Your Social Security benefits are an important part of your retirement income. That's because they are guaranteed income, so they can be the bedrock of a sound retirement income plan.
You are eligible to receive your full benefit at your full retirement age (FRA), which has been gradually increasing from 65, and will soon be 67 for everyone. You can begin collecting a reduced benefit as early as age 62. In general, the earlier you choose to begin receiving benefits, the lower your monthly payment will be.
After answering 5 simple questions, the Social Security benefits calculator provides a ballpark estimate of projected monthly and lifetime benefits across different claiming ages.
Read the Viewpoints articles below to help understand when and how to start taking Social Security benefits.