I will turn 70 May of this year (2021). I received a letter from SS which included a link to begin the process for applying for benefits. In doing so (online), I was informed the following. "We may use 01/06/2021 as the official date of your application for Social Security benefits. In order to use 01/06/2021, we must receive the signed application by 07/07/2021 or you may lose Social Security benefits."

Does using the application date, in this case 1/6/21, effect the fact I want to received my benefits after my 70th birthday in May ?

Hi,

Assuming that you want to receive your benefits starting effective with the month of May 2021, you just need to choose that month as your month of election to start your benefits. There would almost certainly be no reason to claim your benefits any later than the month that you reach age 70, because your benefit rate would not grow any higher if you wait past the month you reach age 70 to claim your benefits. Social Security allows you to apply for benefits up to 4 months in advance of the month that you want to claim your benefits, so you can apply as early as January 2021 and still choose May 2021 as your month of entitlement to begin benefits.

The notice that you apparently received is a 6-month closeout notice, which is required to close out a protective filing date. I assume then that you must have at some point established a protective filing date by either initiating an application online, or by making an appointment to file an application. The bottom line, though, is that it sounds like you simply need to file an application for benefits sometime between now and November 2021, and choose May 2021 as your month of election to start your benefits. The reason that you could apply as late as November 2021 is because if you file for benefits after reaching full retirement age (FRA), you can claim benefits up to 6 months retroactively from the month of your application.

Best, Jerry