Social Security dilemma: Take reduced benefits at 64 or wait until FRA in 2027?

You should wait until FRA! I filed at 62 and regret it SO MUCH. The reduction is permanent and you'll never get the full amount. Plus when ur husband dies you'll get his benefit but it will be reduced if you filed early for your own.

Oh no, I hadn't thought about the survivor benefit impact! Do you know how much the reduction was from filing early? I'm trying to figure out if the money I'd collect between now and FRA would outweigh the permanent reduction.

You're asking exactly the right questions. The spousal benefit calculation gets complicated with early filing. At age 64, you'd face about a 15.6% reduction from your FRA amount, making your benefit around $1,090 monthly. After your husband files, you'd be eligible for up to 50% of his FRA amount ($1,391), reduced for your early filing. The SSA will pay your own benefit plus the difference if the spousal amount is higher.For personalized projections, you can request a benefit calculation by calling SSA or visiting your local office. Bring your recent earnings history and your husband's information. Ask specifically for a \

Thank you for breaking this down! So even the spousal benefit gets reduced because I filed early for my own? That's what I wasn't clear about. Sounds like I really should get that WHAT-IF calculation to see the actual numbers.

I just went through this exact thing last year!!! I was 63 and my husband was already collecting. The local office was ZERO help - they just kept saying \

That's so frustrating they wouldn't help with this decision! Did you ever figure out a way to get them to do the comparison calculations? The break-even point is exactly what I need to know.

Something nobody's mentioned yet - have you considered whether you'll continue working? If you file before FRA and earn over the annual limit ($19,560 in 2025), they'll withhold $1 for every $2 you earn above that limit. This could significantly reduce or eliminate your benefit until you reach FRA. On the other hand, filing early gives you money now that you could invest or use to delay drawing down retirement accounts.

This!!! I forgot to mention this in my reply but it was a huge factor in my decision. I was still working part-time and would have lost a big chunk of my benefit. The earnings test is brutal if you're still working.

i tried calling SSA for WEEKS to get this kind of comparison when i was deciding. never got through. ended up just going with my gut and filing at 63. probably left money on the table but couldn't take the frustration anymore!

Try Claimyr - it got me through to SSA in under 30 minutes after I spent days trying on my own. I used it to schedule an appointment for benefit planning. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - it was literally the only way I could get someone to answer my questions about early filing reductions. The local office actually gave me a printed analysis of different filing ages once I got an appointment.

WAIT WAIT WAIT!!! Everyone is missing a HUGE point here. If your husband was born before 1/2/1954, he might be eligible for a RESTRICTED APPLICATION to get SPOUSAL benefits on YOUR record while letting his OWN benefit continue to grow until age 70!!! This could be worth TENS OF THOUSANDS to you both! The SSA people often DON'T TELL YOU THIS option exists because it's grandfathered and they don't all understand it. THIS IS WHY YOU NEED A REAL APPOINTMENT!!!

Unfortunately, this is incorrect for their situation. Her husband is turning 69 in 2026, which means he was born in 1957, too late for the restricted application option. That strategy is only available to those born on or before January 1, 1954. Also, since he's already past his FRA, he's no longer accruing delayed retirement credits.

Based on the numbers you shared, I'd strongly recommend getting a proper analysis before filing. Your husband's benefit is much higher than yours, so maximizing survivor benefits should be a consideration. Schedule an appointment with your local SSA office specifically for retirement planning - tell them you need a comparative benefit analysis. Bring your most recent Social Security statements, birth certificates, and marriage certificate. Ask for printouts of different scenarios.

Thank you - I just called my local office and they said they don't do appointments for

dont forget about taxes too!! if u take SS early and still work u might push ur combined income over the threshold where 85% of ur benefits get taxed. happened to my sister and she was SHOCKED when she filed taxes

Wow, I hadn't even considered the tax implications. This is getting more complicated by the minute!

After struggling to reach someone at SSA for weeks about a similar situation, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through in about 20 minutes. Was able to schedule an in-person appointment where they printed out different filing scenarios for me. The video at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU shows exactly how it works. Made a huge difference in my decision - turns out waiting to file until 67 was best in my case even though I was convinced filing early was better. Worth the trouble to get actual numbers from SSA.

I'm definitely going to look into this - spending weeks trying to get answers sounds awful. Did they actually give you detailed calculations or just general advice when you finally got your appointment?

To answer your follow-up question about the appointment: You need to be strategic with SSA. Don't ask for a \

This is brilliant and exactly what worked for me! They suddenly become MUCH more helpful when they think you're ready to file that day.