I was laid off in January 2021, at age 67 and 8 months, Im not working haven’t since laid off, did get unemployment for 26 weeks. Im planing on holding out for social security till I’m 70. DOB 4/26/53. This has been my plan to get the max as my wife is 9 years younger than me. I have 45 + years working in social security, my question is the 0’s in income for 2 years going to hurt me.

Hi. Not necessarily. Your eventual benefit rate might have been higher had you worked and had high earnings during the years you were laid off, but your benefit rate won't go down because of them. Social Security retirement benefits are based on an average of a person's highest 35 years of Social Security covered wage-indexed earnings, so the years you were laid off would only have increased your benefit rate if you earned more in those years than you did in one of your previous 35 highest years of wage indexed earnings.

Best, Jerry