One of the biggest questions you’ll make about your retirement is when to claim Social Security. 

And yet, tons of pre-retirees don’t know several vital facts about claiming social security, and it could cost them down the line. 

My goal today is to make sure that’s not you, so I’ve put together a list of what you need to know so that you can maximize your entitlement when you’re ready to start claiming.

  1. Your benefits will not increase if you delay claiming Social Security benefits past 70.
  2. If you wait past 70, you can only go back to a maximum of 6 months to claim lost benefits.
  3. If your spouse passes away, you can’t collect both benefits – you can collect one or the other, whichever is higher. 
  4. If you’ve been divorced, you may be eligible for benefits based on your ex-spouse’s work record.

    Note: Spousal benefits and survivor benefits are entirely separate things, you should understand the difference.
  5. Your benefit will be reduced if you claim your benefits before your full retirement age (66 or 67, depending on your year of birth). 
  6. Your benefit amount can change once you start claiming it. 
  7. If you receive benefits before your full retirement age and continue to work, your benefits might be reduced based on how much you make.
  8. Under current legislation, Social Security benefits could be lowered for everyone in 2035.

Here’s the thing – each of the above facts will affect you (or not affect you) in your own unique way, because Social Security is such an individualized benefit with countless rules that you need to know how to play within. 

Even if we don’t work together, I’d recommend enlisting the help of a professional financial advisor who knows the ins and outs of claiming Social Security. 

If you decide to work with me, I’ll review your entire financial outlook holistically, and we can come up with the perfect time to say “adios!” to your 9-5 life and “hola!” to the longest vacation of your life. 

To get started, book a call by calling 513-563-PLAN (7526) or go online to get 15 minutes in my calendar. 

Regards,
Nikki Earley, CFP®