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You can start collecting Social Security anytime from age 62 to 70, but the later you start, the bigger your benefit. Just how much bigger depends on when you were born. People born from 1943 to 1954 have a “normal” or “full” retirement age of 66. They get 25% less than their normal benefit if they cash in at 62 and 32% more than their normal benefit if they wait until 70. (People born later have a slightly higher “normal” retirement age and take a somewhat bigger hit for claiming their benefits early and a somewhat smaller bonus for waiting until 70.)