Is it better to take SS at 62 or 66?

Asked by: Domingo Wuckert  |  Last update: February 9, 2022
Score: 5/5 (33 votes)

You can begin collecting your Social Security benefits as early as age 62, but you'll get smaller monthly payments for the rest of your life if you do. Even so, claiming benefits early can be a sensible choice for people in certain circumstances.

What are the advantages of taking Social Security at age 62?

If you claim Social Security at age 62, rather than wait until your full retirement age (FRA), you can expect up to a 30% reduction in monthly benefits. For every year you delay claiming Social Security past your FRA up to age 70, you get an 8% increase in your benefit.

What is the difference between taking Social Security at 62 and 66?

Social Security benefits will be reduced by 25% for a person who retires at 62 whose full retirement age is 66 (born 1943-1954). Social Security benefits will be reduced by 30% for a person who retires at 62 whose full retirement age is 67 (born in 1960 or later).

What are the disadvantages of retiring at 62?

Some Cons of Retiring Early
  • It could be bad for your health. ...
  • Your Social Security benefits will be smaller. ...
  • Your retirement savings will have to last longer. ...
  • You'll need to find health insurance. ...
  • You might get bored and miss working.

Should I start collecting Social Security at 62?

The minimum age to claim benefits is 62. 1 If you are turning 62 and need the income from Social Security to support yourself, then you can start claiming your benefits now. However, if you have enough other income to keep you going until you are older, you may want to delay increasing the size of your monthly benefit.

Should We Take Social Security at 62, 66 or 70?

34 related questions found

What is the best month to start Social Security?

Individuals first become eligible to receive a benefit during the month after the month of their 62nd birthday. So, someone born in May becomes eligible in June. Since Social Security pays individuals a month behind, the person will receive the June benefit in July.

At what age is Social Security no longer taxed?

At 65 to 67, depending on the year of your birth, you are at full retirement age and can get full Social Security retirement benefits tax-free.

What is the average Social Security check at age 62?

At age 62: $2,364. At age 65: $2,993. At age 66: $3,240. At age 70: $4,194.

Can I draw Social Security at 62 and still work full time?

You can collect Social Security retirement benefits at age 62 and still work. If you earn over a certain amount, however, your benefits will be temporarily reduced until you reach full retirement age.

What is the average Social Security payment at age 62?

The question is, what can the typical retired worker expect to receive from Social Security at age 62? According to payout statistics from the Social Security Administration in June 2020, the average Social Security benefit at age 62 is $1,130.16 a month, or $13,561.92 a year.

What is the penalty for retiring at 62?

A worker can choose to retire as early as age 62, but doing so may result in a reduction of as much as 30 percent. Starting to receive benefits after normal retirement age may result in larger benefits. With delayed retirement credits, a person can receive his or her largest benefit by retiring at age 70.

How much do you lose if you retire at 65 instead of 66?

In 2022, you will turn 62, the minimum age to claim retirement benefits. But if you do so, rather than waiting until your full retirement age of 67, your monthly benefit will be reduced by 30 percent — permanently. File at 65 and you lose 13.33 percent.

How long before my 66 birthday should I apply for Social Security?

You can apply up to four months before you want your retirement benefits to start. For example, if you turn 62 on December 2, you can start your benefits as early as December. If you want your benefits to start in December, you can apply in August.

How much money can you have in the bank on Social Security retirement?

The Social Security Administration (SSA), which operates the program, sets different (and considerably more complex) limits on income for SSI recipients, and also sets a ceiling on financial assets: You can't own more than $2,000 in what the SSA considers “countable resources” as an individual or more than $3,000 as a ...

What is the best age to retire?

If instead they wait until age 70, they stand to get the largest possible benefits. Research from the Center for Retirement Research at Boston College shows that Americans mostly tend to claim retirement benefits either around 62 or their full retirement age as defined by Social Security.

What is the average Social Security benefit at age 62 in 2021?

$2,364 for someone who files at 62. $3,345 for someone who files at full retirement age (66 and 2 months for people born in 1955, 66 and 4 months for people born in 1956). $4,194 for someone who files at age 70.

What is the maximum Social Security benefit at age 66 in 2020?

When it comes to Social Security for the year 2020, the full retirement age is 66 and 2 months. For most people reading this, your full retirement age will likely be closer to 67. That being said, the maximum Social Security benefit for someone at full retirement age in 2020 is $3,011 per month.

Can you get Medicare at 62?

You can only enroll in Medicare at age 62 if you meet one of these criteria: You have been on Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) for at least two years. You are on SSDI because you suffer from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, also known as ALS or Lou Gehrig's disease. ... You suffer from end-stage renal disease.

When a husband dies does the wife get his Social Security?

A surviving spouse can collect 100 percent of the late spouse's benefit if the survivor has reached full retirement age, but the amount will be lower if the deceased spouse claimed benefits before he or she reached full retirement age.

Can I work full time at 67 and collect Social Security?

When you reach your full retirement age, you can work and earn as much as you want and still get your full Social Security benefit payment. If you're younger than full retirement age and if your earnings exceed certain dollar amounts, some of your benefit payments during the year will be withheld.

Do you have to file taxes on Social Security and pension?

Pension payments, annuities, and the interest or dividends from your savings and investments are not earnings for Social Security purposes. You may need to pay income tax, but you do not pay Social Security taxes.

Can I work while on Social Security?

You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. But, if you're younger than full retirement age, and earn more than certain amounts, your benefits will be reduced. ... Your benefit will increase at your full retirement age to account for benefits withheld due to earlier earnings.

Does Social Security start on your birthday or birth month?

Social Security benefits are not prorated. They start the month following the birthday. The schedule, according to AARP, follows this rule: When the birth date falls between the 1st and 10th of the month, the payment is issued on the second Wednesday of the month following the birthday month.

Is it better to apply for Social Security online or in person?

Most claims are done online these days.

You really don't have to apply for benefits in person anymore. Just go to www.ssa.gov and click on the “retirement” box for retirement, spousal or Medicare claims. ... Other experts agree that online is the best way to apply for Social Security.