Retirement
Social Security Claiming Age
Claim early and get smaller checks longer, or wait and get bigger ones. Find the break-even age.
Your numbers
Break-even age
80.4 years old
- Monthly check at 62
- $1,680
- Monthly check at 70
- $2,976
- Head start you give up by waiting
- $161,280
- Extra per month for waiting
- $1,296
Live past the break-even age and waiting wins. Health, a working spouse, and whether you are still earning all matter here, so treat this as a starting point.
Social Security Claiming Age explained simply
You can start Social Security at 62 and get smaller checks for longer, or wait until 70 and get much bigger ones. The break-even age is when the waiting finally pays off.
For example
A $2,400 check at 67 shrinks to about $1,680 at 62 or grows to about $2,976 at 70. Waiting usually catches up somewhere around age 80.
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