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Traditionally astrologers attested that the solar returns lasts just from one return to the other, and often the kind of language employed by traditional astrologers is with a connotation of something 'handing' over or passing over between one return and another, and it takes place at the moment of the return.

Some modern astrologers have thrown around the 3 months prior idea, but it is not something that has a source in the tradition to the best of my knowledge. I don't know of any but that's not to say there aren't any.[/i]

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It may help to recognize that a solar return is simply a snapshot of planets at a moment in time; namely on your solar birthday. You can look at a solar return chart on its own, or compare it bi-wheel style with your natal chart.

A big question is how close to a natal planet does a transiting planet have to be before you feel it? Some would say 3 degrees prior to exact; but a degree does not explicitly mean a month.

Either way, we are looking at moving planets, both before and after your precise solar return moment. Frankly I don't see how you could experience the faster-moving planets 3 months before your birthday in relation to your solar return chart-- they would just be too far out. On the other hand, Saturn-- especially if it goes back and forth by retrogradation, could easily hit on a natal planet or stay in the same place within several degrees over a 3 -month period prior to and following your precise solar return. In 2014 Saturn will move about 7 degrees forward, including a period of retrogradation. This is especially the case if you use the modern trans-Saturnian planets like Pluto.

Something else to keep in mind is that the planets continue to move after your precise solar return. We would consider this movement as ordinary transits, but they wouldn't necessarily show up in the same way in your solar return chart.

For example Jupiter starts out the year of 2014 at 16 degrees Cancer, but ends the year at nearly 22 degrees of Leo. So in the space of 26 degrees, Jupiter could make some major transits to your natal planets that wouldn't show up in your solar return chart.