text: The 3 Rules About Social Security Checks Everyone Should Know, by Tom Margenau | Creators Syndicate
  One other point about this rule: When the Social Security retirement application asks you which month you want your benefits to start, don't worry about the month you will actually be paid. Just put down the eligibility month. For example, if you want benefits to start at age 65, and you are 65 in May 2021, indicate May as your starting month — not June, even though that is when you will actually be paid.
  — If you were born on the first through 10th of the month, you will get your Social Security check on the second Wednesday of each month.
  — If you were born on the 11th through 20th of the month, you will get your Social Security check on the third Wednesday of the month.
  — If you were born on the 21st through 31st of the month, you will get your Social Security check on the fourth Wednesday of each month.
  Having said that, some people (mostly people who were already getting benefits before the staggered delivery schedule went into effect) still get their benefits delivered on the third of each month. And for reasons I haven't been able to figure out, some members of a married couple will get his or her benefits on the Wednesday delivery date that applies to the other spouse.
  And as I hinted earlier, when it comes to the third rule, the proration of Social Security checks, it is generally good news on the front end of your Social Security experience but bad news on the back end. For example, let's say Mary was born on Aug. 28, 1955, and wants her benefits to begin at her full retirement age of 66 and 2 months — or Oct. 28, 2021. She will get a Social Security check for the entire month of October (payable in November), even though she was 66 and 2 months for only two days of the month.
  On the other hand, let's say John dies on Oct. 28, 2021, at age 85. The law says John must be alive the entire month to get a benefit for that month. So, John's wife or family will not be due the proceeds of his October check, payable in November. However, if his wife is eligible for widows benefits, she will get those benefits for the entire month of October, even though she was a widow for only two days of the month.
  And now that you have a better understanding of these basic rules, I'm going to throw in one little twist that I've discussed many times in other columns. And that is the quirky little "born on the first of the month" rule.
  Here is an example. Jane was born on May 1, 1955. She wants her Social Security benefits to start at her full retirement age. She will reach her full retirement age of 66 and 2 months on July 1, 2021. And normally, the first check she would be due is the July check, payable in August. But this quirky common law says she actually attains her full retirement age of 66 and 2 months on June 30, 2021. So, she gets a full retirement age Social Security check for June (payable in July), even though her real birthday isn't until July.
  Jack was born on May 2, 1959, meaning he turns 62 on May 2, 2021. And he wants his benefits to start at age 62. Because of that "must be 62 for every day of the month" rule, he figures he must wait until June (the first month he is 62 for the entire month) to start his benefits. And the June check is payable in July.
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