You have the chance to stop (withdraw) your Social Security benefits within one year of starting to receive them. Even waiting a day beyond one year will eliminate the option to withdraw. If you withdraw, you will have to repay all benefits received before the one-year deadline. No interest charges apply.

After you reach full retirement age, you can suspend your benefits. You do not have to repay the benefits you received. The beauty of suspending is that if you took reduced benefits early, you can stop them and take advantage of delayed retirement credits of 8 percent per year until age seventy. This can help make up for the benefit reduction that occurred when you took your benefits early. Suspending your benefits will mean that any other benefits paid out on your work record will also stop. This includes spousal and family benefits.