4 Tricks to Maximize Your Social Security Benefits

[catfish1957]

https://www.marketwatch.com/articles/social-security-benefits-51662142136?mod=mw_latestnews

<snip>

How Social Security calculates payouts can be complex and arcane. But there are a few basic principles that can substantially boost lifetime benefits for the millions of Americans whose most dependable stream of income comes from the public pension program.

- Have at Least 35 Years of Earnings
- Working in Your 60s Can Be Doubly Sweet
- Make the Bigger Check as Big as Possible
- When You Start Collecting Matters

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Know there are a number of us seniors prepping for this decison in the next 5 years or so.  Doesn't hurt to run the numbers to see how the it works best for you.  We all know that we have gotten screwed by SS in the long run, but let's at least recoup the best we can of those losses.

[The_Reader_David]

This advice appears geared toward maximizing one's monthly check, not maximizing total benefit on a present-value basis.  They are not at all the same thing. 

[cato potatoe]

Wait until 70 to collect, and then live to 134.

[Drago]

OK article, but they are also not accounting for a 12% inflation rate in their "wait & get more $" strategy. Retire @ normal age and buy commodities/hard goods/gold/silver might be a good strategy too.