Later would have been better, say Social Security recipients

Regrets? They’ve had a few, say retirees — especially around Social Security.

According to the 2019 MassMutual Social Security Pulse Check, commissioned in collaboration with AgeFriendly.com, 38 percent of retirees say they wish they’d waited till they were older to claim Social Security benefits.

While 30 percent of respondents say they filed at age 62 or even younger, it wasn’t necessarily because they wanted to; 53 percent filed for benefits out of financial necessity, such as not having enough money to get by in retirement without claiming benefits, and another 30 percent said they ran into problems that compelled them to file—like losing a job or developing a health problem.

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They’re losing a lot of money by claiming so early, but when people have no choice they’re forced to give up the additional funds that would have accrued had they been able to hold off.

In fact, according to MassMutual, a married couple expecting to live into their early 90s “could be leaving more than a half million dollars on the table—or as much as $2,000–$4,000 per month for life—by filing for Social Security retirement benefits at age 62 versus filing at age 70.”

And if that’s not bad enough, the report adds, a surviving spouse could end up taking a penalty of $1,000–$2,000 less every month for the rest of their lifetime by filing at age 62 instead of waiting till later.

“People not being able to sustain for very long on what they’ve saved appears to be a common occurrence today,” Mike Fanning, head of MassMutual U.S., is quoted saying. Fanning adds, “This study reveals that many are leaving money on the table that they’re eligible for—and that they could have received for many years to come.”

Interestingly, most respondents—a whopping 79 percent—said they had the right amount of information about when to file for benefits at the time they did so, and 58 percent didn’t get help or advice on the issue.

However, MassMutual points out, every situation is different; circumstances could warrant another strategy to maximize benefit amounts to better see retirees through what could be a long retirement.

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