How soon should I submit my application to Social Security office
Q) I will be 65 In February 2014 and wish to apply for SS retirement. How soon should I submit my application to your office.
A) According to Social Security Administration – You can apply for your benefits 3 months before you turn 62 if you want your payments to start at that age.
Social Security Administration may need to see certain documents in order to pay benefits and help decide how much your benefits should be. The documents you’ll need will depend on the circumstances of your claim. The documents SSA may ask for are:
your Social Security card (or a record of your number);
your original birth certificate or other proof of birth (You may also submit a copy of your birth certificate certified by the issuing agency);
proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status if you were not born in the U.S. [More Info];
a copy of your U.S. military service paper(s) (e.g., DD-214 – Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty) if you had military service before 1968; and
a copy of your W-2 form(s) and/or self-employment tax return for last year. http://www.socialsecurity.gov/retire2/applying5.htm
According to Social Security Administration; You can replace your card for free if it is lost or stolen. However, you are limited to three replacement cards in a year and 10 during your lifetime. Legal name changes and other exceptions do not count toward these limits. For example, changes in noncitizen status that require card updates may not count toward these limits. Also, you may not be affected by these limits if you can prove you need the card to prevent a significant hardship.
To get a replacement card, you will need to:
Complete an Application For A Social Security Card (Form SS-5);
Present an unexpired original document with identifying information and preferably a recent photograph that proves your identity;
Show evidence of your U.S. citizenship if you were born outside the United States and did not show proof of citizenship when you got your card; and
Show evidence of your current lawful noncitizen status if you are not a U.S. citizen.
Your replacement card will have the same name and number as your previous card http://www.socialsecurity.gov/pubs/EN-05-10002.pdf