No Magic Answers

There are no special formulas. You simply have to sit down, maybe with a calculator and pencil and paper, and go over your options.
No Magic Answers
You've got to choose sometime between the ages of 62 and 70 to start your benefits. Eviart/Shutterstock
Tom Margenau
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There is probably no question I am asked more often than some version of this: “When should I file for Social Security?” And I’ve discerned from my emails over the years that there is no issue senior citizens fret over more than the answer to that question.

To answer it, many people prepare spreadsheets. They construct matrices. They buy books. They consult financial planners. And who knows, maybe they even get in touch with mystics, palm readers, and other charlatans.

Tom Margenau
Tom Margenau
Author
Tom Margenau worked for 32 years in a variety of positions for the Social Security Administration before retiring in 2005. He has served as the director of SSA’s public information office, the chief editor of more than 100 SSA publications, a deputy press officer and spokesman, and a speechwriter for the commissioner of Social Security. For 12 years, he also wrote Social Security columns for local newspapers, and recently published the book “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” If you have a Social Security question, contact him at [email protected]