Should I claim Social Security at 66 instead of FRA? Husband already collecting at 70

The main issue with taking SS before FRA is the earnings limit. If you're still working and earn above $22,320 in 2025, they'll withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 you earn over that limit. After FRA, there's no earnings limit at all. Also, if you might need to take spousal benefits later, claiming your own retirement early permanently reduces any spousal benefit you might get when your husband passes away. These are things many people overlook when just comparing the monthly amounts.

my sister took hers at 64 and regrets it now cause she went back to work part time and they take money away from her check!! make sure ur really done working before u decide

If the difference is only $175/month, that's about $2,100/year. If you wait 8 months, you're giving up approximately $14,000 in benefits you could have received ($1,750 × 8 months, assuming your benefit at 66 would be about $1,750). It would take nearly 7 years of receiving that extra $175/month to break even on what you gave up by waiting. Since your husband is already 76, your strategy makes sense if you're looking at joint life expectancy. One important clarification though: survivor benefits are NOT affected by when you claim your own retirement. You'll get his full amount as a survivor benefit regardless of when you claim your own benefit. The reduction for claiming early only affects your own retirement benefit and any spousal benefit while he's alive (which you probably won't get anyway if your own benefit is close to 50% of his).

Everyone's situation is different but I'm taking mine at 62 and investing it! My financial advisor says if I get even a 5% return I'll be ahead in the long run compared to waiting til 67. You never know how long you'll live!

One additional factor to consider is Medicare IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). If your combined income pushes you into a higher IRMAA bracket, you'll pay more for Medicare Part B and D. Sometimes waiting until FRA can help manage your taxable income better, especially if you're taking withdrawals from retirement accounts. Also, the tax implications of Social Security need to be factored in. Up to 85% of your benefits may be taxable depending on your combined income. If you're taking distributions from retirement accounts, adding Social Security could push more of your benefits into the taxable range.

I've been trying to reach SSA for weeks to ask similar questions and keep getting disconnected or waiting for hours!!! So frustrating when you just need answers to plan your retirement!!!!!

Based on actuarial tables, the average 66-year-old woman today will live to about 86. That means you'll likely get 20 years of benefits. The slight reduction for claiming before FRA is fairly insignificant in your case, especially with the age gap between you and your husband. From a purely mathematical perspective, claiming now makes sense. The 8 months of benefits you'll receive now have more present value than the slightly higher amount later, particularly considering the joint life expectancy factors. The SSA designs the system to be roughly actuarially neutral, but with your specific situation, claiming at 66 is rational.

My freind claimed early and her husband died last year and she got a nasty surprise. She thought shed get his full amount but shes getting less then she should bcause of taking hers early! Check into that!!!

My husband is 8 years older than me too! I took my SS at 65 and 4 months (my FRA is 66+6mo) because we did the math and it made sense for us as a couple. No regrets! The peace of mind from having that extra income now was worth more than waiting.

One more thing to consider: if you're planning to make any large purchases or have home repairs coming up, having that extra income now could help you avoid tapping into savings. That's a non-mathematical factor, but still important for many retirees. Based on everything you've shared, it sounds like claiming now aligns with your situation. Just make sure to coordinate with your husband on a plan for when one of you passes - the household will go from two SS benefits to one at that point, so having a financial cushion is important.