Should I really take Social Security at 62 while my higher-earning husband waits? Confused about this advice

its just math. if he waits til 70 his benefit goes up by 8% every year after fra. yours only goes up like 6.5% i think. plus when either of u die the survivor gets the HIGHER of the two benefits not both. so if he has the bigger benefit and waits u get more $ if he dies first

This strategy is commonly recommended because it optimizes your household's lifetime Social Security income. Here's why: 1. Survivor Benefit: When one spouse dies, the surviving spouse receives the HIGHER of the two benefits. By having your husband delay until 70, he increases his benefit by 8% per year beyond FRA. This creates a larger survivor benefit for whichever of you lives longer. 2. Spousal Coordination: When you claim at 62, you'll receive your own reduced benefit. Later, if your spousal benefit (up to 50% of his FRA amount) would be higher than your own reduced benefit, you can switch to that. 3. Life Expectancy: Women typically outlive men. Having the higher earner delay benefits creates insurance against longevity risk for the surviving spouse. 4. Married 8 Years: Since you've been married more than the required minimum (1 year for spousal benefits, 9 months for survivor benefits), you qualify for both types of benefits, assuming neither of you remarried after any previous divorces. This strategy balances getting some income now (your age-62 benefit) while maximizing the long-term household benefit through your husband's delayed retirement credits.

I had the EXACT same question when I was approaching 62 (I'm 64 now). My husband is 63 and was the higher earner too. What really helped me understand was calculating the "break even" point. I ended up claiming at 62 and my monthly check is $1,420. If I had waited until my FRA at 67, it would have been around $2,125. My husband is waiting until 70 and will get about $3,780 instead of the $2,700 he'd get at his FRA. The KEY thing to understand is that if he dies first, I'll step up to his $3,780 benefit as a survivor. If I die first, he keeps his higher amount anyway. This creates a much higher "floor" for whoever is left. One thing no one told me - when I claimed early, they automatically check if my spousal benefit (when my husband files) would be higher than my own. You don't have to do anything special to get the higher amount later!

This strategy is recommended ALL the time because the SSA agents are USELESS at explaining the actual benefits!!! I tried SEVEN TIMES to get a straight answer about this exact situation for me and my wife. Every time I called, I'd wait 2+ hours and either get disconnected or get someone who gave me different information than the last person!!! The real reason for this advice: IT'S ALL ABOUT THE SURVIVOR BENEFIT!!! When you die, your benefits DIE WITH YOU! But your husband's larger benefit (especially if he waits until 70) becomes YOUR benefit if he dies first! The system is designed to protect the lower earner (usually the wife). Don't listen to the SSA - they'll just confuse you more!!

I think everyones situation is different and u shouldn't just follow what other ppl say. My wife and I both claimed at 62 and were happy with our choice. Who knows how long any of us have? I rather have the money now then wait around for years hoping to live long enough to break even. Just my 2 cents

Thank you everyone for your helpful responses! I'm understanding this much better now. It seems like the key benefit is protecting me long-term through the survivor benefit if my husband passes away first. I'm going to sit down with him this weekend and look at some actual calculations with our specific benefit amounts from the SSA website. Apparently I've been thinking too short-term about the immediate monthly checks rather than our total lifetime benefits. I really appreciate everyone sharing their knowledge and experiences!

Just wanted to add one thing - if your husband is still working, make sure to factor in how his last few years of earnings might increase his benefit calculation. My husband's final years of work at higher income actually bumped up his PIA since they replaced some lower-earning years from when he was young. The SSA uses the highest 35 years of earnings, so those last high-earning years can make a meaningful difference!

im confused about one thing. if ur only married 8 yrs does that affect spousal benefits? i thought u had to be married 10 yrs for that?