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Social media users may love the “6-7” trend, but when it comes to their advice for baby boomers, a number of recent posts from TikTok financial influencers have users recommending that people start collecting their Social Security benefits early, at age 62. However, this differs from what financial planners typically recommend, which is that people delay their Social Security claim as long as possible to get the maximum monthly benefit at age 70. Here’s what to know about the online debate. How does age affect Social Security payments? Before you do anything, it’s important to understand how Social Security worksand that you contact your financial advisor when making big decisions about your retirement. That said, how it works is that at full retirement age (FRA), you can claim 100% of your Social Security benefits, which are calculated based on your lifetime earnings. Historically, that age was 65, but it has been gradually increasing to age 67, due to changes in Social Securitys financial structure that Congress enacted in 1983, according to the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization for Americans 50 and older. So, if you begin benefits before your full retirement age, at say, 62, Social Security reduces your monthly payment by a fraction of a percent for each month you filed early. If you wait till age 70, you can receive your maximum monthly benefit, per the AARP. What are people saying on TikTok? Some financial influencers, or finfluencers” on YouTube and TikTok have posted about the issue and recommended that people take the payout starting at 62, and invest that money monthly in the stock marketwhich is the opposite advice of most expert financial planners. According to the arguments on TikTok, from users such as the Medicare Family, doing this makes sense for some people, namely if you are sick (“and may not live to be 70”); or even “if you are going to live a long time, because you can invest it” in the stock market, which currently has high returns, or with a financial advisor. What do the experts say? Many financial advisors feel differently. “I generally do not recommend that people claim Social Security at 62 unless they seriously need the money or have a shortened life expectancy,” Social Security advisor Mary Beth Franklin tells Fast Company. “For people who are healthy enough and wealthy enough to wait up until age 70 to claim maximum benefits, there is a huge pay offan extra 8% per year, delayed retirement credits for every year they postpone claiming beyond full retirement age (FRA) up to age 70which can also maximize survivor benefits.” Audrey Guo, assistant professor of economics at Santa Clara University’s Leavey School of Business, adds that beyond the typical life expectancy concerns, the decision to claim Social Security early comes down to a person’s appetite for risk, as it’s essentially a savings vehicle. “While it’s true you may be able to earn a higher return by taking your monthly payment and investing it in the stock market, this only makes financial sense if you don’t have any other assets in relatively low-yield assets such as savings accounts or bonds,” Guo explains to Fast Company. “Otherwise, you would also want to liquidate and invest those assets into the stock market before claiming Social Security early.” “Realistically though, most folks probably don’t have (and shouldn’t have) the ability to stomach that much risk,” Guo adds. What should I make of all this? Above all, it’s important to remember that listening to financial advice from strangers on the internet is very risky, and it’s best to consult with a trusted financial advisor about your specific situation before making any big decisions about your finances or retirement.
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Air travelers in the U.S. without a REAL ID will be charged a $45 fee beginning in February, the Transportation Security Administration announced Monday.The updated ID has been required since May, but passengers without it have so far been allowed to clear security with additional screening and a warning. The Department of Homeland Security says 94% of passengers are already compliant and that the new fee is intended to encourage travelers to obtain the ID.REAL ID is a federally compliant state-issued license or identification card that meets enhanced requirements mandated in the aftermath of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks.Obtaining the ID indicated by a white star in a yellow circle in most states means taking more documents to the motor vehicle agency than most states require for regular IDs. It was supposed to be rolled out in 2008 but the implementation had been repeatedly delayed.Beginning Feb. 1, travelers 18 and older flying domestically without a REAL ID and who don’t have another accepted form of ID on them, such as a passport, will pay the non-refundable fee to verify their identity through TSA’s alternative “Confirm.ID” system.TSA officials said that paying the fee does not guarantee verification, and travelers whose identities cannot be verified may be turned away. If approved, however, the verification covers a 10-day travel period.The fee can be paid online before arriving at the airport. Travelers can also pay online at the airport before entering the security line, but officials said the process may take up to 30 minutes.The TSA initially proposed an $18 charge for passengers without a REAL ID, but officials said Monday they raised it after realizing the alternative identification program would cost more than anticipated.Other acceptable forms of ID include military IDs, permanent resident cards and photo IDs from federally recognized tribal nations. TSA also accepts digital IDs through platforms such as Apple Wallet, Google Wallet and Samsung Wallet at more than 250 airports in the U.S. Associated Press
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E-Commerce
Shares in Beyond Meat (Nasdaq: BYND) are again rising in premarket trading today after the companys stock price surged a massive 36.4% yesterday. As of the time of this writing, BYND is up an additional 12.6% in trading before the bell. But is anything more than another round of meme stock mania driving the rising price? Heres what you need to know. A volatile December The first day of asset trading for December kicked off yesterday, and already the final month of the year looks to be shaping up to be a volatile one. Yesterday, cryptocurrencies plunged across the board as nervous investors sold off the digital tokens amid ongoing uncertainty about next weeks potential Federal Reserve interest rate cuts and growing fears of an AI bubble. The broader markets seemed to be impacted by the same concerns, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average ending yesterday down 0.9%, the Nasdaq down 0.38%, and the S&P 500 down 0.53% according to data compiled by Reuters. Yet despite the risk-averse stance taken by many investors yesterday, some traders in so-called meme stocks seemed to be throwing caution to the wind. Meme stock investors go crazy for Beyond Meat While cryptocurrencies and the broader markets were selling off yesterday as mainstream investors appetite for risk diminished, meme stock investors were bullish on their latest stock darling, Beyond Meat. BYND shares surged 36.48% yesterday, closing at $1.34 per share. Thats a level that Beyond Meats stock has not traded at since November 11, according to Yahoo Finance data. Its also just the latest surge for Beyond Meat shares in the latter part of this year. In October, the companys stock price surged from $0.52 per share to $7.69 per share over about a week after it signed a partnership agreement with Walmart. However, as the Motley Fool notes, Beyond Meats stock price surge seemed to have been primarily driven by meme stock traders who had found a new favorite stock. After its quick rise, BYND shares sank back down to well below $1 per share in the final weeks of November. Now the shares are soaring again. Yesterday, the companys stock price was up 36.4% and today, in pre-market trading, as of the time of this writing, BYND shares are up another 12.6%but why? As the Motley Fool notes, Beyond Meat did not have any material changes to its business or financials in the past day. That means speculation among meme stock traders is likely the main driver of the stock’s higher price. This speculation also suggests that, unlike cryptocurrency traders, not all investors are risk-averse right now. Beyond Meat has still had a horrible 2025 Despite Beyond Meats December stock price surge, investors in the alternative meat company have not seen great returns this year. As of yesterdays close, BYND shares were still down more than 64% year to date. In November, the company reported its Q3 2025 results, and they left much to be desired. For the quarter, net revenues were down 13.3% year-over-year to $70.2 million. The companys gross profit was $7.2 millionnearly half of the $14.3 million in gross profit it brought in the same quarter a year earlier. The disconnect between these fundamentals and this week’s surging stock price suggests that risk-taking by meme-stock traders is the primary driver of BYNDs most recent advance. Beyond Meat isnt the only meme stock to have gained over the past several days. Other meme stock favorites have also risen over the past five days, including GameStop Corp. (NYSE: GME)up 13% AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: AMC)up 6.8% Opendoor Technologies Inc. (Nasdaq: OPEN)up 5.7%.
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