“This is a unique situation for each person depending of health status and life expectancy,” she said. “The longer a person expects to live, the better it is to delay getting benefits. If a person can keep working, it can add to the earnings total on which benefits are calculated,” plus the benefit amount increases each year.
The Social Security Administration provides tools to help calculate benefits, but it cannot give advice on which claiming strategy is best.
“For that, you need to work with a trusted advisor,” Pearson said.