When you've spent four decades or more in the workforce, it's understandable to be drawn to the idea of claiming those monthly checks at 62.

If you're like most people, the earliest you can claim Social Security benefits is age 62. Waiting until later, though, will increase the size of your monthly checks . Still, there are plenty of reasons you may prefer to begin receiving Social Security benefits at 62.

The Social Security Administration reassigned about 1,000 customer service representatives from field offices to its national hotline.