When do you recommend taking Social Security payments?

[FloridaAKM]

I started mine @ 66 & 2 months, never regreted it for one minute & have been retired for over 4 years. The last 4 years of employment was a guarantee of more SS payout than if I had retired @ 62.

[baboon]

I quit working at 59.5 and filed for disability. That took 3 years of no income.

[dinkydow]

I quit working at 59.5 and filed for disability. That took 3 years of no income.

I took my retirement at 47. Those were some very lean years indeed. Welcome to THAT club.

[collector rob]

I'm taking it at 62. Between that and my state pension I will be making more than when I was working.

[Johnny]

I took my retirement at 47. Those were some very lean years indeed. Welcome to THAT club.

I retired at age 56 and lived with zero income until my Army pension kicked in at age 59.5. Those were lean years, but it wasn't near as lean as we'd expected. Both my wife live frugally and have no debt. We definitely thought it was going to worse than it was.

Similarly, retirement wasn't what we thought it would be. Both my wife and I are busy all the time, mostly doing things we enjoy. We do a lot of volunteer work too. My hobbies and interests have changed a lot as well. I'm no longer playing in bands. I just got tired of it. For fun, I'd rather go solo camping or canoeing than hauling drums around a 2:00 AM.

At first my wife was convinced I'd be better taking SS as early as possible. Now, she's on the fence. Everything depends on lifespan and financial needs, and that's hard to predict. I was interested what most of you guys did, and it seems like everyone's needs and decisions are different.

[Johnny]

I just turned 70 in June, started getting my SS last year as I wanted to max out the payments for retirement. I keep on reading/hearing on the news how SS may not be around in the next 10 years or so.

Here's a novel idea: how about if the USA does away with Welfare for parasite blacks, illegal wetbacks and methbilly whites. Make them WORK for a living like the rest of us did. I imagine this would add countless BILLIONS to the national coffers for Social Security benefits. Don't want to work? FOAD

Social Security fraud is another topic altogether. The number of people getting a free ride is staggering. The most common one I see are guys who get "disability" payments but aren't really as disabled as they claim. I can cite numerous examples of people screwing the system. One guy I know runs his own solo construction business (cash only) while collecting disability. His work truck literally has a handicapped license plate!

We see the same thing every time we go to the grocery store. People drive up with expensive cars, expensive clothes and purchase groceries with their EBT card. They then make a second transaction for stuff like booze, cigarettes and all the stuff EBT doesn't cover.

Unfortunately, I can't fix that. If I had the power, I certainly would. I'd love nothing more than to cut off these slugs. Their shrieks of displeasure would be music to my ears.

At this point, all I can do is possibly get a little of what I paid into this broken system.

[remus]

just before my 65th birthday BCBS fed told me that I had to go on SS and the medicare as they would no longer be my primary health insurer. They would be secondary. I went on SS and everything has worked out for the last 16 years. I've had several expensive surgeries and have paid nothing.