Most people start their Social Security decision by asking one question: “Which age gives me the biggest check?” And on the surface, that seems logical. Bigger check, better deal… right?
But after years of guiding retirees, I can confidently say that choosing the “biggest check” rarely leads to the best retirement outcome. The timing of your Social Security benefit shapes your taxes, your investment withdrawals, your risk exposure, your spouse’s future income, and your overall peace of mind.
So instead of treating Social Security as a simple math problem, it’s far more helpful to think of it as a lever inside your retirement life. When you pull that lever can either make everything else smoother… or more difficult than it needs to be.
Let’s walk through the decision the way real retirees experience it—not in charts, but in life.
How Social Security Calculates Your Benefit
Your Social Security benefit starts with your primary insurance amount (PIA), the amount you get at full retirement age. For most people today, that’s 67.
Social Security looks at your highest 35 years of earnings, inflation-adjusts them, averages them, and runs that number through a formula. If you have fewer than 35 years, zeros fill in the gaps.
Once Social Security determines your PIA, your claiming age is what makes the check smaller or larger.
Why Your Claiming Age Matters More Than You Think
Claiming isn’t just about receiving income. It is a trigger that affects the rest of your financial life. How much you take from savings, how long those savings last, how you handle taxes, and how you protect a spouse all shift depending on when you file.
And that’s why this decision deserves more than a single “what pays the most” calculation.
What Claiming Early Really Means
You can claim as early as age 62, and emotionally, that age is very appealing. It feels exciting to finally receive a benefit you’ve been paying into your entire career. But claiming early permanently reduces your benefit. The calculation is done monthly, and that reduction continues for life.
The real complexity comes from the ripple effects. If you plan to keep working, the earnings limit can reduce or eliminate monthly checks. If you’re married, early claiming can reduce a potential survivor benefit for your spouse. And if you’re relying heavily on your investment portfolio, claiming early or delaying changes how much you need to withdraw—and therefore how quickly your savings grow or shrink.
This is why early claiming isn’t just a Social Security decision. It’s a lifestyle and portfolio decision too.
The Earnings Limit That Catches People Off Guard
One of the biggest surprises in retirement is finding out that Social Security has an earnings limit if you claim before full retirement age. In 2025, if you earn more than $23,400 from work, Social Security will withhold part of your benefit.
This doesn’t mean the money disappears, but it does mean you may expect checks that never arrive. For retirees who want to work part-time or consult, this rule often becomes a major factor in deciding when to claim.
How Early Claiming Impacts Your Spouse
If you pass away first, your spouse may receive a survivor benefit based on your benefit. Claiming early can reduce that benefit. Couples often overlook this detail, but it can shape long-term financial security—especially if one spouse has a significantly higher lifetime earnings record.
Why Social Security Doesn’t Exist in a Vacuum
Many people evaluate claiming strategies by looking only at the Social Security numbers. But Social Security doesn’t exist alone. If you delay benefits, you still need income—and that income often comes from your investment accounts.
Higher withdrawals early in retirement mean less money invested, which affects long-term growth. So a strategy that looks optimal in a Social Security-only comparison might look less appealing when you compare total net worth 10 or 20 years into retirement.
This is why your claiming age must be evaluated in the context of your entire plan.
Why Full Retirement Age Is the “Comfort Zone” for Many Retirees
Claiming at full retirement age often feels like the most straightforward option. You receive the full benefit you’ve been shown on your statement for years. There is no earnings limit. You maintain flexibility to work or not work. And your tax picture may become easier to manage because Social Security is often taxed more lightly than withdrawals from pre-tax accounts.
For many retirees, this age balances freedom and simplicity.
Why Some People Choose to Delay Until Age 70
Delaying until age 70 gives you the maximum possible benefit. For each year you delay past full retirement age, your monthly benefit increases by 8 percent. The increase stops at 70.
People who choose this path often:
- expect to live longer
- want a higher guaranteed income floor
- want to maximize a future survivor benefit
Another reason people delay is tax planning. If you retire before 70 but delay Social Security, you may enter several lower-income years. Those years can be ideal for Roth conversions or other tax strategies that reduce lifetime taxes, especially for retirees with larger pre-tax account balances.
How Market Volatility Can Influence Your Timing
One of Social Security’s most underrated features is flexibility. Imagine retiring at 65 with plans to delay until 70—and then the market drops. Suddenly, your portfolio withdrawals become much heavier.
In that moment, starting Social Security earlier might protect your portfolio by reducing withdrawals during a downturn. This doesn’t change the break-even math—it changes the risk you’re taking in your investments.
Social Security can be a stabilizer during unpredictable markets.
What People Often Miss About Social Security
A few simple truths shape this decision more than people realize:
- The biggest check doesn’t always produce the best retirement.
- Delaying can hurt your portfolio if it forces large early withdrawals.
- Claiming early can be smart when health or lifestyle suggests it.
Seeing these realities clearly often changes how people think about timing.
Why This Is Ultimately a Life Decision
Choosing when to claim Social Security isn’t about discovering the mathematically perfect age. It’s about designing the retirement you want to live. Some retirees want income sooner. Others want security later. Some want to protect a spouse. Others want to smooth out taxes or reduce investment risk.
The right claiming age is the one that fits your goals, your health, your financial picture, and your vision for the next chapter of your life.
When you make the decision through that lens—not just through calculations—you build a retirement that’s clearer, steadier, and more aligned with who you are.
The information presented is for educational and informational purposes only and should not be construed as personalized investment or financial advice. The content discusses general retirement planning strategies and is not intended to recommend any specific course of action for any individual.
Social Security claiming strategies involve a number of variables, including life expectancy, portfolio returns, tax considerations, and personal circumstances. Decisions regarding Social Security benefits should be made in consultation with your financial advisor, taking into account your full financial picture.
Examples provided are hypothetical and for illustrative purposes only. They do not reflect any specific client situation and should not be relied upon for investment decision-making. Past performance of investments is not indicative of future results. All investing involves risk, including the potential loss of principal.
Root Financial Partners, LLC provides tax planning as part of its financial planning services. However, we do not provide tax preparation services, represent clients before the IRS, or offer legal advice.
Clients should consult their CPA or attorney before implementing any tax or legal strategies discussed. Nothing in this video should be interpreted as a recommendation to take a specific tax position or legal action.
This content may include discussions around advanced financial planning strategies such as Roth conversions, backdoor Roth IRAs, tax loss harvesting, charitable giving, estate planning tactics, or Social Security claiming strategies. These concepts are general in nature and are not personalized advice. Actions related to these strategies may trigger tax consequences or legal implications. Always consult with your CPA or attorney to assess suitability based on your personal financial circumstances.
Suitability for these strategies depends on your individual tax situation, income, age, investment profile, estate plan, and other factors. Actions related to these strategies may trigger tax consequences or legal implications. Always consult with your CPA or attorney to assess suitability based on your personal financial circumstances.