As a Social Security Benefits Planner, we get this question all the time. In fact, it’s probably the most asked question. So it’s important to realize that the decision of when to retire is separate from the decision of when to claim Social Security benefits. For example, depending on circumstances, you might find that it makes sense to retire at a given age, yet hold off on claiming Social Security until a later date — maybe even several years later.
By waiting until age 70 rather than claiming as early as possible at age 62, you can increase your monthly benefit amount by roughly three-quarters. Of course, by waiting, you decrease the number of months in which you’ll be receiving a Social Security check.
So how can you tell if the trade-off is worth it? One way to compare two possible ages for claiming benefits is to compute the age to which you would have to live for one strategy to become superior to the other strategy. Another way to analyze the decision is to compare the payout you get from delaying Social Security to the level of income you can safely get from other retirement income sources.
According to the Social Security Administration, the average total life expectancy for a 62-year-old female is 84.8. For a male, it’s 82. In other words, from a breakeven perspective, most unmarried retirees will be best served by waiting to take their retirement benefit.
This is why it’s always a good idea to have other sources of retirement income. In other words, for each dollar of Social Security you give up now (by delaying benefits), you can expect to receive a greater level of income in the future than you could safely take from a dollar invested in a typical stock/bond portfolio.
A similar analysis can be performed for each year up to age 70, and the conclusion is the same: Delaying Social Security benefits can be an excellent way to increase the amount of income you can safely take from your portfolio.
Of course, there are circumstances in which it would not make sense for an unmarried person to delay taking Social Security.
First and most obviously, if your finances are such that you absolutely need the income right now, then you have little choice in the matter.
Second, if you have reason to think that your life expectancy is well below average, it may be advantageous to claim benefits early. For example, if you have a medical condition such that you don’t expect to make it past age 64, it would obviously not make a great deal of sense to choose to wait until age 70 to claim benefits.
In Summary:
For unmarried retirees, from a breakeven perspective, you’ll be best served by waiting until age 70 to claim benefits if you expect to live past age 80.5. (And, for reference, the average total life expectancy for a 62-year-old female is 84.8. For a male, it’s 82.)
For unmarried retirees, on a dollar-for-dollar basis, the lifetime income you gain from delaying Social Security is generally greater than the level of income you can safely get from other sources. As a result, delaying Social Security can be a great way to increase the amount you can safely spend per year. (Or, said differently, it can be a great way to reduce the likelihood that you will outlive your money.)
The shorter your life expectancy and the greater the available yield on inflation-protected bonds, the less desirable it is to delay claiming Social Security benefits.
Still confused about what is right for you? Get our FREE E-Book on Social Security Basics and start getting your questions answered. Faye Sykes is a National Speaker on Social Security and understands how to maximize your Benefits.