Why should I wait past age 62 to start collecting?
- How does Social Security work?
- Does Social Security cover retirees only?
- How does my work now equal benefits later?
- Am I eligible for Social Security benefits?
- How do I know I'm getting credit for the years I worked?
- What about my eligibility for Medicare benefits?
- When can I start getting payouts?
- Why should I wait past age 62 to start collecting?
- How much will my payouts be if I collect at 62?
- How much will my payments be if I wait until age 70?
- Can I start collecting benefits if I'm still working?
- What's the best age to start getting payouts?
- How big will my payouts be?
- What if I want to work part-time in retirement?
- Will my spouse and kids receive benefits when I die?
- How do Social Security disability payments work?
- Will I get taxed on my Social Security payouts?
- Will Social Security still exist when I retire?
- How does Social Security fit into my retirement plan?
Because the longer you wait to start getting payments, the bigger the payments will be.
This gets complicated - hang in there. The government makes you wait until "full retirement age" in order to start collecting the full retirement payout that you've earned. So what's full retirement age? Good question. It used to be 65, but Congress voted in 1983 to raise it to 67 for everyone born in 1960 or later. For those workers born between 1938 and 1960, the full retirement age varies depending on your birth year. To find out yours, refer to the Social Security online retirement planner.
