When should you start claiming Social Security benefits optimize payouts
Claiming Social Security at 62 reduces lifetime benefits 30%; waiting to 70 increases them 24%—optimal timing depends on your health, longevity, and income needs.
August 2026
Retirement eligibility age rising faster timeline what workers must know
Workers born in 1960 or later must wait until age 67 for full Social Security benefits; claiming at 62 cuts monthly payments by 30%, costing roughly $150,000 over two decades.
How Lindsey Graham’s Death Affects Social Security Reform Efforts
Within two days, a bipartisan group introduced an alternative approach that redirects focus from specific solutions to establishing a legislative process...
Employer Retiree Health Insurance Doesn’t Protect Against Medicare Penalties
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) does not recognize retiree plans as "creditable coverage"—meaning they do not satisfy Medicare's...
When to Claim Social Security: Age 62 vs 70 Tradeoffs
Claiming Social Security at 62 versus 70 is a tradeoff between immediate cash and larger lifetime payments; the right choice depends on health, family longevity, and whether you'll live past age 80.
Pension Planning Tool From Fidelity Helps Retirement Savers
Fidelity's free Retirement Score tool shows whether you are on track to have enough income in retirement and lets you test scenarios to close any gap.
How to sell your annuity practice: expert strategies guide
Annuity practice valuations range from 1.0x to 2.5x annual commissions, with client retention and growth driving higher multiples—but earn-out clawbacks tie final proceeds to post-sale performance.
How early Social Security claiming affected long-term wealth
Early Social Security claiming costs you 30% in lifetime benefits, building less wealth by age 81 unless you need immediate cash or have poor health.
Late retirement planning: strategies for limited savings situations
A delayed Social Security boost of 24%, catch-up contributions up to $35,750 annually, and means-tested government assistance combine to solve retirement income shortfalls for late starters.
Milwaukee County pension scandal: decades of unresolved consequences
Milwaukee County's 1999 pension decision created $354 million in costs and payment errors; the state now manages what the county could not.