This was a fun feature by USA Today, in which they discuss the best age based on a bunch of variables (but focusing on the one that really matters). It’s also illustrated, which is fun.
Here’s the best age to take Social Security, based on the one variable that really matters [USA Today] – “A popular pastime among Americans of a certain age is to wage an internal debate about when to claim Social Security: At age 62? Sixty-five? Seventy?
In purely monetary terms, as it turns out, the question has a simple answer, and you can find it right on the Social Security website. “
If you don’t want to read it, a 2022 working paper by three economic researchers concluded that 90% of Americans should wait until 70. Unless you have “dire money needs” or a reason to think you won’t live much longer, 70 is ideal.