Key takeaways. If you claim Social Security at age 62, rather than wait until your full retirement age (FRA), you can expect 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.
You Have a Shorter Life Expectancy
For example, if you start collecting benefits at age 62 when your full retirement age is 66, your monthly benefit will be about 75% of your full-age benefit. So if you expected your monthly benefit to be $1,000 per month at 66, you would only receive around $750 at 62.
The Bottom Line
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. 1 Even so, claiming benefits early can be a sensible choice for people in certain circumstances.
The huge downside of taking Social Security early is that you are locking in a lower monthly payout for the rest of your life. For those born in 1943 or later, Social Security payouts rise by 8% per year.
Monthly Social Security payments are reduced if you sign up at age 63, but by less than if you claim payments at age 62. A worker eligible for $1,000 monthly at age 66 would get $800 per month at age 63, a 20% pay cut. If your full retirement age is 67, you will get 25% less by signing up at age 63.
When it comes to calculating the best age for starting to collect your Social Security benefits, there's no one-size-fits all answer. As a rule, it's best to delay if you can. If you're in good health and don't need supplemental income, wait until age 70.
When asked when they plan to retire, most people say between 65 and 67. But according to a Gallup survey the average age that people actually retire is 61.
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.
Can You Collect Social Security at 62 and Still Work? 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.
However once you are at full retirement age (between 65 and 67 years old, depending on your year of birth) your Social Security payments can no longer be withheld if, when combined with your other forms of income, they exceed the maximum threshold.
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.
You may be eligible to collect Social Security as early as 62, but waiting until age 70 yields greater benefits for most people.
SSA limits the value of resources you own to no more than $2,000. The resource limit for a couple is only slightly more at $3,000. Resources are any assets that can be converted into cash, including bank accounts.
A: Your Social Security payment is based on your best 35 years of work. And, whether we like it or not, if you don't have 35 years of work, the Social Security Administration (SSA) still uses 35 years and posts zeros for the missing years, says Andy Landis, author of Social Security: The Inside Story, 2016 Edition.
According to the SSA's 2021 Annual Statistical Supplement, the monthly benefit amount for retired workers claiming benefits at age 62 earning the average wage was $1,480 per month for the worker alone. The benefit amount for workers with spouses claiming benefits was $2,170 at age 62.
Some people who get Social Security must pay federal income taxes on their benefits. However, no one pays taxes on more than 85% percent of their Social Security benefits. You must pay taxes on your benefits if you file a federal tax return as an “individual” and your “combined income” exceeds $25,000.
Once you have applied, it could take up to three months to receive your first benefit payment. Social Security benefits are paid monthly, starting in the month after the birthday at which you attain full retirement age (which is currently 66 and will gradually rise to 67 over the next several years).
How much you can expect to get from Social Security if you make $75,000 a year. The first monthly Social Security check was cashed in 1940 for a grand total of about $23. Fast forward to 2019, and the average retired worker gets almost $1,500 a month from 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, and apply in August. Even if you are not ready to retire, you still should sign up for Medicare three months before your 65th birthday.
Most research shows that delayed retirement helps reduce mortality. A couple of studies show no relationship, and still others show that delayed retirement is detrimental or that early retirement is beneficial.
You feel like work is “in the way”
You might want to start a business, travel more, or spend time with your family. Feeling like work is getting in the way of your personal goals is a clear emotional signal that you're ready to retire. It's a sign that your priorities and values are beginning to shift.
That adds up to $2,096.48 as a monthly benefit if you retire at full retirement age. Put another way, Social Security will replace about 42% of your past $60,000 salary. That's a lot better than the roughly 26% figure for those making $120,000 per year.
Seek Employers Who Offer Pension
If you're wondering how to retire at 50 with no money, find a position with a company that offers a pension. With a little extra thought and planning, working for 10 or 15 years at a company with a pension could make a positive impact on your retirement savings.
You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. However, there is a limit to how much you can earn and still receive full benefits. If you are younger than full retirement age and earn more than the yearly earnings limit, we may reduce your benefit amount.