In the United States, the retirement age for most individuals is 65. Six months after a person turns 65, they will be eligible to receive the social security benefits that they have paid while they have been working. If someone chooses to continue working after retirement, they can do so. While they are working, social security can continue to be drawn.
For those who wish to retire sooner than age 65, you can retire between the ages of 62 and 65. It is legal to do this and draw social security benefits, but there will be a reduction in the amount that you are paid. The amount that you receive each month will be reduced by a fraction of a percent for each month you retire early. So if you decide to retire at the age of 64 instead of 65, the amount will be reduced for the 12 months you chose to draw early benefits. It is not a large deduction, but it is not the full amount that was paid into social security. Medicare payments are also deducted from social security, so this will make what is drawn smaller as well.
Most social security benefits are paid on the third day of each month. Social security checks are delivered to your home my mail. If the third day of the month falls on a holiday, the check will be delivered on the day before. This is also true for weekends. Social security payments can be direct deposited into a bank account if you do not want a check delivered. There is an advantage to having a check deposited. The amount is usually in the bank account sooner than the third day of the month.