Delayed Retirement Credits
When men and women start claiming Social Security
You can start Social Security as early as 62, but your benefit will be permanently reduced. Waiting until FRA gives you the full amount, and delaying until 70 can significantly increase your monthly payment. According to information from the Social…
Ask Rusty – I Was Cheated; I Delayed Claiming SS but Didn’t Get My Full Benefits
Dear Rusty: I’m 70 now and took my Social Security benefits at age 68. Social Security would not allow me to take all my increased percentage earned by waiting until age 68 to claim. My local Social Security office said I would get an increased…
Crunching the numbers of early versus delaying Social Security
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. If you start receiving benefits early, your benefits will be permanently reduced. However, you are entitled to full benefits only when you start at your full…
Claiming at 62, is it a matter of longevity and risk
You can claim Social Security benefits starting at age 62, but your benefits will be reduced if you claim before your full retirement age. Delaying your claim past your full retirement age can increase your monthly benefits by eight percent…
Ask Rusty – Why Didn’t My Friend’s Wife Get All Her SS Immediately?
Dear Rusty: A friend told me about what he believes is a strange thing in the Social Security system. His wife reached her full retirement age (FRA) of 66 several years ago. She delayed filing for Social Security past her…
Why only 8% wait until age 70
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, you are entitled to full benefits only when you reach your full retirement age. If you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age…
Another Vote for Delayed Benefit Claiming
Claim Social Security at age 62, wait until full retirement age (FRA), or hold off until age 70 and take advantage of delayed retirement credit. You’ve seen and heard the arguments for all three of these strategies, and there are…
Earning the Maximum Social Security Retirement Benefit
For 2026, the highest possible monthly retirement benefit available will be $5,251 after application of the annual cost-of-living adjustment. Sounds like a lot, of course, and many folks wonder how to go about setting themselves up to collect that size…
Delaying Benefits to Age 70–The Argument Rages
Claiming Social Security benefits at age 62–the earliest possible age to collect retirement benefits–is still the most popular choice for those aging into the system. More than a fifth of new filers choose that option, despite the reduction from their…
Ask Rusty – Should I Ask for Retroactive Benefits?
Dear Rusty: I turn 70 next month, October 3, and am making an application for Social Security benefits to begin in January 2026. I want the maximum Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs) and the highest permanent monthly benefit. I do not…