An easy way to travel is a river cruise. Boats are small, no rough waters and no packing and unpacking. We have enjoyed river cruises on the Danube and the Rhine. Tauck is an upscale travel company that attracts friendly seniors in the upper middle class to wealthy. AMA Waterways and Viking are also good and a lower price point.
Thanks for an informative article. Delaying collecting Social Security until age 70 results in higher total benefits if you live to about age 80 and beyond. If you are in good health and can afford to defer collecting, it generally makes sense to defer. It is like buying an annuity for old age so you are less likely to run out of money before you die. But it is not an all or nothing decision. Your benefit goes up a fraction of a percent for each month you defer. I used to recommend to my former investment clients to review their decision to defer annually. If your health deteriorates, you can start collecting and will have a higher benefit but not the maximum. If you stay in good health and your financial situation allows it, you can continue to defer. For married couples, you can use a mix and match approach. The higher earning spouse would defer to age 70 and the lower earning spouse could start collecting at full retirement age or some point between full retirement age and age 70. If the higher earning spouse dies first, the surviving spouse's benefit goes up to the deceased spouse highe benefit. So there is less of a need for both spouses to defer to age 70 although you would still maximize benefits if both deferred and lived past age 80.
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An easy way to travel is a river cruise. Boats are small, no rough waters and no packing and unpacking. We have enjoyed river cruises on the Danube and the Rhine. Tauck is an upscale travel company that attracts friendly seniors in the upper middle class to wealthy. AMA Waterways and Viking are also good and a lower price point.
Post: Trips in your “go go” years?
Link to comment from June 14, 2025
Thanks for an informative article. Delaying collecting Social Security until age 70 results in higher total benefits if you live to about age 80 and beyond. If you are in good health and can afford to defer collecting, it generally makes sense to defer. It is like buying an annuity for old age so you are less likely to run out of money before you die. But it is not an all or nothing decision. Your benefit goes up a fraction of a percent for each month you defer. I used to recommend to my former investment clients to review their decision to defer annually. If your health deteriorates, you can start collecting and will have a higher benefit but not the maximum. If you stay in good health and your financial situation allows it, you can continue to defer. For married couples, you can use a mix and match approach. The higher earning spouse would defer to age 70 and the lower earning spouse could start collecting at full retirement age or some point between full retirement age and age 70. If the higher earning spouse dies first, the surviving spouse's benefit goes up to the deceased spouse highe benefit. So there is less of a need for both spouses to defer to age 70 although you would still maximize benefits if both deferred and lived past age 80.
Post: Marginal Benefit
Link to comment from January 14, 2023