I'm turning 65. When should I sign up for Medicare?

You get a 7-month window built around your 65th birthday. It opens 3 months before your birthday month, includes the birthday month itself, and stays open for 3 months after. Waiting past it without other creditable coverage can mean late penalties that never go away.

More detail

Say your 65th birthday is June 15. Your window opens in March and closes at the end of September. If you sign up in March, April or May, your coverage usually starts June 1, right on time. If you wait until June or later, coverage starts the month after you sign up, which can leave you with a gap.

A common mix-up: people think Medicare signs everyone up on its own. That only happens if you already get Social Security or Railroad Retirement benefits. If you don't, you need to apply through Social Security yourself.

Before you apply, it helps to have: • Details about any job-based health coverage you or your spouse have now • A list of your doctors, prescriptions and pharmacies, so we can look at your plan choices next

If you'd like, I can sit down with you and map out your exact dates.