Social Security benefits at 62 vs delaying when eligible for Railroad Retirement too - confused about advice!

my dad did this exact thing! he took ss at 62 then switched to rrb at 67. worked fine for him but that was back in 2019 so things mighta changed. cant believe they wont give u anything in writing tho thats sketchy

You're right to be concerned about getting this in writing. The coordination between SSA and RRB can be complex. What you're describing is actually a legitimate strategy that many dual-eligible retirees use. The technical term is "dual benefit entitlement." Here's what you should know: 1. SSA and RRB benefits are coordinated, but administered separately 2. For dual-eligible individuals, you can indeed claim one benefit type before the other 3. When you switch to RRB, your SS benefit will be reduced or eliminated based on the RRB tier calculations I recommend requesting a formal benefit estimate from both agencies. SSA will provide a written estimate through your my Social Security account. For RRB, fill out form G-90 "Estimated Annuity Request" - they are obligated to provide a written response to this form. While the verbal advice you received may be correct, always get benefit estimates in writing before making decisions that will affect your lifetime income.

DONT TRUST ANY OF THEM!!! My brother-in-law got totally SCREWED by this exact situation! He was told the same thing but when he went to switch to RRB they said his SS benefit would be completely ELIMINATED not just reduced!!! And he lost like $400 a month forever because of bad advice! The government agencies DON'T COMMUNICATE with each other and YOU get stuck in the middle! Get EVERYTHING in writing and talk to a financial advisor who specializes in federal benefits before you do ANYTHING!!!

I've been trying to call the RRB for three weeks about a similar situation (I'm eligible for both benefits too). Can't get through at all - either busy signals or disconnects after 45+ minutes on hold. Finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real person in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Anyway, when I finally talked to someone, they confirmed that taking SS at 62 and switching to RRB later is a legitimate strategy IF your RRB benefit will be significantly higher. The key is getting detailed benefit estimates from both agencies. The RRB rep I spoke with explained that your SS benefit will be offset by your RRB Tier 1 benefit, but you might still come out ahead with this approach depending on your specific work history and benefit amounts.

I work with retirees as a financial advisor and have several clients with dual SS/RRB eligibility. The strategy you're describing can work well in certain situations, but it's very individual-specific. Here's what you need to understand: RRB benefits have two tiers. Tier 1 is essentially equivalent to Social Security. Tier 2 is an additional benefit based on your railroad earnings. When you claim both, your Tier 1 RRB benefit is reduced by the amount of your Social Security benefit. However, the timing of when you claim each can still create opportunities for maximization. I suggest three actions: 1. Request a PEBES statement from Social Security showing your benefit amounts at different ages 2. Request a detailed annuity estimate from RRB showing both Tier 1 and Tier 2 amounts at different ages 3. Calculate the cumulative lifetime benefits under different claiming scenarios Without seeing your specific numbers, I can't say whether the strategy is optimal for you, but it is a legitimate approach that works for many dual-eligible retirees.

My sister has both SS and RRB benefits and she said the most important thing is to notify both agencies whenever you make changes! She took SS at 62 like they suggested but when she switched to RRB at full retirement age nobody told SS so she got paid twice for 3 months and then had to pay it all back plus penalties! Make sure you keep good records of everything and who you talked to!

Just to add some clarity on the actual numbers you might expect (since there seems to be some confusion in the comments): For someone eligible for both benefits with substantial railroad service, the basic formula works like this: If you take SS at 62: - You get reduced SS benefits (about 70% of your full retirement age amount) - When you later switch to RRB at 67 or 70: * Your Tier 1 RRB benefit will replace your SS benefit (not stack on top) * Your Tier 2 RRB benefit will be added on top * If you wait until 70, your Tier 1 benefits increase by 8% per year delayed (just like SS delayed retirement credits) The math can work in your favor if your total RRB benefit at 70 is significantly higher than what you'd get from combining reduced RRB and SS at 62. This is especially true if you have a long life expectancy. The lack of written confirmation is unfortunately common with verbal advice from government representatives, but you can piece together the written evidence yourself by getting formal benefit estimates from both agencies.

wait im confused now does railroad retirement pay more than social security? my uncle worked for freight company for like 10 years is he leaving money on the table by just collecting ss???

I took my SS at 62 and I'm kicking myself now at 68 because I could be getting so much more if I'd waited. If RRB might pay even more at 70, maybe consider waiting on both? Living on less for a few years might be worth thousands more for the rest of your life. Just my 2 cents from someone who jumped too early.