The turning 65 checklist we give every client
Twelve steps, in order, from nine months before your birthday to your first Annual Enrollment Period.
Turning 65? Start with your dates
Your Initial Enrollment Period is seven months long. Enter your birthday to see exactly when it opens, closes and when coverage can begin.
Initial Enrollment Period calculator
An estimate for education. Your official dates come from Social Security.
You turn 65 in March 2027
December 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027
- Dec2026
- Jan2027
- Feb2027
- Mar2027
- Apr2027
- May2027
- Jun2027
- Enroll by the end of
- February 2027
- for coverage on the 1st of your birthday month
- Coverage can start
- March 1, 2027
- if you apply before your birthday month
- Medigap open enrollment
- March 2027 to August 2027
- if Part B starts on your birthday month
If you were born on the first day of a month, Medicare considers you 65 the month before, so every date moves one month earlier. Dates are estimates for education only.
Your turning 65 checklist
The same order we walk every client through, from nine months out to your first October.
9 to 6 months before
Gather the essentials
List your doctors, prescriptions and pharmacy. Ask HR whether your employer plan requires Medicare at 65.
3 months before
Initial Enrollment opens
Apply for Parts A and B if you are not already receiving Social Security. Coverage can begin your birthday month.
Your birthday month
Choose the rest of your coverage
Medigap plus Part D, or a Medicare Advantage plan. Your Medigap Open Enrollment window begins with Part B.
3 months after
Initial Enrollment closes
Enrolling after this point generally means waiting for the General Enrollment Period and possible penalties.
6 months after Part B
Medigap Open Enrollment ends
After this, Georgia insurers can ask health questions for most Supplement applications.
Every Oct 15 - Dec 7
Annual Enrollment Period
Review your Annual Notice of Change and switch plans if something important changed.
Keep reading
Medicare and Social Security: how they connect, and the decisions that cost people money
Claiming age, automatic enrollment, premium deductions and IRMAA surcharges. A practical guide for coastal Georgia retirees.
Turning 65 questions
Still wondering about something? A licensed advisor can answer in plain English, usually the same day.
Medicare treats you as turning 65 the month before. Your Initial Enrollment Period and coverage start both move one month earlier. The calculator handles this when you choose day 1.
If you have coverage from current employment at an employer with 20 or more employees, you can usually delay Part B. Most people still take premium-free Part A. Ask us to compare before you decide.
It starts the first month you are both 65 or older and enrolled in Part B, and lasts six months. During that window insurers cannot deny you or charge more for health conditions.
You can usually enroll during the General Enrollment Period, January 1 to March 31, with coverage starting the month after you sign up. Late enrollment penalties may apply.
