A study published by the National Bureau of Economic Research in November 2022 found that 90% of workers ages 45 to 62 would maximize their Social Security by claiming benefits at age 70. Yet, less than 10% of newly awarded retirees actually waited that long in 2023, and the percentage is similar in prior years.

Social Security has a big birthday coming up next year -- it's turning 90! It's kept many millions of people out of poverty for decades and was recently supporting more than 71 million people with around $1.5 trillion in benefits for the year.

Workers who qualify for Social Security benefits can start collecting their monthly payments at any point between the ages of 62 and 70. And as you may already know, the longer you wait, your monthly Social Security benefit will be.