What's the 1 Thing All Retirees Should Do Before Claiming Social Security in 2025?

Re suggests that Interestingly, What caught my attention is You're ready to apply for Social Security

Conversely, You may have even worked out a lot of the logistics -- what documents you need to apply, what day you can expect your first check -- but you don't yet know how much you'll actually receive from the gram

It might seem complicated math that's way over your head, but the truth is, it's not that difficult to estimate how much you'll get from Social Security, amid market uncertainty

However, Doing so before you apply is essential if you hope to maximize your lifetime benefit

On the other hand, Image source: Getty Images

However, Why your claiming age matters Your claiming age matters for two reasons

First, it determines whether you're eligible for checks

At the same time, You must be at least 62 years old to get retirement benefits

But that's not defined in the way people think

The Social Security Administration only considers you 62 during your birth month if your birthday is on the 1st or 2nd

For example, if you were born on Aug

If you were born on any other day of that month, you don't become eligible until September, in light of current trends

This's critical information if you're signing up as soon as possible, because you'll need to fund your expenses on your own until your checks start arriving

Furthermore, Keep in mind that checks are also paid in the month after they're due, so a September check wouldn't arrive until October

Moreover, The other reason your claiming age matters is because it determines what of early claiming penalty or delayed retirement credit you get

Furthermore, The Social Security Administration assigns everyone a full retirement age (FRA) based on their birth year (quite telling)

Market analysis shows 's 67 for most people today

Market analysis shows is your baseline, given the current landscape

However, On the other hand, If you claim in the month you turn 67, you'll get the benefit you've earned based on your work history, known as your primary insurance amount (PIA), in this volatile climate

Often, delaying checks until 70 maximizes your household income, but this isn't always true or feasible

Those with short life expectancies may benefit more from claiming early, while those with little savings who are unable to work may not be able to afford to delay benefits

Additionally, In contrast, Still, it's worth exploring all your options before deciding when you want to claim

The easiest way to decide when to claim Social Security You can view estimates of your Social Security benefit at every possible claiming age in your my Social Security account

Nevertheless, Conversely, If you don't already have one, you can set one up for free in a few minutes, in today's financial world

Additionally, You'll need to choose a username and password and answer some identity verification questions, in light of current trends

Meanwhile, Once that's done, you'll be able to log in and view a chart detailing your estimated monthly benefit at every possible claiming age

You can also estimate your spousal benefit if you're married and you know your partner's benefit at their FRA

Multiply your monthly benefit for your planned claiming age by 12 to get your estimated annual benefit (something worth watching) (something worth watching), in this volatile climate

What the data shows is n, multiply this amount by the number of years you expect to claim Social Security to estimate your lifetime benefit

Then, compare this to what you'd get if you waited a little longer

Furthermore, Choose the age you're most comfortable with

This might mean waiting until you qualify for a larger benefit, in today's market environment

Or it could mean claiming earlier, as long as you understand the trade-offs

However, It doesn't take that long, and reviewing all your options ensures you don't miss a simple opportunity to imve your financial security in retirement

This analysis suggests that Author Kailey Hagen, CFP, is a contributing Motley Fool Retirement Analyst covering Social Security, Medicare, and retirement plans

On the other hand, Prior to The Motley Fool, Kailey was a re analyst for Reviews

At the same time, Com focusing on credit and banking ducts

However, She is a Certified Financial Planner® and holds a B

In English from the University of Wisconsin-Madison

Fun fact: Kailey enjoys reing her family history and hopes to write a book

On the other hand, In contrast, TMFKailey The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy, given current economic conditions.