Many Americans rely on Social Security for income during retirement. Taking Social Security too early may result in a lifetime reduction of your benefit. Whether you are applying for yourself, or as based on someone else’s record (such as a divorced or widowed spouse) we suggest that you speak with a financial planner who can run various scenrios showing how much you would receive if you apply early, at full retirement age, or at age 70 (or anything in between).
A helpful planner is on the Social Security website at https://www.ssa.gov/planners/index.html
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