Confused about Social Security spousal benefit vs. own benefit strategy for 2025 FRA couple

Unfortunately, your financial advisor is correct. Since you were both born after January 1, 1954, deemed filing applies regardless of your age. This means if you file for one benefit (spousal), you're automatically filing for all benefits you're eligible for (your own retirement). You'll receive the higher of the two. Your best strategy is likely: 1. Have the lower-earning spouse (your husband) claim at FRA 2. You, as the higher earner, wait until 70 to maximize your benefit 3. This approach maximizes your survivor benefit protection too, since whichever of you lives longer will get the higher benefit amount

I went through this EXACT situation last year with me and my wife! The 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act eliminated the old strategies. Now if you were born after Jan 1954, you CANNOT file restricted applications anymore. What we did: I had the lower benefit and filed at my FRA. My wife (higher benefit) is waiting till 70. This maximized our lifetime benefits according to the calculator we used. Run the numbers - usually having the higher-earner delay till 70 works out best in the long run, especially if either of you might live past 80. Also, don't forget to factor in that survivor benefits will eventually be based on the highest benefit between you two. So having one person max out their benefit by waiting till 70 creates inflation-protected insurance for whoever lives longer.

All these rules are so confusing!! When I called SSA they told me something completely different than what my neighbor got told. Their own employees don't even understand all the rules!

ok im going to try to explain this simpler than everyone else lol. if you were born before 1954 you could do the restricted application thing. after 1954 (which both of you are) you CANT. when you apply for ANY benefit you automatically apply for ALL benefits. its annoying but thats how they changed it in 2015.

I think ur all making this WAY more complicated than it needs to be. Just have hubby wait till his FRA and you wait till YOUR FRA and then both of u apply at same time. That's what me and my wife did. No regrets!!!

When my husband and I were figuring this out, I got SO FRUSTRATED with all the confusing info out there. I spent HOURS trying to reach someone at Social Security who could give me a straight answer!!! Called for THREE DAYS and either couldn't get through or got disconnected. When I finally did reach someone, they seemed confused about our situation too! What finally helped was finding a financial advisor who SPECIALIZES in Social Security. Regular financial advisors often don't know all the intricate rules. The specialist confirmed what others here are saying - born after 1954 means restricted applications are GONE FOREVER. 😡 So annoying they changed the rules! It cost us thousands in potential benefits!

Here's what many people miss in this calculation: tax implications. If you both claim at FRA, you might push yourselves into a higher tax bracket compared to staggering your claims. Up to 85% of Social Security can be taxable if your combined income exceeds certain thresholds. Another consideration: if either of you is still working, claiming before 70 might subject you to the earnings test, which temporarily withholds benefits (though you get them back later). The math definitely favors having the higher earner wait until 70 in most scenarios. The lower earner claiming at FRA is usually optimal. Run the numbers through a good calculator that factors in longevity estimates, taxes, and inflation.

Just to give you some real numbers to help you decide: If your FRA benefit is $2,950 and you wait until 70, it would grow to approximately $3,864 per month (about 31% more). That's an extra $914/month for life, plus larger COLAs since they're percentage-based. If your husband claims at FRA, he gets his full $2,250. If you claimed a spousal benefit, it would be at most about $1,125 (50% of his). So by waiting to 70, you're giving up 4 years of $1,125/month spousal benefits (about $54,000 total), but gaining $914/month for life compared to your FRA amount. You'd recover that $54,000 in about 59 months (less than 5 years) after age 70. If you live past 75, waiting to 70 comes out ahead.

my sister tried doing the thing where she only filed for spousal and they AUTOMATICALLY filed her for her own benefits too even though she told them not to. she was so mad! but the SSA person said the law changed and they had no choice. this was in 2020.