Is It Always Best to Wait Until Age 70 to Claim Social Security? – Ask Rusty

Unable to get another job in the Kansas City job scene as an older worker of 61, somewhat because of well over 1,000 of the younger Sprint employees laid off, I tired of my many sent resumes and few interviews. I decided to take early retirement so that I could take care of my elderly father. I had to live on my 401K for the year before I turned 62. I am so grateful for the option to use early retirement, as I developed some significant health problems within a few years. Because I don’t expect longevity, I appreciate your comments. Sometimes, the reduced Soc Sec benefit indeed is worth choosing, even though the COL “increases” are out of kilter, with Medicare eating up most of any increase. I have been able to be useful to other older populations, enjoy flexibility in committing to chores, and visit relatives who are not near me. After 11 years on Soc Sec, at the end of my life it makes up for all of those years of constant labor.