Why Waiting Until 70 for Social Security Can Backfire (And the Question to Ask Instead)

The math behind "wait until 70" for Social Security is real. Hold off claiming from 62 to 70 and your monthly benefit climbs by roughly 77%. So why would anyone walk away from a number that big? The short answer is that the standard break-even analysis only measures one variable.  And for retirees with healthy pre-tax savings, there are other factors at play that can make "waiting" a more expensive decision than it looks. In this episode, I'm turning the mic over to Josh Rendler — a partner at our firm — who walks through a case study of a 62-year-old woman with a $1.5 million IRA and the question most retirees are wrestling with. Here's what you'll learn: → The reframe that makes "wait until 70" fall apart for retirees with healthy pre-tax balances → How Social Security timing and Roth conversions compete for the same bracket space (and why claiming earlier can actually EXPAND your conversion runway) → The planning window that opens at 61, and what gets harder to fix once it closes The biggest claiming-age check isn't always the biggest after-tax outcome. And a well-built plan shouldn't make you choose between doing the math right and actually enjoying the retirement you spent 35 years earning. *** 📆 BOOK A CALL WITH OUR TEAM: Your retirement involves complex, interconnected decisions—taxes, income, healthcare, estate planning, investments.  See how they fit together in one coordinated strategy built around your numbers. 👉 Learn More and Book a Call *** EPISODE RESOURCES: →  Grab the Episode Show Notes → Join the Stay Wealthy Retirement Newsletter →  Learn About the Total Retirement System™