Social Security is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll make in retirement. And once you file, that decision is mostly permanent.

If you’re married, the choice becomes even more important — because it affects both of you for the rest of your lives.

Let’s walk through this in a simple, easy-to-follow way.

Why Timing Matters

When you claim Social Security, your monthly check is locked in based on your age:

File early → Smaller check for life

File at Full Retirement Age → Standard benefit

Wait until age 70 → Highest possible benefit

For many people, the question is simple:
Do I need the money right now?

If you do, that answers the question.

But if you have savings, pensions, or IRA income to live on, then the strategy becomes more important.

If You’re Married, It Gets More Complicated

When one spouse earned much more than the other, there are two extra benefits to think about:

1. The Spousal Benefit

The lower-earning spouse may receive up to 50% of the higher earner’s Full Retirement Age benefit.

Important:
It’s 50% of the Full Retirement Age amount — not 50% of whatever the higher earner collects at 70.

That detail alone causes a lot of confusion.

Also, the higher earner must file before the lower-earning spouse can receive the spousal benefit.

2. The Survivor Benefit

This is often the most important part.

When one spouse passes away:

• The smaller check goes away
• The surviving spouse keeps the larger check

That means if the higher earner waits until age 70, the surviving spouse could receive that larger, inflation-adjusted check for decades.

For couples, this is often the biggest reason to delay.

A Simple Example

Let’s say:

• The higher earner’s Full Retirement Age benefit is about $4,000 per month
• If they wait until 70, it increases to about $5,100 per month
• The lower earner’s own benefit is about $875 per month

If the higher earner waits until 70:

• The lower earner can eventually step up to about $2,000 per month (50% of the Full Retirement Age benefit)
• Together, they receive a strong, reliable base of income

If the higher earner files early:

• They receive more money upfront
• But both the lifetime benefit and the survivor benefit are permanently reduced

So the trade-off becomes:

• More money now
• Or more guaranteed income later

The Break-Even Question

People often ask:

“How long do I have to live for waiting to make sense?”

In many cases, the break-even point is in the early 80s.

If one spouse lives beyond that, waiting often results in more total lifetime income.

But no one knows how long they’ll live — and that uncertainty makes the decision challenging.

When Strategy May Not Matter

If both spouses earned similar amounts and their benefits are close in size, the spousal strategy may not change much.

But the survivor benefit still matters.

And for high earners, the decision can affect hundreds of thousands of dollars over a lifetime.

Think About Your Future Self

Instead of asking:

“Should I take it now?”

Try asking:

“What will my 80- or 85-year-old self want?”

And if you’re married:

“What will happen financially if one of us lives much longer than the other?”

Social Security isn’t just about today.
It’s about creating reliable income for the rest of your life.

Final Thought

If you need the money, take it.

But if you have options, slow down.
Review your Social Security statement.
Understand your spousal and survivor benefits.
Look at the long-term picture.

A thoughtful claiming strategy can make a meaningful difference in retirement security — especially for married couples.