Most of my clients who are turning 65 have been collecting Social Security since they turned 62 – even though their full retirement age was 66. Their Social Security check is about one-third less than it would be if they had waited until 66.
Many people choose to collect Social Security “early” because they’ve stopped working and need the income, but I know some people who didn’t really need their Social Security income who still took it at age 62.
CNN Money has a good video and article on how to maximize your Social Security. I call this “Social Security Explained”. The video you will see is kind of an advertisement, but the article below it offers excellent information on how to maximize your Social Security.
http://money.cnn.com/2015/03/19/retirement/social-security-benefits/index.html?iid=SF_PF_Lead