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Deciding When To Initiate Social Security Benefits

The Review of Regional Studies

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Title Deciding When To Initiate Social Security Benefits
 
Creator Atkins, Allen
Bain, Craig
 
Description People nearing retirement face a well-known decision: When should to begin taking social security benefits? The answer may not seem obvious since there are key trade-offs involved. The retiree can choose low benefits for a longer period of time, or high benefits for a shorter period of time, or something in between.  The optimal initiation date that maximizes social security wealth is a quantitative question and it depends on the life expectancy of the person and on the real rate of return they expect to earn on their investments, among other things. We attempt to provide some answers to this practical and important question.  Our focus throughout is on relatively high-wealth individuals who will receive the maximum social security benefits.  We show how the government’s social security benefit calculator can be very misleading. We also include how the decision may be different for a married couple.  We conclude with the following rough guideline.  If you expect to make a good return on your investments, you should take the benefits early (i.e. at age 62).  If you expect to make modest investment returns and you expect to live a long time, you should take the benefits later, (i.e. at age 70).
 
Publisher The Clute Institute
 
Date 2010-12-28
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Peer-reviewed Article
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://clutejournals.com/index.php/JBER/article/view/711
10.19030/jber.v8i4.711
 
Source Journal of Business & Economics Research (JBER); Vol 8 No 4 (2010)
2157-8893
1542-4448
10.19030/jber.v8i4
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://clutejournals.com/index.php/JBER/article/view/711/696