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Just to clarify something important: if your husband passes away before you, your situation would change significantly. As his widow, you would be eligible for survivor benefits equal to 100% of what he was receiving - including all those delayed retirement credits from waiting until 70. This is actually one of the key retirement planning strategies for couples with age differences. The higher earner often delays benefits until 70 specifically to maximize the survivor benefit for the younger spouse. So while you don't benefit from his delayed credits now, they could provide significant financial protection for you later.
You guys are all confusing me more!!! So is it better to take SS at 65 or wait?? I'm in the same situation retiring next year and now I don't know what to do!!!
There's no one-size-fits-all answer. Delaying will mathematically increase your benefit (about 7-8% for each year you delay until FRA, then 8% per year after FRA until 70). Whether that's "better" depends on your health, other income sources, expected longevity, and immediate cash needs. The break-even point is typically around age 80 - if you expect to live beyond that, delaying often makes financial sense.
I want to thank everyone for their helpful responses! I've learned that my FRA is actually 67, not 66 like I thought. So waiting from 65 to 66 reduces my early retirement penalty but isn't actually delayed credits yet. I still get about 7.5% more monthly benefit even without working, which sounds worth it to me. And I'll definitely remember to sign up for Medicare at 65 regardless of when I take SS benefits. This has been incredibly helpful for my retirement planning!
Wait I thought the whole WEP repeal thing didn't pass?? My father in law was telling me Congress was talking about it but nothing actually happened. Are you sure its actually repealed?
You're right to question this. The full WEP repeal hasn't actually passed at the federal level yet. There have been several bills introduced in Congress (like the Social Security Fairness Act), but none have become law as of early 2025. It's possible the original poster is confusing proposed legislation with actual law, or perhaps referring to a state-level initiative that affects certain pensions but not the federal WEP provision itself. Always good to verify this kind of information directly with SSA.
Since several people have pointed out that the WEP repeal hasn't actually happened yet, your husband's current situation remains unchanged. His benefit is still reduced by WEP, and if that amount ($1,375) is higher than half of your PIA at your FRA, then he wouldn't qualify for spousal benefits at this time.
Oh, I stand corrected! Thanks for explaining that. I wish someone had told me about the limited widow's benefit when my wife passed. The SSA rep never mentioned it.
Tyrone Johnson
my sister took SS at 62 and her neighbor waited till 70. the neighbor gets like $1000 more a month but my sister already collected for 8 years before neighbor got anything. sister says shell be dead before neighbor catches up lol
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LilMama23
•Your sister isn't wrong that there's a breakeven point! But that point is typically around age 80-82 for most people comparing age 62 vs 70 filing. For someone with above-average life expectancy, the total lifetime benefits can be substantially higher when delaying. Each situation is different though - some people genuinely need the money earlier or have health concerns that make early filing reasonable.
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Aisha Patel
Thanks everyone for the thoughtful responses! After reading all your comments, I've decided to wait until 70 to claim my Social Security. I'll look into the special home renovation loans that were suggested and plan to have the work done after I fully retire. The math of getting an extra $744/month for potentially 20+ years is just too compelling to ignore.
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