Applying for Social Security

We have often talked on this blog and our radio show about going to Social Security and “filing for you benefits.” All too often missed from the conversation is what you can expect when you go to file, and what information you may need to bring with you. Over the coming months we hope to share more and more about the actual experience of applying for Social Security benefits and what you can ─ and can’t ─ expect from your interaction with the Social Security system. In this, our inaugural blog post on interacting with Social Security, we share with you a few of the items you will need to bring with you to the Social Security office when applying for your retirement benefits.
You can apply for your Social Security retirement benefits online or in person at your local Social Security office. Just remember if you decide to apply online some Social Security benefits and strategies such as the File and Suspend strategy or applying for your Survivor Benefits are not available online. For tho