I write a column like this one every January, but I don’t mind plagiarizing myself because it contains a very important message for people planning to retire in 2023.
January is a critical month for the hundreds of thousands of potential Social Security beneficiaries who are reaching 66 and 6 months, their so-called full retirement age, in 2023. The important message: all of them should at least consider the possibility of filing for their benefits this month, even though they may not be reaching their retirement age until later in the year.
Please note that if you want to delay filing for your Social Security benefits until 70 to get the “delayed retirement credit” of about 30% added to your monthly benefits, then you should forgo the procedure discussed in this column. Also, if you’re one of those people who absolutely insists on waiting until your FRA to file for benefits, then forget this column’s message….