I looked at the difference in SS from 62 to 67. It would take me 15 years to make up that difference so retirement at 62 was a no brainer.
Exactly. You get higher monthly payments at 67, but you also get them for fewer months. Just to break even where you receive more total benefits when you start at 67 rather than 62 generally takes until you are 78 or 79.
Any number of "financial advice" articles say that waiting is like earning 8% per year, but this ignores the little issue with fewer overall payments. Remember, your end date is the same either way.
It's probably not a coincidence that the government benefits from people not understanding this, because the later people file on average, the more die having received no benefits at all.