How Future Retirees Can Bridge the Gap Between Their Final Paycheck and First Social Security Payment

For many Americans in retirement, Social Security is a key source of income. Even so, most people do not begin receiving benefits immediately after leaving work.

SoFi data cited that the average retirement age in the United States is 62, while CNBC reported that the median age at which people begin claiming Social Security is between 64 and 65.

Still, that is not everyone’s timeline.

If you plan to claim Social Security as soon as you stop working, it helps to think ahead about how you will cover the stretch between your last salary payment and your first benefit check. Here is what that planning can look like.

What to Expect After Filing

Once you submit an application for retirement benefits, the Social Security Administration reviews it, according to the National Council on Aging. The agency may reach out if it needs clarification, but otherwise benefits generally begin within six weeks or less, and the first payment arrives a month after the start date.

The SSA says applicants may file up to four months before the month they want benefits to begin.

Those filing and enrollment choices are central to building a cushion between the end of employment income and the start of benefit payments. After those dates are set, the next step is to create a plan.

Plan for Possible Delays

It is wise to prepare for possible delays in both processing the application and receiving the first payment.

That has been an issue for years because of increasing applications and staffing shortages at the SSA. Morningstar also reported that the problem has worsened because of cuts tied to the Department of Government Efficiency. The Elon Musk-led DOGE reduced customer service capacity by eliminating 7,500 SSA employees, many of whom worked in that area or in related information technology roles.

As a result, long waits for office appointments, phone assistance, and even online responses have become familiar complaints on forums such as Reddit.

One Reddit user said a Social Security representative told them the agency had “not updated their portal yet” and that approval usually takes more than 30 days.

“I called them 4x before 60 days have passed without hearing from SS,” the commenter wrote. “Took 8 calls to the local SS number and more than 45 min on hold before someone picked up the call. A call back was not an option. I would advise you to call them every few weeks [after applying]. Note the dates/time/rep you spoke with.”