Question: The estimates provided on our SS statements are based on current employment, but if you retire prior to full retirement age and do not start your benefit until the full retirement age, does the amount you receive go down because you have not worked for a few years? example: I retired at 62 but my full retirement age for SS is 67. Since I have no W-2 income from 62 to 67, do those $0 earned reduce the amount I would receive? I wasn't sure if the 'high 35' was only years worked, or if all the years count and the zero's hurt the calculation. Also, as a civil servant with TSP, do the withdrawals affect SS estimates as income for the appropriate year after retirement? Thank you for explaining or pointing me to a video that explains it.

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