Congratulations, you are turning 65! Time Flies! You’re probably saying to yourself, where did the time go, in my head, I still believe I am 29! It’s time to celebrate, you worked hard for the past 40 plus years, getting up every day, going to work, maybe punching a clock or not, having to listen to a boss or supervisor rant and rave about things that in the long run really didn’t matter… Can you relate? Or maybe, you loved what you did for all those years and now it’s time to relax a bit.
Either way, you have some upcoming choices in regard to your retirement. Turning 65 is a celebration and nothing short of a monumental milestone in your life. Due to this, there are most likely a million things running through your head on what to do next. As we enter the senior years of ours, it gets increasingly essential to make certain we put our financial and health lives in order. For instance, it is when we must take a serious look at all our legal documents such as wills, power of attorney, etc., Social Security benefits, retirement savings, and most notably, your health situation and if something happens and you get sick, how are you going to pay for care?
Don’t be concerned, when we age, we all face different health struggles, there are a lot more “creaks, pops, and groans”. Let’s face it, we aren’t as young as we used to be, and the spring kind of spring in our step and now it hurts where it used not to hurt! I don’t mean to be cruel but it’s a fact of life. OK, enough with all the doom and gloom, Medicine has come a long way so don’t hang it up yet! If you’ve followed along this far, we can help with some ideas and a kind of checklist to follow.
What Next…
- 3 months prior to 65th Birthday
- Apply for Social Security either by phone at 1-800-772-1213 or in person at your local office
- Apply for Part A & Part B Medicare through the Social Security Administration
- Talk with a Licensed and Trained Representative to help you with your choices
Understand the Application Process:
- Gather the information and documents you need to apply.
- Complete and submit your application.
- We review your application and contact you if we need more information.
- We mail you a decision letter.
- You start receiving your retirement benefits.
Documents Needed:
Social Security will ask for certain documents needed to review and process your application. These documents may include:
- Your original birth certificate or other proof of your age. This must be the original document or a certified copy from the issuing agency.
- (If APPLICABLE) MEDICAID Number (State Health Insurance) – Start and End Dates
- Current Health Insurance, Employment start and end dates for the current employer (of you or your spouse) who provides your health insurance coverage through a Group Health Plan. This includes Start and end dates for the Group Health Insurance provided by you (or your spouse’s) current employer
- Names and Dates of Birth of Children Who: Became disabled prior to age 22, or are under age 18 and are unmarried, or are aged 18 to 19 and still attending secondary school full time
- Marriage and Divorce: Name of current spouse, Name of prior spouse (if the marriage lasted more than 10 years or ended in death), Spouse(s) date of birth and SSN (optional), Beginning and ending dates of marriage(s), Place of marriage(s) (city, state or country, if married outside the U.S.)
- Proof of U.S. citizenship if you were not born in the U.S. and have not submitted proof for an earlier Medicare or Social Security claim. We must see the original document(s) or copies certified by the agency that issued them. We cannot accept expired, notarized, or photocopied documents.
- A copy of your W-2 tax form(s) and/or self-employment tax return from last year. A photocopy is acceptable.
- A copy of your U.S. military service papers (DD 214). A photocopy is acceptable.
Consider Long Term Health Plans:
Getting enrolled early in a type of Medicare Supplement or Medicare Advantage Plan when you first become eligible for benefits is much easier when you first become eligible for benefits. It is much harder to change your mind and enroll in benefits later. There are penalties for late enrollments that the government charges and can only be avoided if enrolled at the start of your eligibility.
Don’t Worry—Applying for benefits at age 65 is a simple process. If you have any questions, drop a line to [email protected] and we will help you through the process and make certain you are taking advantage of all the benefits you are entitled to receive.