The Checks In The Mail

     I turned 62 a month ago.  As birthdays go it was nothing special but it did mark a milestone making me eligible for Social Security benefits.  Turning 62 does not mean I must sign up for Social Security but if I do I'll have to take a 25% reduction in the amount I would receive by waiting until 66 to apply for Social Security.  By waiting until age 66 I'll get a yearly increase of 8% for each of the years between 62 and 66.  That extra couple $100 each month could very well make a big difference later in life.
     The choice about when to start taking one's Social Security benefits is just one of many choices one makes in a lifetime.  Nothing in life is guaranteed   not even social Security but it looks to be around at least for the remainder of my lifetime.  At age 62 I know a heck of a lot more than I used to but choices are still hard sometimes.  But there one thing I know for sure, there will not be a Social Security check in my mailbox next month.