Should I delay Social Security until 70 even though my husband and I manage finances separately?

If you have savings to get by, ALWAYS delay!!! I took mine at 62 because I needed the money and now I'm kicking myself every month when I see that tiny check. Once you lock in that smaller amount, your stuck with it FOREVER. Just my 2 cents.

I was in almost the exact same situation! My wife and I have always kept separate finances (40+ years of marriage). I waited until 70 to maximize my benefit even though conventional wisdom says only the higher earner should wait. Since your finances are separate, you need to think about YOUR longevity, not just the typical married couple strategy. The 8% per year increase from delaying is guaranteed - where else can you get that kind of return with zero risk? With $390k in savings, you can easily bridge the gap. Bonus: If you end up outliving your husband, you'd get his larger benefit as a survivor benefit anyway, so delaying yours now gives you the best of both worlds - maximum personal benefit now, and still his larger benefit if he passes first.

my brother waited til 70 and then died at 71 so all that waiting was for nothing just saying

Since you and your husband manage finances separately, you should absolutely think of your claiming strategy independently. The standard advice about one spouse claiming early and one delaying is based on the assumption that you're pooling resources. By delaying until 70, your monthly benefit would increase from $2,400 to approximately $2,976 (a 24% increase). If you live into your mid-80s, which is the average life expectancy for a woman your age in good health, you'll come out significantly ahead financially. Another consideration: Social Security benefits receive annual COLA increases. When you delay, those increases apply to a larger base amount, giving you even more over time. With $390,000 in savings, you have more than enough to bridge the gap for three years, especially if you're only withdrawing what your SS payment would have been ($2,400/month = $86,400 total over 3 years).

I tried calling SSA to discuss a similar situation with my benefits but couldn't get through after trying for WEEKS!! Then my neighbor told me about this service called Claimyr that got her through to an agent in just 20 minutes. I was skeptical but tried it and it worked! I finally got my questions answered. There's a video showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU and the website is claimyr.com if anyone else is struggling to reach SSA. Saved me so much frustration!

Speaking from experience, the separate finances angle is key here. My wife and I also keep separate accounts, and we both delayed to 70. The math works out better when you look at YOUR individual situation rather than treating it as a household. The standard advice (one takes early, one delays) is about maximizing household income while also getting some money flowing earlier. Since you're not pooling funds, that strategy doesn't apply to you. If you're healthy and have longevity in your family, definitely delay. Just make sure you're investing that $390k appropriately for the next few years - you want it in relatively safe investments since you'll be drawing it down, but not so conservative that inflation eats away at your purchasing power.

wait im confused. if ur husband already filed does it even matter when u file? dont u just get half of his benefit anyways or am i getting things mixed up?

Everyone keeps saying wait if you can afford it, but NOBODYS talking about what that money could do for you NOW!!! I'm 68 and took mine at 66 because I wanted to ENJOY my retirement while I'm still healthy enough to travel and do things. What good is extra $$ at 85 when you might be too old to enjoy it?? Just another perspective...

Let me address a few key points about your situation: 1. For couples with separate finances, the standard "one delays, one claims early" advice often doesn't apply. 2. With your savings level ($390,000), you can easily afford to delay claiming. 3. The 8% per year increase (actually about 8.33% per year after FRA) is a guaranteed return that's hard to beat elsewhere. 4. Women typically live longer than men, meaning you have a higher statistical likelihood of benefiting from maximized benefits. 5. If you're both in excellent health with family longevity, delaying is generally the mathematically optimal choice. One thing to consider: the optimal strategy also depends on tax implications. Since you're drawing from retirement accounts during the delay period, check how this affects your tax bracket compared to taking SS now and smaller 401(k) distributions later.

Just want to say its so refreshing to see someone who has almost $400K saved!!! So many posts here are ppl who have nothing saved and are trying to live on just SS. Good for you for being responsible!