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Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I think I understand now - my FRA is 66 and 10 months (not a "max age"), and I can get delayed retirement credits up until age 70. I'm still working, so I'll probably wait at least until my FRA to avoid the earnings limit. Since my family tends to live into their 90s, waiting until 70 might be the best financial decision for me. I'll check my mySocialSecurity account to get my specific benefit estimates at different ages.
Sounds like you've got a solid plan, Ravi! One thing to double-check when you log into your mySocialSecurity account - make sure to look at the "View Estimated Benefits" section which will show you the exact dollar amounts at different claiming ages. Also, since you mentioned your family longevity, you might want to consider spousal benefits too if you're married. The timing of when you claim can affect survivor benefits for your spouse. Good luck with your decision!
@Yuki Kobayashi For married couples, the Social Security claiming strategy gets really complex! The SSA website has some basic info, but for detailed analysis you might want to check out tools like Social Security Solutions or OpenSocialSecurity opensocialsecurity.com (-) it s'free and lets you input both spouses info' to optimize claiming strategies. Also consider that if you delay your benefits to age 70, your spouse will get a higher survivor benefit if something happens to you. Definitely worth running the numbers for different scenarios!
@Ava Johnson Thanks for mentioning the spousal benefits aspect! I completely forgot to factor that in. Since my wife is younger and will likely outlive me, maximizing my benefit by waiting until 70 would give her a higher survivor benefit. That s'actually a pretty compelling reason to delay claiming even beyond the personal financial benefits. Do you know if there s'a calculator somewhere that shows the difference in survivor benefits based on when the higher-earning spouse claims?
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wait ur turning 70 next month and havnet applied yet?? i thought u had to apply 3-4 months before? Will u still get all the back payments??
The OP said they're turning 70 in March, not next month. But this is a good point - SSA can only pay up to 6 months of retroactive benefits for retirement claims. However, for someone who waited until 70, filing exactly at 70 is optimal since retroactive benefits would undo some of the delayed retirement credits they earned by waiting.
I'm a financial advisor and see this situation frequently with clients approaching 70. The SSA online system has a built-in "draft" feature that saves your application automatically as you complete each section. You can literally start the application, see the benefit estimate they provide, then close your browser and return later (up to 6 months) to complete it if you're satisfied with the amount. However, I always recommend my clients get the exact figure directly from SSA before applying. The online estimate can be off due to recent earnings not being posted, incorrect delayed retirement credit calculations, or missing COLA adjustments. Since you've waited until 70 to maximize your benefit, you deserve to know the precise amount you'll receive. Pro tip: Try calling SSA early in the morning (right at 7am local time) or late in the afternoon. The hold times are usually shorter than mid-day. If you can't get through, the local SSA office might be worth a visit for something this important.
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This is such valuable information for anyone navigating Social Security planning! I'm 59 and considering a career change that could potentially increase my earnings significantly over the next few years. Reading about your situation and everyone's responses gives me hope that it's not "too late" to improve my SS benefits. The explanation about the 35-year calculation using your highest earning years regardless of when they occurred is particularly helpful. I had always assumed there was some kind of cutoff where later earnings didn't matter as much. It's encouraging to know that even at our age, career improvements can still have a meaningful impact on our retirement security. Best of luck with your new position - what an exciting opportunity at 62!
Welcome to the community! It's definitely not too late at 59 to make career moves that will benefit your Social Security. I'm just learning about all this myself, but from what everyone has shared here, those higher earning years can really make a difference - especially if you've had some lower-earning years in your work history that they can replace. The fact that Social Security uses your best 35 years regardless of when you earned them is such a relief to know! Good luck with your potential career change - it sounds like it could be a win-win for both your current income and future retirement benefits.
This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm 58 and have been worried that my early career years with lower wages would permanently limit my Social Security benefits. Reading that the calculation uses your highest 35 years regardless of when they occurred is such a game-changer for my retirement planning. I've been considering staying in my current job a few extra years past my original retirement date, but wasn't sure if it would be worth it from a Social Security perspective. Now I understand that if I'm earning more now than I did in my 20s and 30s (which I definitely am), those additional working years could actually replace some of my lower-earning years in the calculation. The advice about checking your earnings record annually is something I'm definitely going to start doing. I had no idea there was only a 3-year window to correct errors - that seems like something everyone should know! Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge. This community is such a valuable resource for navigating these complex retirement decisions.
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I'm in a similar boat - turning 66 next year and trying to plan ahead! One thing I learned from my financial advisor is that you can also request a "benefit verification letter" through your mySocialSecurity account that shows your estimated monthly benefit. It's different from the regular statement and might give you a clearer picture. Also, if you're married, don't forget to factor in spousal benefits or survivor benefits in your planning - those calculations can be tricky and might affect your timing decision. The delayed retirement credits are definitely worth it if you can afford to wait!
That's a great tip about the benefit verification letter! I didn't know that was different from the regular statement. I'll definitely look for that in my account. And yes, I need to think about the spousal benefits too - my spouse is a few years younger so we're trying to coordinate our timing. The delayed retirement credits do seem worth it, especially since I'm already past my FRA. Thanks for mentioning the financial advisor angle - I should probably consult with one to make sure I'm not missing anything important in this decision.
One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is that you can also schedule a phone appointment through your mySocialSecurity account instead of calling the general number. I did this last month and got a callback within 2 days instead of waiting on hold forever. The representative was able to give me my exact benefit calculation including all recent earnings and explained exactly how the delayed retirement credits were applied. She also walked me through the Medicare premium deductions so I knew my actual take-home amount. Much easier than trying to get through on the main phone line! The appointment scheduling feature is under "Contact Us" in your online account.
This is incredibly helpful! I had no idea you could schedule a phone appointment through the online account. I've been dreading trying to call and wait on hold for hours. I'm definitely going to try this approach - it sounds like you got much more detailed information than what's available online. Did the representative also explain how the calculation works for the delayed retirement credits? I want to make sure I understand exactly how much extra I'm earning by waiting past my FRA.
Yes, she explained the delayed retirement credits in detail! For each month you delay past your FRA, you earn 2/3 of 1% extra (which equals 8% per year). So if you're already past 67, you're earning those credits every month until age 70. She showed me exactly how much my benefit increased from the base amount at FRA. The calculation was really eye-opening - I didn't realize how much those extra months were worth. She also mentioned that the credits stop accruing at age 70, so there's no benefit to waiting beyond that. The phone appointment was definitely worth it for getting all these details explained clearly!
Ravi Malhotra
my neigbor tried getin her exs benefits and said they asked for his social security number... did u guys need to provide that?? my sister didnt mention that part
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Diego Chavez
•If you don't have your ex's SSN, the SSA can usually find it with their full name, date of birth, and place of birth. It makes the process faster if you have the SSN, but it's not absolutely required.
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Javier Mendoza
Just wanted to add that you can actually get an estimate of what your ex-spouse benefit would be without applying yet! If you create a my Social Security account online, you can see your own estimated benefits. Then you can call SSA (or use that Claimyr service someone mentioned to skip the wait) and ask them to give you an estimate of what 50% of your ex's benefit would be at your full retirement age. This way you can compare and plan ahead without committing to anything. I did this before I turned 62 and it really helped me decide on my timing!
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