APPLICATION SHOULD START TWO MONTHS BEFORE BENEFITS START

CAPE GIRARDEAU - Apply for Social Security about two months before you expect benefits to start. You can visit, call, or write your Social Security office.

Social Security offices are usually very busy on Mondays and days after holidays. So, we suggest contacting us in the afternoon on a non-busy day.

You'll be asked for proof of your age. The best evidence is a public or religious record of birth recorded before your fifth birthday. If best evidence does not exist other documents can be used to prove your age.

Social Security offices will help you find out if your birth was recorded and tell you about other documents you can use if it wasn't. It is generally not recommended that you get a delayed birth certificate or census record.

You'll be asked to submit your W-2 form for the year before you apply for benefits. Although Social Security keeps earnings records it's a year-round job to process wage reports for 130 million workers each year. If earnings are missing the W-2 is used to update the record and pay the correct benefit amount.

Social Security will also ask you if you want your payments to go directly to your bank, savings and loan or credit union. Direct deposit is 1600 times more reliable than printing a paper check and mailing it. And it saves the government millions of dollars each month. If you want direct deposit just provide the name of your financial institution and your account number.