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should i delay social security benefits

by Rosemary Treutel Published 2 years ago Updated 1 year ago
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Key Points

  • The age you claim benefits will have a significant impact on your retirement income.
  • By delaying benefits, you'll earn more each month.
  • In some cases, delaying is the right move. For many people, though, it's better to claim earlier.

The best reason to consider delaying benefits is that it will increase your monthly income. By waiting until age 70 to file for benefits, you could receive up to 32% more each month than if you'd claimed at your full retirement age (FRA).Jan 8, 2022

Full Answer

Is delaying social security still smart?

There's a common misconception that Social Security benefits are set in stone ... but you might get more money overall because each check will be larger. Whether it's smart to delay depends on your life expectancy and financial situation.

Can you suspend Social Security and restart benefit later?

Prior to the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, individuals used to be able to collect Social Security benefits at age 62, suspend benefits, and restart them later. Now, if you collect any time before...

Should I defer my Social Security benefits?

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What happens if you work after starting Social Security?

If you start a new job after you begin receiving Social Security benefits ... How Much Can You Earn While Receiving Social Security? If you opt to work while receiving Social Security before your full retirement age, you will only be able to receive ...

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Is it better to delay taking Social Security?

You may be eligible to collect Social Security as early as 62, but waiting until age 70 yields greater benefits for most people.

How much do you save by delaying Social Security?

You'll get an extra 2/3 of 1% for each month you delay after your birthday month, adding up to 8% for each full year you wait until age 70. The clock starts ticking the month you reach full retirement age. For example, if you were born on April 24, you'd reach your full retirement age on April 1.

How much Social Security will I get if I make $60000 a year?

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.

How much Social Security will I get if I make $75000 a year?

about $28,300 annuallyIf you earn $75,000 per year, you can expect to receive $2,358 per month -- or about $28,300 annually -- from Social Security.

How long does it take to withdraw Social Security?

And at that point and every year afterward, you'll be withdrawing about 20% a year less than what you would withdraw from savings with the lower Social Security benefit. So the question is, if you opt to wait for the higher Social Security benefit, how long would it take until the lower withdrawals that start after four years ...

Is it smart to delay retirement?

Delaying also may not be a smart move if doing so would cause you to deplete all or virtually all of your retirement savings, leaving you with no savings to fall back on for unanticipated expenses and emergencies.

Can I retire and take Social Security?

It's true that if you retire but wait to take Social Security to qualify for a bigger monthly check down the road, you'll have to replace the income you would have received from Social Security had you taken it right away. Which means you'll have to draw more from savings. So initially at least, the value of your nest egg will decline faster than it otherwise would have due to those larger withdrawals.

Should I start Social Security early or later?

So to gauge the effect on the value of your savings by starting Social Security early rather than later, you have to take a longer view. And you have to consider what you think you can reasonably earn on your retirement assets as well as how long you might live.

Is it a good idea to postpone Social Security?

A few caveats: Postponing Social Security probably isn't a good idea if poor health is likely to shorten your life expectancy (although it can still make sense if your spouse will be depending on your benefit after you die).

Will my nest egg decline?

So initially at least, the value of your nest egg will decline faster than it otherwise would have due to those larger withdrawals. But while waiting for a bigger Social Security check will indeed result in a loss of investment earnings potential on your savings in the short-run, remember that you'll be able to reduce the withdrawals ...

How much does Social Security increase after 70?

After reaching FRA, Social Security benefits increase 8% per year until you turn 70. There’s simply no way to beat that return invested in the market on a risk-adjusted basis.

What to do when your paycheck stops?

When your paychecks stop, you’ll have to decide where to turn for retirement income. Many individuals have several options: cash savings, IRAs and retirement accounts, Social Security, and taxable brokerage accounts. For years retirees have wondered if they should use retirement accounts to delay Social Security.

What is mandatory withdrawal?

Your mandatory withdrawal is your account balance divided by your life expectancy from the table, which is based on your age. For wealthier retirees, RMDs can push you into a much higher tax bracket. And depending on your income beforehand, you could have missed opportunities to utilize the lowest tax brackets.

What happens if you don't live past 70?

If you don’t live much past 70, you probably won’t make up for benefits you could have been receiving in your 60s.

How long does it take to take an inherited retirement account?

Most non-spouses now need to take their entire retirement inheritance in 10 years.

Is Social Security guaranteed?

1. Increases to Social Security benefits are guaranteed. Investment returns aren’t. In a vacuum, the advantages of putting off retirement distributions usually don’t outweigh the growth in Social Security benefits in most cases.

Can you file for spousal benefits early?

Spousal benefits are another complex part of the trade-off analysis. For married couples, it can be advantageous for the spouse with the lower benefit to file early. But claiming benefits early can also reduce spousal benefits.

How long can you delay Social Security?

And that’s where delaying Social Security can be the most precious tool in your retirement planning kit. Delaying your Social Security start date until age 70 entitles you to a monthly payout that’s more than 75 percent higher than your age-62 benefit.

How much Social Security will I get if I wait until 70?

A better plan is if you wait until 70. Every year you wait between your normal retirement age and 70, Social Security will add a guaranteed 8 percent to your eventual monthly payout. I want to make sure you didn’t glide by what I just said: 8 percent. Guaranteed.

What happens if you take Social Security at 62?

If you start taking it at 62, your monthly payout will be 25 to 30 percent less than what you would get by waiting until your full retirement age (66 or 67, depending on the year you were born). Plus, if you take Social Security early and you die before your spouse, his or her survivors benefit will be lower, too.

When do you get your delayed retirement?

If you retire before age 70, some of your delayed retirement credits will not be applied until the January after you start receiving benefits. For example, if you reach your full retirement age (67) in June, you may plan to wait until your 69th birthday to start your retirement benefits. Your initial benefit amount will reflect delayed retirement ...

What happens if you don't sign up for Medicare at age 65?

If you do not sign up at age 65, in some circumstances your Medicare coverage may be delayed and cost more. If you retire before age 70, some of your delayed retirement credits will not be applied until the January after you start receiving benefits.

Can you get retroactive unemployment benefits if you are already retired?

However, we cannot pay retroactive benefits for any month before you reached full retirement age or more than six months in the past.

How long can you wait to collect SSA?

Source: SSA. You can earn delayed retirement credits each month that you wait to collect beyond your full retirement age, up until age 70. This increases your monthly payment by two-thirds of 1% for each month that you wait—or 8% a year. 3 .

How long does a person's retirement last?

Retirement can last 20 or 30 years (or more) if you're a healthy senior, but unfortunately, many people develop illnesses as they age. That's why planning for healthcare costs in retirement is so important.

What is the full retirement age?

Full retirement age is when you first become eligible for full (not reduced) Social Security retirement benefits. If you were born in 1960 or later, your full retirement age is 67. If you were born before that, the age is somewhere between 65 and 66 years and 10 months, depending on your birth year. 1 . No matter what your full retirement is, you ...

Is it better to collect Social Security or more money?

Even though more money is usually better, that's not always the case with collecting Social Security benefits. Here are four times when it might be better to forgo the larger check and start collecting benefits sooner. 1. You're in Poor Health.

Is Social Security going to change?

Social Security is one of those benefits that's supposed to be around forever. But the system is in trouble, and benefits may change in the future. That worries people of all ages.

Can you collect survivor benefits if you don't live to be very old?

And, sadly, if you think you may not live to be very old, you could come out ahead on a lifetime basis. This strategy could backfire if you have a spouse. If you start collecting early, it will lower your monthly benefit. But it will also lower any survivor benefits your spouse is entitled to after you pass.

How old do you have to be to get Social Security?

Passionate advocate of smart money moves to achieve financial success. Most people know that Social Security checks increase if you delay claiming them. While you become eligible for retirement benefits as early as age 62, waiting until at least your full retirement age ...

Can you get delayed retirement credits for spouse?

That's because you are not able to earn delayed retirement credits for spousal benefits under any circumstances. Spousal benefits are based on your spouse's work history. You're entitled to them if you're married, or if you are divorced after a marriage that lasted at least 10 years.

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