INTRODUCTORY NOTE: The Full Retirement Age, i.e. the age at which you may receive an unreduced bnefit, has been increased. For retirement and spouse's benefit, the increase applies to those born in 1938 and later. For widow(er)s the increase applies to those born in 1940 or later. Full Retirement Age goes up on a gradually increasing basis. See Section 703 "Reductions" for a full discussion. The charts in Section 703 show the Full Retirement Age based on the year of birth.
To be eligible for Social Security monthly benefits or Medicare, an application must be filed with the Social Security Administration (SSA). SSA has its own forms for applying for the different kinds of benefits and these must be used. It is the policy of most SSA offices not to mail out blank application forms, although they will mail forms to an attorney. They prefer their own personnel to complete the applications.
This does not necessarily mean that you have to make a personal visit to a District Office to file an application. Telephone service is available to file claims (Section 103). To do that, you will have to give all the information over the phone to a Social Security employee who will fill out the application and then mail it out to you for your review and signature. Additionally, you may file certain applications, including retirement and disability, over the internet.
The date the application is filed can be very important. It can affect how much you can receive in past-due benefits. You can protect your filing date before filing a formal application by using a "protective filing statement" (Section 402).
Generally, if you believe that you are entitled to benefits you should file an application. This will require SSA to make a formal decision on your claim, it will protect your rights to any other benefits to which you may be entitled, and it will give you the right to appeal if you are dissatisfied.
Occasionally, a person is told (even sometimes by Social Security people) that he or she cannot file an application because he or she does not meet some requirement. This is not true - you can always file an application. If you do not meet the requirements the application may be denied, but that does not mean that you cannot file it. If there is any doubt you should file the application to get a formal decision.
