The timing of your claim can significantly affect the value of your monthly Social Security benefit. Your break-even age is when the cumulative benefits from claiming at two different ages are equal.

Understanding the program is important to maximizing benefits, but claiming rules are complicated. If people aren’t knowledgeable enough about Social Security, the decisions they make about it ...

Also think about how reliant your spouse might be on Social Security survivor benefits. Claiming Social Security is one of the most significant things you might do in the course of retiring.

Social Security retirement claims tend to follow a seasonal pattern each year, and they increase over time with the aging of ...

Think through all your options and choose the claiming age you believe makes the most sense for you. If it's 62, that's fine. Just make sure you understand the long-term consequences of your decision.

When considering Social Security, many envision a monthly check aiding in retirement. However, the amount can vary ...

“If everyone knew how long they’d live, timing Social Security would be a piece of cake,” Jessee said. But a Social Security claiming decision is often more nuanced. If longevity runs in ...

Government agencies aren’t exactly known for being efficiently run. So you might encounter your share of delays when dealing ...

Deciding when to claim Social Security requires a holistic view of your situation. Your monthly Social Security benefit is ...

We also talked to a Social Security expert who shared her views on why people change their minds. If you regret the timing of your retirement claiming decision, then you’ve come to the right place.

You should know that generally speaking, your window to claim Social Security is between ages 62 and 70. Technically, you can sign up for benefits beyond age 70, too.