The Real Question Behind When to Start Social Security (It’s Not 62 vs. 67 vs. 70)
From Ready For Retirement by James Conole, CFP®
May 3, 2026 · 15 min
About this episode
James Conole reframes the decision of when to take Social Security as a risk management issue rather than a mathematical one.
Most people think deciding when to take Social Security is a math problem. Run the numbers. Find the breakeven age. Pick 62, 67, or 70. Done. But that approach misses the point. This is not a math decision. It is a risk decision. In this episode, James reframes how to think about Social Security timing by focusing on what each choice actually protects you from. Claim early and you protect against the risk of a shorter life. Delay and you protect against the risk of living longer than expect...
People in this episode
Host: James Conole
Topics covered
- Social Security
- retirement planning
- risk management
- financial decision making
- life expectancy
Keywords
- Social Security
- retirement age
- financial planning
- risk assessment
- breakeven age
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