When do Social Security payments start?

[Retiredtwice]

Can anyone clarify when Social Security payments start and what month is considered your full retirement age? I have 3 different answers from Social Security in the past month.

Example: If you are born in 1942 your full retirement age is 65 years and 10 months. Now assume you are born on April 5, 1942. Is 65 and 6 months the month of October (and you would be paid for that month) or, as I was told by one Social Security adviser, it's really November since if you are born after the 2nd of the month you are not 65 for the full month and therefore are not considered 65 until the beginning of the following month!! I was also told payments are in arrears so no payment would be made until January since the first full month after reaching full, retirement age is December!! Talking to the people at Social Security and getting a consistent understandable answer is quite an exercise!!
Anyone have the straight scoop on this question? Thanks in advance.

[REWahoo]

There is a thread here somewhere on this subject, but I couldn't find it.

I do recall learning, for example, if your SS eligible birthday is on December 3, you will not receive your first SS check until the beginning of February. If I remember correctly, this is because unless your birthday is on the first or second day of the month, you are not considered SS eligible until the beginning of the following month, and then benefits are paid at the end of each 30 day eligibility period.

:P

[Dreamer]

Your full retirement age if you were born 04/05/1942 would be 02/2008, which is age 65 years and 10 months. The 02/08 check would be received in 03/08.

If a person were wanting to take early retirement, their first month would be the month that they were age 62 throughout the full month. If a person was born on the first or second of the month, then they could receive social security for that month. If they were born on the third of the month or later, then the following month would be the first month they would be eligible. The social security check is always one month behind.

Dreamer

[Craig]

Based on office politics lately, not soon enough ... not soon enough.