Applying for Social Security benefits is the easy part. You can apply online, by telephone or at your local Social Security office. The hard part is deciding when to apply for your Social Security retirement benefits and rounding up all the documents you'll need when you do.
To be eligible to apply for Social Security benefits you must be at least 61 years and 9 months old and have worked at least ten years total at jobs where you earn Social Security credits. How much you receive in benefits is determined by your earnings history and the age at which you begin receiving benefits.
