What’s the best age to claim Social Security benefits? The truth is there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
For some retirees, collecting partial benefits as early as age 62 makes sense. For others, waiting until full retirement age (FRA) to receive benefits provides a greater advantage. Some may also prefer delaying claiming until age 70 for the maximum benefit amount.
Our Philosophy & Approach to Social Security Strategy
1. We believe your claiming strategy should support your vision of retirement
When to claim Social Security shouldn’t be purely a dollars and cents decision. It should also reflect what’s most important to you. We’ll take the time to get to know you so we can understand your vision of retirement in addition to your financial needs.
2. We encourage you to think about Social Security as one piece of your entire retirement income plan
You don’t come to Johnson Brunetti for one-size-fits-all solutions. We help you make decisions about Social Security within the context of your overarching financial picture and personal goals. Your benefit is one piece of the customized retirement income plan that we create for you.
3. We educate you so you know the ins and outs of Social Security
Social Security is governed by thousands of rules. We’ll explain the most important of these and why they’re relevant. Each time we make a recommendation, we’ll tell you how we came to our conclusions and why they make sense for your situation.
Social Security is a crucial piece of your overall retirement income plan. Therefore, your claiming strategy should exist within the broader context of your finances, personal life, and vision of retirement. Factors to consider in this decision include your retirement savings, potential corporate pensions, projected living expenses, health status, family longevity, and marital status.
Social Security has thousands of rules, many of which are essential for maximizing its benefits. For example, there’s a Social Security earnings limit if you claim benefits before your full retirement age.
Additionally, federal taxes on your benefits depend on your total combined income rather than your age at application. Exceeding a certain threshold means 85% of your benefit will be taxable instead of 50%. This distinction can significantly impact your decision on when to claim.
A common misconception is that delaying Social Security means you’ll receive a higher benefit. While your monthly benefit may be higher, the total lifetime amount could be the same or even lower. Your health and family longevity are important factors to consider.
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Annette L.Donald & Donna K.
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Testimonials received in response to Johnson Brunetti survey conducted in 2024 and in 2026. Please click each respective year for a description of the respective survey and a summary of the survey results.
John & Laura U.Richard S.“We have been extremely happy with our advisor and the services offered. We previously had accounts with another advisor. We had no issues, but chose to consolidate everything with Johnson Brunetti. We made a great decision with that.”
Testimonials received in response to Johnson Brunetti survey conducted in 2024 and in 2026. Please click each respective year for a description of the respective survey and a summary of the survey results.
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Testimonials received in response to Johnson Brunetti survey conducted in 2024 and in 2026. Please click each respective year for a description of the respective survey and a summary of the survey results.
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Testimonials received in response to Johnson Brunetti survey conducted in 2024 and in 2026. Please click each respective year for a description of the respective survey and a summary of the survey results.
We’ll Help You Decide When to Claim Social Security
At Johnson Brunetti, we provide the insight and expertise to help you determine the best claiming strategy. By combining a qualitative and quantitative perspective, we tailor our recommendations to your ideal vision of retirement. For instance, we may advise a retiree to take a partial benefit at age 62 if their savings are insufficient. Or we may advise another retiree to claim early to fund their dream of traveling or starting a business.
We also provide valuable insights into:
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