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AUTHOR: R Quinn on 10/24/2025
There are good reasons to start Social Security at 62 or at age 70 or anywhere in between. One is that the money is needed as income. Another is to assure the maximum possible monthly income later in life, including survivor income. Both are valid based on individual needs. Less than 10% of America will wait until age 70 – generally out of necessity.
But when I read on Open Social Security:
“Recommended Strategy:
The strategy that maximizes the total dollars you can be expected to receive over your lifetime is as follows:”
I cringe.
Can anyone explain why being concerned with maximizing the total lifetime benefits received from Social Security matters in the slightest way?
How does anything other than maximizing your income when you feel you need it most matter?
I wonder how many people follow the Open Social Security advice without understanding what objective it is based on?
QUINNSCOMMENTARY 
Actually, it says: “… The present value of this proposed solution …” – so it adjusts for inflation, makes assumptions about life expectancy (which is the median for someone with the birthdate entered). It also gives you an opportunity to test alternative filing dates.
The maximum present value calculation has a bunch of assumptions. There are other calculators out there that allow for much greater customization.
However, the main reason for knowing the claiming age which results in the maximum present value is for those who need not claim the benefit immediately – because they have other sources of income. So, for those people, it becomes a standard, a comparison tool. And it has a feature later which allows you to enter in other claiming dates and compare the present value.
It doesn’t provide the best claiming date for you or for me – as we need to adjust for a variety of other factors, need for immediate income, health, etc.
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