Timing. It matters. Way more than people admit.
The age you pick to start collecting Social Security isn’t just a calendar date. It shapes your monthly budget. It determines if your savings last or evaporate. In 2026 that gap between choices is widening.
Ashley Akin, a CPA and tax consultant at CEP DC, sees it all the time.
“The answer isn’t the same for everyone. The numbers for 2026 show clearly how timing changes the amount.”
If you wait. You get more money per month. The Social Security Administration backs this up. Delaying benefits from full retirement age until 70 boosts that payout.
Here’s the raw math.
The Numbers Don’t Lie
Claiming early? You’re looking at about $1,400 a month if you’re 62.
Wait until you hit your full retirement age, around 67? That jumps to roughly $2,017.
Hold on until 70. You could be pulling $2,250 or more. It depends on your work history. Your earnings record. The size of your past benefits.
Is $1,400 enough for coffee and cat food? Sure. But rent? Groceries? The math gets tight fast.
Why does anyone claim early at all?
Akin says some people need the cash flow now. Maybe their retirement savings aren’t ready. Maybe they want a lower baseline combined with their other assets. It works for some. It creates a predictable, albeit smaller, income stream.
Others play the long game. They sacrifice those early years of payments for a fatter monthly check later.
“The most common misconception is that Social Security is just a monthly check.”
People count months.
Start at 62. Get paid for 60 extra months by age 70 compared to waiting. Wait till 70. Miss out on 36 months of checks.
They think that difference is small.
It’s not always that simple.
Some need the money today. Health is poor. Life expectancy isn’t looking great. Why wait for a check that might not arrive? Others have savings. They can afford to sit on their hands and let those deferred credits grow.
Which path fits you?
It’s never just about the math.
