The best time to start collecting Social Security retirement benefits varies greatly between individuals. There are many factors to consider, including whether you are married, whether you or your spouse are still working, whether you are healthy or ill, whether you have other income, and whether you come from a long-lived family.
Question: I'm considering claiming my retirement benefits early, since I was just denied disability benefits.
Beneficiaries need to know how to collect life insurance and Social Security payments that belonged to the deceased; the executor of the estate doesn't usually handle this task.
Married couples can sometimes able to strategize the timing of their Social Security retirement benefits to get higher benefits for one or both spouses.
Until you reach full retirement age, working while receiving early retirement benefits may reduce your Social Security retirement benefits.
Should you claim Social Security benefits at early retirement age, full retirement age, or later? Learn the pros and cons of each option.
Even if you don’t make over the earned income limit for early retirement, you can still lose benefits if you work for your business.
Nolo's book covers how to maximize Social Security benefits by timing your and your spousals collection of benefits. Also explains Medicare and Medicaid long-term care rules benefits.
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At Nolo, we prioritize quality and transparency because we know how important reliable legal information is to our readers. Our information is meticulously researched, regularly updated, and written in plain English by our experienced writers and editors. Learn more about our editorial standards.