Should I take my Social Security benefits before FRA if my husband is still working with earnings above the maximum taxable limit?

The SS calculator is likely suggesting you claim early because as the lower earner, you'd eventually get a spousal benefit when your husband files (assuming his benefit would be more than twice yours). Your husband's continued work won't directly impact your benefit eligibility, but there are a few important considerations: 1. If you'll be collecting spousal benefits eventually, claiming your own reduced benefits early and then switching to spousal later can make financial sense 2. The maximum taxable earnings limit (the contribution and benefit base) just means your husband is paying the maximum SS taxes, which is good for his future benefit calculation 3. His continued earnings won't reduce your benefits because the earnings test only applies to the person who's working while collecting

the calculater is probly saying that cuz if u take urs early then when ur husbend claims HIS benefits later u can get the sposel benefit instead if its higher than urs. my sister in law did this exact thing!!!

What the calculator isn't factoring in is your complete financial picture. While mathematically it often makes sense for the lower earner to claim earlier, there are other considerations: 1. Tax implications: If your husband is still earning high income, your SS benefits could be up to 85% taxable when filing jointly 2. Provisional income: His high earnings + your benefits might push you into a higher tax bracket 3. Medicare IRMAA: Higher income means higher Medicare premiums when you reach 65 The maximum taxable earnings limit ($173,100 in 2025) just means he's maxing out his Social Security contributions, but his actual income could still impact your tax situation when you claim.

I've spent hours on the phone with SSA about this EXACT situation! The term you're looking for is the "maximum taxable earnings" or "wage base limit" ($173,100 for 2025). Here's what nobody tells you: The SS calculator is ONLY looking at maximizing your lifetime benefits in isolation. It doesn't account for: - Family maximum benefit considerations - The fact that your husband's earnings will continue improving his AIME calculation - Potentially different life expectancies The optimal strategy for married couples is often for lower earner to claim early and higher earner to delay until 70. Each year your husband delays past FRA increases his benefit by 8%, which also increases YOUR survivor benefit if he passes away first. I was getting nowhere with SSA until I used Claimyr to reach them directly (https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU). Their service connects you with an actual agent in minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. The agent I spoke with confirmed this strategy made sense in our situation.

ACTUALY the SS calculations are WRONG a lot of times!!!! My neighbor took her benefits early because the "calculator" said so and regretted it BIG TIME. They don't tell you about the HUGE tax hit when your spouse makes good money. HALF my SS is taxed away because my husband still works!!!! 😡

The term you're looking for is the "maximum taxable earnings" or "contribution and benefit base" - that's the income cap for Social Security tax purposes ($173,100 in 2025). Your situation is actually quite common, and yes, the calculator is likely recommending the mathematically optimal path. Here's why: 1. As the lower earner claiming early, you start receiving benefits for those years 2. When your husband eventually files, you'll get an additional amount if the spousal benefit (50% of his FRA amount) exceeds your own reduced benefit 3. Meanwhile, his benefit grows by 8% per year beyond FRA, which maximizes both his retirement benefit AND your potential survivor benefit if he passes away first The strategy is sometimes called "claim now, claim more later" and often works well for couples with significant earnings differences.

my friend just went thru this and the social security office told her to definatley take hers early since her husband makes more. they said its free money while waiting for the bigger benefit later! but then again the goverment always gives different answers to everyone lol

To address your follow-up questions: Yes, you'd take your own reduced benefit at 64, then potentially get a spousal boost when your husband files at 70. However, some important clarifications: 1. The spousal boost would only happen if 50% of your husband's PIA (his benefit at his FRA) is greater than your own benefit at your FRA 2. Your husband's earnings while you're collecting won't reduce YOUR benefits (the earnings test only applies to the person who is both working AND collecting) 3. However, your combined income will affect how much of your Social Security is taxed Based on your comments about his high income, I'd suggest consulting with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies. The taxation aspect might significantly impact the optimal decision in your case.

One thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the potential impact on your Medicare decisions down the road. If you're planning to claim Social Security at 64, you'll need to consider how this affects your Medicare enrollment timeline at 65. Also, since your husband earns above the maximum taxable limit, his Social Security benefit calculation is already maxed out for the current year in terms of the formula. Any additional earnings beyond $173,100 won't increase his Social Security benefit further for 2025, but they will continue to improve his highest 35 years of earnings if this year replaces a lower-earning year in his calculation. The key insight many people miss is that Social Security claiming is really about optimizing household income over your joint lifetimes, not just individual benefits. Given the significant income disparity you've described, the early claiming strategy likely makes sense, but definitely run the numbers on the tax impact first. You might find that even with higher taxes, the extra years of benefits still come out ahead mathematically.

The strategy you're considering makes a lot of sense mathematically, especially given the significant earnings difference between you and your husband. Since he's earning above the maximum taxable limit ($173,100 for 2025), his Social Security benefit is already being calculated at the highest possible level for this year. Here's what I'd focus on in your situation: 1. **Spousal benefit timing**: When your husband files at 70, you'd potentially receive the higher of your own benefit OR 50% of his full retirement age benefit amount (not his delayed retirement credit amount). Since his benefit will be substantial, this could mean a nice boost for you. 2. **Survivor benefit consideration**: By having your husband delay until 70, his benefit grows by 32% beyond his FRA due to delayed retirement credits. This also maximizes your potential survivor benefit if he passes away first - a crucial factor many couples overlook. 3. **Tax planning opportunity**: Since you mentioned his income is well above the taxable limit, you'll definitely want to model the tax impact. Your Social Security benefits will likely be 85% taxable given your combined income, but even with taxes, claiming early often still provides a net positive over the claiming period. The calculator is probably right, but definitely run a comprehensive analysis that includes taxes before deciding. Have you considered using a fee-only financial advisor who specializes in Social Security optimization?