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A. You can. Social Security will accept your application for early benefits when you're 61 years 9 months. Regardless of how old you are, the agency generally recommends that you apply three months before you would like the first payment to arrive.
When should you apply for Social Security? Retirement planning is complicated, beginning with the decision about when to begin taking your Social Security benefits. On one hand, if you need the money and donât expect to live into your 80s, it is tempting to take Social Security as early as possible â at age 62 â to benefit from the income stream. On the other hand, you can increase your monthly payment considerably by waiting until age 70.