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March 29, 2021 at 03:18 PM
As the Social Security system stands, full retirement age (FRA) falls somewhere between 66 and 67 for most individuals (eventually, FRA will reach 67 for all taxpayers). Taxpayers who claim Social Security once they’ve reached age 62, but before reaching full retirement age, are penalized depending upon how early they claim benefits.
Under the formula, benefits are reduced by 6.7% for every 12 months before FRA that they are claimed. Payments are increased by 8% per 12 months for people who wait until after full retirement age to claim benefits.
For individuals with higher life expectancies, waiting to claim benefits can lead to an overall increase in lifetime benefits paid. There have been calls, however, to reform this system in order to reduce the reduction in benefits for claiming early, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
We asked two professors and authors of ALM’s Tax Facts with opposing political viewpoints to share their opinions about changing the way reduced benefits for claiming Social Security early are calculated.
Below is a summary of the debate that ensued between the two professors.
Their Votes:
Bloink
Byrnes
Their Reasons:
Bloink: The penalty for claiming Social Security benefits early is antiquated and should be revisited, especially in the wake of the pandemic. Many people have been forced into early retirement because of the pandemic — making it much more likely that these taxpayers will claim Social Security early and be permanently punished by the reduction in benefits for claiming early. Additionally, the full retirement age was recently increased to 67 for most taxpayers, making the penalties even more pronounced for anyone who claims benefits at 62 and who will now be penalized for five years’ worth of “early” benefits.
Byrnes: There are far better ways to reduce inequities and provide assistance to taxpayers forced into early retirement because of the pandemic. With longer life expectancies in modern times, it makes sense that we should encourage taxpayers to work longer if they’re able — and the Social Security penalty for claiming early accomplishes just that.
