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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 you apply for Social Security after age 62, you can designate the month you want benefits to begin from the current month up to four months in the future. Social Security benefits are paid in the month after they are earned, so if you elect to start your retirement benefits for the current month, the first check will arrive next month. As a result, you can delay applying for Social Security on a month-to-month basis until the month before you want to get your first payment. Retroactive Benefits If you delay the start of receiving Social Security after your full retirement age, you can elect to receive up to six months of back payments.