My wife took social security at 62, because the job stress was getting to her and she felt she would not be alive if we waited another year. I took early retirement from my park district pension at 58 (after 28 years on the job). I can now start collecting Social security at 62 this coming December and we are trying to figure out if we should wait till I turn 63, or go for it when I can (what happens at the election may determine what we do). Susan has a nice 401k which we have as our nest egg. We also moved to the upper peninsula of Michigan where cost of living is lower than the Chicago suburbs. We started substitute teaching to pay for things like car repairs and unexpected medical expenses, but just a couple days a week, so we don't burn out on that. I suspect a financial advisor would have said we weren't ready to retire. But, as Susan said, extra money won't do us any good when we're pushing up daisies. We got married the last month or so of our working day jobs in 2013. I found out she wouldn't be eligible for surviror benefits unless we were marriend a full year (to prevent someone being after me for my money, I guess). We still decided to go for it in May of 2013. we just need to decide if we want to go through another lean summer (without the subbing income) or apply for social security for me in December.