, you can apply directly from that account and also see an estimate of your SS benefits at different ages.
You may already be aware that age 65 is not your Social Security full retirement age, or “FRA.” Your FRA is when you get 100% of the benefit you’ve earned from a lifetime of working. By taking benefits at age 65, your monthly amount will be reduced (to about 87% of your FRA amount; a permanent reduction).
Born in 1960, your FRA is age 67, which means you will be taking your SS benefit about two years early and also means that — if you are still working — you will be subject to Social Security’s Annual Earnings Test (AET). The AET limits how much you can earn before some of your benefits are taken away. For 2025, the annual earnings limit is $23,400 and, if that is exceeded, SS will take back $1 in benefits for every $2 you are over the limit (they take benefits back by withholding future payments long enough to recover what you owe).
So, you can apply for your Social Security benefits, as indicated above, either online or by calling SS for an appointment. Just be aware that by applying at age 65 your benefit will be permanently reduced, and you will be subject to Social Security’s earnings limit (the earnings limit lasts until you reach your FRA, after which you can earn as much as you like without penalty).
Also, because you are 65, if you wish to enroll in Medicare, please be aware that you don’t need to take your Social Security benefits to enroll in Medicare. You can enroll in Medicare (only) by calling Social Security as explained above or enrolling in Medicare online. Here is a link which explains how to enroll in only Medicare: www.ssa.gov/medicare/sign-up.
(Russell Gloor is a national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens.)
