Deep Breath! Hi I am 62 today and...

[Hutch111]

Congrats. Your post reminds me that the only thing I'm really sorry about regarding my retirement is that neither of my parents lived long enough to see it. Once I grew up and became a w*rking stiff, my time with my folks was always squeezed into little slots of time that I could be away from work. Now I have the time, but they are gone.
Enjoy your time with your parents. I hope they are well.

Very nice!!

 

[1vertical]

Still preparing and winterizing the house and the trlr and tying up loose ends. Attempting to leave late sept. to mid Oct. DW is healing from medical procedure for pain management. I plan to get her out walking. Wish me luck on that as she has been too sedentary for way too long. Parents are anxious to have us visit. I would really like to get the income from the Gov teat more jelled before we leave.

 

[Bikechuck]

So I have asked a hundred people, 50 said start Social Security, 50 said wait to start.

The more I think about this the less convinced I am that it makes a big difference. If I take the monthly benefit early I will be drawing down my savings less and leaving them invested where hopefully they will earn at least 7%.

I guess you could consider the 8% a year on the SS benefit as guaranteed. However we all know that the SS Trust fund is going bust and the politicians have so far not lifted a finger to address the issue because they cannot get along or cooperate on anything (both sides Ds and Rs at fault here).

So I am beginning to believe that it does not make all that much difference when you decide to take the benefit. In my case I think that my wife might take it when she is 64ish and I might take it when I am 66ish. However, if the market crashes we will likely take it sooner than that to avoid withdrawing equities when the market is down.