Big Nest Egg Rewrites Social Security Timing

A 62-year-old claimed Social Security against his advisor’s guidance, and by 78 his roughly $900,000 portfolio remained largely untouched while his smaller guaranteed Social Security benefit—boosted by COLAs—proved to support continued growth; the piece highlights that for high-asset retirees the standard “wait until 70” rule can be suboptimal, since the portfolio can continue to compound even as Social Security provides a steady floor. Breakeven for delaying typically happens in the early-to-mid 80s, but factors like portfolio size, health, and survivorship mean the right decision is highly individual.