Just joined the ranks of "official geezers....."

[JDgreen227]

Congratulations! I hope you enjoy your retirement.

PS; How old do you need to be before graduating from "geezer" to "Old Fart"?

Depends on if you like the person or not...I have a 75 year old buddy who is a geezer, while I know a 59 year old fellow who is a jerk, so he is an old fart....

 

[radioman]

Congrats. I am with you on getting paid as early as possible. I have an uninformed question --- can you also get Medicare at 62 or do you need to wait until 65 (or older)?

MoKelly

If you are getting SSDI, you automatically get medicare part A only but you have to request it. If you already have better medical coverage from spouse, then stay with A till spouse changes and you MUST add part B and/or D/E or big fine will hunt you down. When you are as of retirement age, SSDI becomes "SS retirement benefits". If you retire early - I would call to make sure there is no penalty for waiting to get medicare as I heard it huge fine for not enrolling.

JDgreene - congrats on becoming an geezer. Now you gotta wait a few more years to get senior discounts at restuarants .... :laughing:

 

[dave1949]

I thought you had to wear your pants above your belly button to be a true geezer. :laughing:

 

[stuckmotor]

I ain't this old....
But the danged gray hair is giving me away!
Later,
Dan

It's when the hair starts growing everywhere but, your head that you know you're old.

 

[deepNdirt]

about 10 years ago my mother opt for early retirement at 62 and started drawing her SS, she had bee working 46 years of her life, she was till in good health at the time and I ask what she will be doing with her time? and why not hold out a few more to get full retirment?..., Now my mom being raised on and around farms she always has this way to clearly explain things using farm animals,
She said it's kinda like offering an Mule a 1/2 of a carrot after putting in a good hard day of work, The mule will gracefully take the 1/2 carrot and enjoy it while he still has good health and good teeth to eat it with..... Or! the farmer could offer the old Mule a complete full carrot by dangling it from a string held over his head to lead him in attempt to get more work out of him, When the farmer think the mule has given all he can do the farmer will give him the full carrot, Although by this time the Old Mule is tired with bad teeth and no matter how hard he tries to enjoy eating the carrot he has waiting for, for so long he simply cannot not eat it, and he starts to parish away, I love the way Mom explains things
Oh! she also said she wasn't going to wait until she was a worn out old mule,

 

[riptides]

about 10 years ago my mother opt for early retirement at 62 and started drawing her SS, she had bee working 46 years of her life, she was till in good health at the time and I ask what she will be doing with her time? and why not hold out a few more to get full retirment?..., Now my mom being raised on and around farms she always has this way to clearly explain things using farm animals,
She said it's kinda like offering an Mule a 1/2 of a carrot after putting in a good hard day of work, The mule will gracefully take the 1/2 carrot and enjoy it while he still has good health and good teeth to eat it with..... Or! the farmer could offer the old Mule a complete full carrot by dangling it from a string held over his head to lead him in attempt to get more work out of him, When the farmer think the mule has given all he can do the farmer will give him the full carrot, Although by this time the Old Mule is tired with bad teeth and no matter how hard he tries to enjoy eating the carrot he has waiting for, for so long he simply cannot not eat it, and he starts to parish away, I love the way Mom explains things
Oh! she also said she wasn't going to wait until she was a worn out old mule,

YEP. Somehow, somewhere, each of us has to be able to find that balance, and in finding it, I hope you can ENJOY it. It's not an easy thing.

 

[Budweiser John]

Ah Geezer hood.........What doesn't get done today can wate till tomorrow. Every day is Saturday and a weekly (at least) trip to the friendly village tavern unleashes a virtual world of wisdom?, Bull S**t, and humor.
After 50 years working and plying the carpentry trade it's time to let the young bucks have at it.
That being stated, just exactly how much reserve does one need to insure a life time income stream? Mother recently passed at 94 father at 92, paternal grandfather at 94, first cousin mothers side 93. Despite the wives reminders to stop doing stupid things, looks like the stock market better stay crack en.

I want to pay my own way from the current 70 forward

 

[ovrszd]

I did the online thing last fall prior to turning 62 in November. Got my first check in February, left my job March 1st. The only actual visit to the local SS office was just to inquire into how much I would recieve when I happened to be in that area one day.

QUOTE]

Even though this seems to be a light hearted discussion, I'd like to ask some technical questions.

My Brother started drawing a year ago at 62. He visited the SSA office 89 days before his 62nd birthday of April 12th. He drew a check in April. Why did it take SSA from November to February to send you your first check??

I plan to visit the SSA office in early August and turn 62 in early November, expecting my first check the month of my 62nd birthday. Is that a foolish expectation??

Secondly, I didn't realize you COULD file online. Does that change anything in regards to your first payment??

I'll go to the SSA website and check this out further. No need to make an appointment and drive to the SSA office if not needed.

I'm retired military and Civil Service. I don't need the SSA check to live on. It will add to my financial security though. So I'm gonna start drawing at the earliest opportunity. As an Army First Sergeant for 25 years I always told my Soldiers "Expect the Unexpected". So I'll draw early to offset that possibility.

 

[dmccarty]

...

When it comes down to it, money will always be a bit tight but time to live is even tighter.

That right thar is the truth and would make a good tag line.

Sorry to hear about the wifey's health.

Later,
Dan

 

[smstonypoint]

My Brother started drawing a year ago at 62. He visited the SSA office 89 days before his 62nd birthday of April 12th. He drew a check in April. Why did it take SSA from November to February to send you your first check??

I plan to visit the SSA office in early August and turn 62 in early November, expecting my first check the month of my 62nd birthday. Is that a foolish expectation??

Secondly, I didn't realize you COULD file online. Does that change anything in regards to your first payment??

I'll go to the SSA website and check this out further. No need to make an appointment and drive to the SSA office if not needed.

I'm retired military and Civil Service. I don't need the SSA check to live on. It will add to my financial security though. So I'm gonna start drawing at the earliest opportunity. As an Army First Sergeant for 25 years I always told my Soldiers "Expect the Unexpected". So I'll draw early to offset that possibility.

I will take a crack at answering some of your questions based on my experience.

First, my wife and I applied within the SSA window (90 days before turning 62) to insure there would be no delay in receiving our first payments.

You won't get paid for the month you turn 62 -- SS starts the following month and you get your payment for that month in the following month. For example, my birthday is in May and I received my first payment in July. My wife's birthday is in December and she received her first payment in February.

We both filed online but we had to visit the SS office nonetheless.

I served in the Coast Guard from 1965-1969. There was a change in the way SS credits were earned in that interval, and I had to provide a copy of my DD-214 to verify my service during that time.

That issue aside, we still needed to visit the SS office to provide the forms to have federal income taxes withheld from our payments.

Steve