When should lower-earning spouse claim Social Security - age 62 or wait until FRA?

This is a common planning situation and there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Here are some considerations: - If your husband claims at 62, he'll get about 30% less than his FRA benefit permanently. - If he waits until FRA, he gets 100% of his benefit amount. - When one spouse dies, the survivor gets the higher of the two benefit amounts. Since you're the higher earner and waiting until your FRA or 70, the survivor benefit is likely based on your record regardless of when your husband claims. Many financial planners suggest the lower-earning spouse claim early (62) if you need the income, especially if the higher earner is delaying to 70. This creates some income while maximizing the eventual survivor benefit.

i was in EXACTLY your situation (i made more, husband made less). we decided to have him take SS at 62 and it was a BIG MISTAKE!!!! nobody told us about the earnings test - he wanted to keep working part time and they took back almost all of his benefit because he was making too much!!! had to pay some back too. SO FRUSTRATING!!! make sure your husband isnt planning to work AT ALL if he claims before FRA!!!

For married couples with a significant earnings gap, I typically see the lower earner claiming early and the higher earner delaying as long as possible. This is especially true when there's a reasonable expectation the higher earner's benefit will become the survivor benefit eventually. Here's a simplified calculation: If your husband's FRA benefit would be ~$1,500/month: - At 62: ~$1,050/month (permanently reduced) - At FRA (67): $1,500/month The total difference from age 62-67 is about $27,000 in benefits he'd collect by starting early versus waiting. It would take ~15 years at FRA to break even on this amount (the difference between $1,050 and $1,500 monthly). Since the higher earner's benefit will become the survivor benefit, many advisors see this as a reasonable approach - getting some money flowing while maximizing the eventual survivor benefit by having you delay.

NOOO dont have him claim early!!! The SSA wants you to think thats a good idea but its a TRAP!!! When you claim early they STEAL your money for the rest of your life!! Its all a scam to save the govt money because they know most people cant wait!!!

Has anyone managed to actually speak with a SSA agent about this? I've been trying to get specific advice for my situation (similar to yours) but keep getting disconnected or waiting for hours.

i think u also need to look at taxes!!!!! when we started taking ss while still having some work income our taxes went way up because of something called "provisional income" - they tax ur ss benefits if ur over certain limits. another thing nobody warned us about!!!!

Another important consideration: If your husband claims early at 62, and you're still working, he cannot claim spousal benefits on your record until you file for your own benefits. This is something many couples overlook. If he claims at 62 on his own record, and later becomes eligible for spousal benefits when you file (which could provide up to 50% of your FRA benefit if that's higher than his own benefit), his spousal amount will still be reduced because he claimed early. The reduction is permanent.

My wife and I were in a similar position. Here's what we did: she claimed at 62 (lower earner), I waited until 70 (higher earner). This gave us some income while maximizing the eventual survivor benefit. In our case, after running the numbers, we found we'd be ahead unless we both lived past 83. Given family health history, this was the right call for us. Everyone's situation is different though.

She was fully retired. If your husband plans to work at all while collecting before FRA, definitely look into the earnings test. For 2025, if you earn over $22,320 and are under FRA, SSA withholds $1 for every $2 earned above that limit. Once you reach FRA, there's no earnings test.

Sounds like you have a good plan forming. Just to summarize the key points from this discussion: 1. Lower-earning spouse claiming early makes mathematical sense when the higher earner delays (especially since the higher benefit will become the survivor benefit) 2. Be aware of the earnings test if your husband plans to work while collecting before FRA 3. Consider potential tax implications of having Social Security income while you're still working 4. Remember that when you file, your husband might qualify for a spousal benefit if it's higher than his own, but it would be reduced if he claimed his own benefit early I recommend creating a spreadsheet to compare your total household benefits under different scenarios through age 85-90. This often helps couples visualize the long-term impact of different claiming strategies.