You Probably Can't Claim Social Security the Moment You Turn 62. Here's Why.

It's common for people to want to claim Social Security as soon as they become eligible for benefits at age 62, but most people won't have this option because of how the Social Security Administration defines eligibility. You must be 62 for the entire month to claim a retirement benefit, which means most people don't qualify for checks in their birth month.

Here's a closer look at how the government decides when you're eligible to claim checks, and why waiting a month to sign up might not be a bad thing.

You're only eligible to claim Social Security benefits in the month you turn 62 if you were born on the first or second of that month. If you were born on any other day, you don't become eligible until the month after your birth month.

The extra wait isn't all bad news, though. Every month you delay your Social Security application increases your benefit slightly. By waiting until you're 62 and 1 month, you'll add 5/12 of 1% to your monthly checks. This could also slightly increase your lifetime benefit.

Just make sure you adjust your budget accordingly. Remember, Social Security benefits aren't paid until the month after they're due. So if you turn 62 on Jan. 21, 2027, you won't become eligible until February 2027, and you won't receive your first check until March 2027. Because you were born on the 21st, you actually won't get paid until the fourth Wednesday of the month, so you'll be nearly into April before you see any money from Social Security.

Make sure you have a plan to cover your living expenses on your own until your checks start to arrive. If you were planning to retire at the same time that you claimed benefits, you might need to push your retirement date back slightly to ensure you have a paycheck until your Social Security checks begin.

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