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There is probably nothing I am asked more often than some version of this question: "When should I file for my Social Security?" But as I've said repeatedly in this column, I am not a financial planner. So I really can't advise you about the best time to start your Social Security benefits. I can tell you that there is no magic or secret formula. It's simply a decision only you can make after considering such things as your health and your financial situation.

But what I can do is explain Social Security rules to help you make that decision. In my book "Social Security -- Simple and Smart," I have a whole chapter devoted to this topic. You can order the book online at Amazon.

Whether you make that decision on your own or with the help of my book or a financial planner, once you decide the month you want your benefits to start, many of you still want to know how far in advance you should file for those benefits. That is the "when to file" advice I am offering in this column.

Your Social Security eligibility date is always a month, not a day. For example, let's say you were born April 22, 1958, and you want your benefits to start at your full retirement age. The full retirement age for people born in 1958 is 66 and 8 months. So, you will reach full retirement age on December 22, 2024. But the day you reach FRA isn't really an issue; it's the month that is key. In other words, your eligibility date isn't December 22, 2024; it's just December 2024.

The Social Security Administration recommends that you file three months before your eligibility month. So, if you wanted your benefits to start in December, you could file beginning anytime this month.

I used to advise people that there really was no need to rush because most Social Security retirement claims are very simple, and the SSA processed them in literally a matter of days. In the past, I would have told people whose eligibility date is December that they could even wait until November if they wanted, and there would be a very good chance their first check would show up on time. But staffing cutbacks and other issues seem to have messed things up at the SSA. I've heard from so many readers who report to me about delays in either getting through to the SSA in the first place or delays in getting their benefits started. I guess my motto for the time being is this: Better safe than sorry. So file your Social Security claim three months before your first eligibility month.

But don't let me scare you. Once you contact the SSA, you've established what they call a "protective filing date," and your rights to benefits are guaranteed from that month forward. For example, let's say you wanted your benefits to start in December 2024. But for whatever reason, you didn't get around to filing your claim until sometime in December. Even though your claim might not finish processing until a few months later, you will be paid back to December.

Also remember this: Don't overthink the question on the application that asks which month you want your benefits to start. If you want December 2024 to be your starting month, then that is the month you indicate on the form. Don't put January 2025 because you know the December check is sent to you in January. The question isn't asking which month you want your first Social Security check to show up in your bank account. It is asking what your first eligibility month for benefits is.

That's the "when to file" message. So now let's tackle the "how to file" issue.

Probably 90% of us have rather straightforward Social Security claims. That means you are just filing for your own Social Security benefits. In that case, I strongly recommend you file online at www.socialsecurity.gov. It's simple and easy. I did so a few years back, and it probably took me all of a half-hour to finish the process. Check the website yourself and see how easy it is.

If you do have a scenario that you think might be complicated (such as trying to get a combination of retirement and spousal benefits), then you should probably do that in person. Call the SSA at 800-772-1213 to set up a phone interview or an in-person interview at your local Social Security office.

And if you are filing for widow's benefits, that must be done by phone or in person. Claims for widow's benefits cannot be done online. That's because there may be filing options a widow has that are more easily explained by talking to someone in person.

What documents do you need to file for my Social Security benefits? It depends on the kind of benefit you are trying to get. Think of it this way: You usually have to provide some kind of evidence to support your eligibility for such benefits. For example, if it's a retirement claim, you need to prove you are old enough to qualify. To do that, you need a birth certificate. If you are filing for spousal benefits, you need to prove not only your age, but also that you are married to the person on whose Social Security record you are applying. For that, you need a marriage certificate. If you are a divorced spouse, you also need to provide your divorce papers. If you want to apply for widow's benefits, in addition to proving your age and marriage, you need a death certificate. In all cases, the SSA wants to see original copies of these documents or copies certified by the record issuer.

One document you don't need is your Social Security card. I hear from panicky people all the time who tell me they are about to file for Social Security benefits but can't find their SSN card. I tell them to relax. You do not need the card when you sign up for Social Security.

And speaking of Social Security numbers, many divorced women tell me they are pretty sure they might be due benefits on an ex-spouse's Social Security record. But they don't have the guy's Social Security number, and they are worried they won't get the benefits without the number. In these cases, the SSA will be able to find the ex's SSN. They might need some identifying information from you (such as his name, his date and place of birth, etc.), but you should be able to provide them with that.

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If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called "Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security." The other is "Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts." You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

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