Need good SS retirement benefit calculators that factor in lifespan and ROI

I've used a few good ones! My favorite is Open Social Security (https://opensocialsecurity.com/) which lets you input expected mortality and a real discount rate (basically your expected ROI minus inflation). It's free and gives you a recommended claiming strategy. Another good one is Social Security Solutions (maximizemysocialsecurity.com), which costs around $40 but gives more detailed reports. It also handles spousal benefits calculations better if you're married. Both will show you the present value of different claiming ages based on your inputs rather than just the raw dollar amounts SSA shows you.

I tried using one of those calculators last year and it told me to wait till 70 but Im not convinced. Waiting 8 yrs to get benefits seems crazy when I could be collecting all that time! Who knows if any of us will even make it to 80 or whatever the breakeven point is supposed to be.

Those calculators can be helpful but don't forget about TAXATION! I waited until 67 to claim and was shocked when my benefits pushed our income into a higher tax bracket where 85% of my SS benefits became taxable. No calculator warned me about that. Make sure whatever tool you use considers your overall tax situation during retirement, not just the raw benefit amounts. Sometimes taking smaller benefits earlier actually results in more after-tax income depending on your other income sources.

i used a spreadsheet i made myself. just put in the diffrent amounts and when id get them and figured out when id break even. came out around 82 for me. im taking mine at 62 next year cause both my parents died before 75 so i dont think il make it to breakeven lol

Another factor to consider is that most of those break-even calculators assume you're spending your early benefits rather than investing them. If you don't need the money for living expenses and can invest your age 62 benefits with even modest returns, the break-even age gets pushed out further. For what it's worth, the Social Security Administration's data shows that only about 4% of people wait until age 70 to claim despite the 76% increase in benefits compared to age 62. Most financial planners recommend waiting if you can, but clearly most Americans either need the money earlier or have concerns about not living long enough to benefit from waiting.

I've been trying to reach the SSA for weeks to ask similar questions about my claiming strategy and can't get through. Always disconnected after waiting 45+ minutes! Has anyone found a way to actually speak to someone at Social Security without wasting an entire day?

While calculators are certainly helpful, I'd recommend also considering your broader retirement picture. The best claiming strategy depends heavily on your overall financial situation: 1. Do you have sufficient savings/investments to delay claiming? 2. How does your health and family history affect your longevity expectations? 3. Are you married? Coordinating spousal benefits can significantly impact optimal claiming strategies. 4. Do you plan to work after claiming early benefits? Remember the earnings test may reduce benefits before FRA. 5. What other income sources will you have in retirement (pensions, 401(k), etc.)? The Social Security claiming decision is one of the most important financial choices many retirees make. It's essentially buying a larger inflation-protected annuity by waiting, which has genuine value that many calculators don't fully capture.