Population: New or Prospective Non-Represented
Step 2—Apply for Social Security
Retirement security is often compared to a three-legged stool because it depends on the strength of three income sources (the government, the Company, and you). Social Security is the government-provided leg of your retirement stool. It's a resource that you and the Company built together through regular contributions during your employment. Just like applying for retirement from PSEG, if you are eligible for Social Security benefits, you should apply for your Social Security benefit within three months before you are eligible. For example, if you plan to retire on May 20, you should apply for your Social Security benefit in February (if eligible), as shown in the timeline below.
Eligibile Age
To determine your full benefits age for Social Security, locate your birth year in the chart below, then read down the column to determine your retirement age in years and months.
| Birth |
1937
(or earlier) |
'38
|
'39
|
'40
|
'41
|
'42
|
1943
thru '54 |
'55
|
'56
|
'57
|
'58
|
'59
|
1960
(or later) |
| Year |
65
|
65
|
65
|
65
|
65
|
65
|
66
|
66
|
66
|
66
|
66
|
66
|
67
|
| Month |
—
|
2
|
4
|
6
|
8
|
10
|
—
|
2
|
4
|
6
|
8
|
10
|
—
|
| You may be eligible to start receiving reduced Social Security benefits at age 62. Contact the Social Security Administration office for more information. | |||||||||||||
Application Process
You can call Social Security at 1-800-SSA-1213 and apply for benefits over the phone. However, it's strongly recommended that you go to the Social Security Administration office nearest you and apply in person. Call Social Security and verify what information you need to bring. Generally, this will include:
For Your Own Benefits...
- Your Social Security card or a record of your number
- Evidence of earnings for the last two years (W-2 forms preferred)
- Proof of your date of birth:
- An official or religious record of your birth or baptism recorded before age five (original or certified copy)
- A record of military service, marriage, employment, immigration, or naturalization
- Any insurance policies, passports, children's birth certificates, or census records
Applying as a Spouse...
- Social Security card or a record of the number
- Evidence of earnings for the last two years (W-2 forms preferred)
- Proof of date of birth:
- An official or religious record of birth or baptism recorded before age five (original or certified copy)
- A record of military service, marriage, employment, immigration, or naturalization
- Any insurance policies, passports, children's birth certificates, or census records
For additional information, visit the Social Security website at www.ssa.gov.