When do Americans file for Social Security?

Claiming at the earliest age has fallen, but most file by full retirement age

Did you know that Social Security beneficiaries have not always been able to choose when to claim benefits? Until the mid-1950s, the claiming age was 65 - end of story.

Flexible claiming ages were introduced in 1956, when Congress amended the Social Security law to allow women to claim as early as 62. Back then, the idea was to allow married women to re…