When Tracy from Billings, Montana called into "The Ramsey Show," he was looking for advice. What he got was a full-blown Social Security takedown.
"I'm 61 years old, and I keep getting these letters from Social Security wanting to know what I want to do," he said. "I'm still working, I'm on Baby Step 7, I am married — and I don't know when is the best time to take advantage of that fantastic program."
Ramsey, catching the sarcasm, smirked: "I sense sarcasm, Tracy."
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Tracy clarified that he didn't actually need the money. His plan? Take Social Security early and invest 100% of the checks. But he hesitated after realizing he'd receive a reduced amount before full retirement age.
"You don't [get the full amount]," Ramsey confirmed. "The later you start—whether it's 62 all the way up to 70—every year you would get more."
But then Ramsey delivered the part he'd been waiting to say:
"If you run the numbers out… almost every time you can run the numbers on it by taking every dollar from 62 to 66 that you get and put it in a good investment. The investment returns will give you greater than the difference for the rest of your life — almost every time. So it usually makes sense to take it early if you're going to do what you're going to do, which is invest."
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Ramsey reinforced his mathematical case, now set against a backdrop where the full retirement age has shifted to 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.
"You can get a better rate of return than they will pay you by waiting," he said.
He even brought up the estate factor, adding, "When you die, that money that's in that mutual fund is part of your estate. When you die with Social Security? Nothing. That's what you get."
Then he let loose.
"You will discover it's about a negative 4% rate of return in your life," Ramsey said. "Only the government can figure out a way to talk everyone into having something removed from their check that they make a negative 4% on — and everybody fights to keep it in place."
The rant escalated fast.
"I've been paying into it for almost 40 years. You could keep all that — I'll still come out ahead in the next 20 years not putting money in the stupid thing," he said. "Just putting that amount of money — the amount of money you robbed from me in my check — into a mutual fund."
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And finally: "Your program's so freakin' awesome, you can just keep it."
So should you take Social Security early or wait for a bigger check at 70? It's a hotly debated question. Some experts, like Suze Orman, encourage healthy adults to delay as long as possible. Ramsey takes the numbers-first approach: if you're still working and willing to invest every dollar, it "usually makes sense to take it early."
There's no one-size-fits-all answer. It depends on your health, financial habits, retirement timeline — and who you ask. But in Ramsey's math, the earlier check plus a smart investment beats the bigger check later — almost every time.
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