Social Security spousal claiming strategy

Inputs

Your benefit at FRA (67)	$2,800
Spouse benefit at FRA (67)	$2,200
Your expected lifespan	87
Spouse expected lifespan	90
Claiming strategy	Both delay to 70 (+24%)

Supporting metrics

Your lifetime benefit	$708,288
Spouse lifetime benefit	$654,720
Total monthly at claim age	$6,200

About this calculator

Social Security claiming — when delay wins

The actuarial math: SSA designed the early/late-claim adjustments to be roughly cost-neutral at the average life expectancy. If you live longer than average, delaying wins. If shorter, early wins. The breakeven against early-claim is typically ~78-82.

The three doors

62 (early): lifetime benefit cut by ~30% from FRA. Locks in lower benefit forever including for surviving spouse.
67 (FRA): baseline. Earned-income limit no longer applies once at FRA.
70 (max delay): +8%/yr Delayed Retirement Credits past FRA = 24% boost. Caps at 70.

Two-earner couples

The higher-earner's delayed claim has compounding benefits — survivor benefit equals the deceased's claim. If you out-earn your spouse, your delaying to 70 protects them with a higher benefit if you predecease. Often the right move even if you'd personally break-even at 80.

When early-62 wins

Health condition reducing life expectancy below 78
Need cash flow now (no other retirement assets)
Married to higher earner who delays — your early claim doesn't reduce survivor benefit
High investment-return assumption (early dollars × 30 years compounding > late dollars × 17 years)

FAQ

What's my FRA actually?

Born 1955: 66+2 months. Born 1956: 66+4 months. Born 1957: 66+6 months. Born 1958: 66+8 months. Born 1959: 66+10 months. Born 1960+: 67. Calculator uses 67 as default — adjust if you're earlier-cohort.

What about spousal benefits before FRA?

Spousal benefits are 50% of the higher earner's PIA, claimable at 62 with permanent reduction. The higher earner must have already claimed (or now allow file-and-suspend; that loophole closed in 2015). Many couples file-and-suspend mistakenly assuming the old strategy still works — verify with SSA.gov.

How does Medicare interact?

Medicare eligibility starts at 65 regardless of when you claim Social Security. Premiums (Part B + D) are deducted from SS benefit if you're claiming; if you're delaying, premiums billed quarterly. Income-Related Monthly Adjustment (IRMAA) bumps premiums for higher-AGI retirees — Roth conversions can trigger this.