Social security Benf

@r983305r 

Yes, she can go ahead and file for her retirement benefits - she can do it online and it is really easy.  UNLESS she is participating in an HSA at work - then NO - tell her not to do it until she has stopped contributions to the HSA.

If the HSA is not a problem then go ahead and sign up for her Retirement Benefits.

Tell her to file for her benefits to begin in September - Social Security is one month behind on paying benefits so she will get her first retirement auto deposit in October based on her birthday.

SSA.gov - Schedule of Social Security Benefit Payments 2026 

The legend is on the bottom of the page - based on her birthday, you can see what Wednesday the government sends out the deposits to her bank.

As far as Medicare, she should go ahead and sign up for Medicare Part A UNLESS she participates in an employer HSA at work - if so, she needs to stop all contributions to the HSA about 6-months before she signs up for Social Security or Medicare. 

IF the HSA does not apply to her employer coverage - then she can go ahead and sign up for Part A if it is premium free for her - it usually is for most people if they have worked long enough - all those payroll deductions for Medicare that beneficiaries make, matched by their employer goes to Part A (or Medicare Hospital fund) - so it should be premium free for her.  

She can delay Part B sign up if her employer coverage is substantial - meaning that it is employer group coverage and the employer has more than 20 employees. If that is the case, she can delay Part B sign up until she loses her employer coverage or when she stops actively working.  At that time she will be given 60 days to sign up for Part B (and Part D) - to avoid a late sign up penalty.  

At that time she will submit SSA 40B (application for Part B) and will also submit CMS-L564 which will have to be completed by her employer stating that she has had comparable employer coverage.  

Here are a few links for her 

SSA.gov - Retirement Benefits 

SSA.gov Form 40B- Request for Enrollment in Part B  

CMS.gov-CMS L564 -Medicare Request for Employment Information