Many folks understand that taking early retirement at age 62 will permanently affect the amount of benefits they can receive. What is less well understood is that there are options that can prevent this harsh result. For example, if a person switches to a spousal benefit at age 66, it is possible to receive a higher benefit.
Unfortunately, even the folks at the Social Security Administration don’t understand these options.
For additional information, check out AARP’s guide on this topic.