It is normal to feel nervous or apprehensive about retirement, especially when there is an abundance of tips, tricks, and horror stories about retirement online. Don’t worry. Thousands of Americans apply for retirement without an issue every year. If you’ve been saving for retirement like a good little cog in the capitalist system, you should be able to enjoy a handful of your twilight years in relative comfort.

We know that retirement is no laughing matter, however. Even a small mistake can have long-lasting financial consequences. If you are beginning to make concrete plans about retirement or will apply for retirement in 2025 or 2026, there are a few important dates this year that you should keep in mind.

For this list we consulted with the Social Security Administration and its official publications and announcements. Please keep in mind that the U.S. government can and often does change the amount of benefits retiree can receive, and what form those benefits take. Recent right-wing populists have begun making threats to cut Social Security, so don’t count on these current benefits being set in stone.

Important Information about Social Security in 2025

Social Security payments lag by a month, so the payments for December of 2024 will be sent in January of 2025. This might be surprising for new retirees who expect their first payment to be paid immediately after they leave their jobs. But if you apply for retirement in June, for example, you will not receive your first payment until July (which is applied to June). The good news is that you can apply for Social Security three months before you plan to retire.

The schedule of Social Security payments remains unchanged in 2025. The schedule is based on which day of the month you were born. For those who were borth between the 1st and 10th of the month, your payment will arrive the second Wednesday of the month. For those born between the 11th and 20th of the month, your payment will arrive the third Wednesday of the month. For those born between the 21st and 31st of the month, your payments will arrive on the fourth Wednesday of the month.

So, for example, the payment schedule for January (for payments applied to December) will be as follows: January 8 for those born between the 1st and 10th of their birth month, January 15 for those born between the 11th and 20th, and January 22 for those born between the 21st and 31st of the month.

In October of 2024, the U.S. Government announced the Cost of Living Adjustments for 2025 (COLA). This increase was a 2.5% increase to the amount of Social Security benefits retirees receive. This increase comes into effect in January.

October 2025

In October of 2025, the Social Security Administration will announce the Cost of Living Adjustment for 2026 (COLA). This increase in monthly benefits will be implemented in January of 2026. They do this to give retirees enough time to adjust their budgets and financial plans for the next year.

In December, the Social Security Administration will begin sending out personalized notices for all those receiving Social Security benefits that will reflect the increased amount for 2026, so you don’t have to do the math yourself.  

November 2025

This November the last planned increase to the retirement age will take place. The original retirement age was 65, but Ronal Reagan led the push to raise the age, with the last of his increases happening this year. This year, the full retirement age will be raised to 66 years and 10 months. Even from the grave, Ronald Reagan continues to make life worse for Americans.

The early retirement age remains unchanged.

January 6, 2025

Normally, physical Social Security offices will receive you if you just drop into the office, though they recommend you call ahead in order to reduce wait times and make things move along more easily. However, that will soon become a requirement in 2025. Beginning this week, you can no longer just drop by the office whenever you want, and they will require that you call ahead to schedule your appointment.  

General Dates

There is no date you have to apply for retirement, and there is to annual cutoff to apply for benefits. It is an entirely personal decision when you want to begin receiving Social Security.

If you turn 62 in 2025, you can apply for benefits up to three months before your birthday, but you won’t begin receiving benefits until after you are 2 years old for an entire month. Also, if you turn 59 ½ years old this year, you can finally begin to withdraw money without penalty from your tax-advantaged retirement accounts like 401(k)s and IRAs.

The cost of Medicare Part B coverage will increase in 2025. The standard monthly premium was $174.70 in 2024 and is now increasing to $185 per month. While this is not a drastic increase (at just over $10 per month) it might come as a surprise to many, especially as there seems to be no reason for the increase as hospitals and insurance companies show record profits.

If you have delayed retiring to maximize your retirement, and you turn 70 years old this year, this is the last year your benefits will increase. Social Security benefits increase 8% each year for every year you delay your retirement after the full retirement age. You should apply for Social Security this year to begin receiving your maximum benefits.

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