When Should You Claim Social Security in Arizona?
There is no single right age for everyone: claiming as early as 62 gives you income sooner but a smaller monthly check, while waiting past your full retirement age raises your benefit until it maxes out at age 70. The best choice depends on your health, your other income, whether you are married, and how much you would need to pull from savings while you wait.
Key Takeaways
- You can claim as early as 62, at your full retirement age, or as late as 70; waiting raises your monthly benefit.
- Full retirement age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later (SSA).
- For married couples, the decision also shapes the survivor benefit the higher earner leaves behind.
- Arizona does not tax Social Security at all, though up to 85% of your benefit can be taxable at the federal level.
- The claiming choice and your withdrawal plan should be decided together, not separately.
How Early or Late Can I Claim?
You can start Social Security as early as age 62, wait until your full retirement age, or delay as late as age 70, and the age you pick changes your monthly check for the rest of your life. Claiming early gives you income sooner but permanently reduces the monthly amount, while delaying past full retirement age increases it.
Full retirement age is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later (SSA). Claiming before that age locks in a smaller benefit, and for each year you wait past full retirement age up to 70, your benefit grows. After 70 there is no further increase, so there is no reason to wait longer than that.
Is It Always Better to Wait Until 70?
No. A larger future check can be valuable, but delaying is not automatically the right choice for every household, because waiting only pays off if you live long enough to collect the bigger benefit and if you can comfortably cover your spending in the meantime. If your health or family history points to a shorter time horizon, or if waiting would force you to drain savings you would rather keep invested, claiming earlier can be the better call.
The key is to weigh the claiming decision against the withdrawals you would need from savings while you wait. Every year you delay Social Security is a year you may have to spend more from your own accounts, and that choice connects directly to the order you draw those accounts in, which we covered in part 1 of this series [How Do I Make My Retirement Savings Last Without Changing My Lifestyle?].
What Changes If I'm Married?
For married couples, the claiming decision is really two decisions, and it also sets up the survivor benefit one spouse will live on after the other passes. When one spouse dies, the survivor generally keeps the larger of the two benefits, so the higher earner's claiming age affects not just their own lifetime but the surviving spouse's too.
That often makes it worth having the higher earner delay, even if the lower earner claims earlier, because the larger benefit then protects whichever spouse lives longer. Coordinating the two claims, and the income you live on in between, is exactly the kind of work we do in Social Security planning for West Valley households.
Does Arizona Tax My Social Security?
No, Arizona does not tax Social Security benefits at all. The state fully exempts Social Security from state income tax under A.R.S. § 43-1022, which is one reason Arizona is friendly to retirees.
The federal side is different. Up to 85% of your Social Security benefit can be taxable at the federal level depending on your total income, so the amount you pull from other accounts in a given year can push more of your benefit into taxable territory. This is one more reason the claiming decision and your overall tax planning for Arizona retirees belong in the same conversation.
How Does Claiming Fit the Rest of My Plan?
Think of Social Security as the dependable, inflation-adjusted floor your plan is built on, then decide everything else around it. Because it is one of the few income sources designed to last for life and adjust for inflation, the size of that floor shapes how much risk you need to take elsewhere and how hard your savings have to work.
A bigger Social Security check can mean less pressure on your portfolio, which can matter even more when markets fall early in retirement. We look at that risk, and the cash reserves that help you ride it out, in part 3 of this series, on planning for the costs you cannot predict [LINK PENDING: /blog/how-to-plan-for-unexpected-retirement-costs].
Wondering When You Should Claim?
The right claiming age is personal, and for couples it is one of the biggest decisions you will make for the surviving spouse. Through our advisory platform, the team at Bair Wealth can model your options alongside your savings and taxes here in Surprise and across Arizona, so the choice is made once and made well. There is no cost and no obligation for the introductory call.
Schedule an Introductory CallOr call 602-336-4659This information is general and educational, current as of 2026, and is not intended as tax or legal advice. Social Security rules and figures are set by the Social Security Administration and can change. Please consult your tax or legal professional, or the Social Security Administration, regarding your individual situation.