Millions of Married Retirees Are Quietly Leaving Social Security Money on the Table

Many married couples treat Social Security as a single claiming decision, choosing an age and filing together. That sounds simple and fair, but two benefits that affect each other for as long as either spouse is alive may need two different claiming strategies.

A lack of that coordination can cut the income the surviving spouse has to live on for years. Here’s how married couples file differently to maximize their retirement benefits and how you can work together on the decision.

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Why one claiming age shapes both spouses’ futures

When one spouse passes away, the survivor doesn’t get to keep both checks. If you qualify for a survivor benefit and another benefit, the Social Security Administration will pay you the larger of the two benefits rather than adding them together.

This makes the claiming age of the higher-earning spouse especially important. The spouse who survives usually receives 100% of the benefit the worker was receiving at full retirement age (FRA). If the worker was receiving a reduced benefit, the survivor benefit is based on the reduced benefit. In short, the decision of the higher-earning spouse could determine the income floor for whichever spouse lives longer.

According to the SSA, married couples at age 65 have a 50/50 chance of one spouse living more than 90 years.

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Why the higher earner may want to delay until 70

For each full year you delay past your FRA, your benefit increases 8%. However, the increase caps at 70. For example, a worker with a $2,000 monthly benefit at FRA of 67 would get $1,400 by claiming at 62 or $2,480 by waiting until 70.

The larger check could be the survivor benefit, so waiting is a kind of life insurance for the spouse who outlives the other.

The lower earner’s math is different. That smaller benefit is the one you’re probably going to lose after the first death, so maybe taking it earlier makes sense. The smaller check can help pay down expenses, while the larger benefit keeps growing.

That’s why claiming both benefits at the same age could mean leaving money on the table.

Spousal benefit rules couples often misread

Here are some spousal benefit rules that tend to trip couples up:

• They max out at FRA: The spouse could get as much as 50% of the worker’s FRA benefit. If your FRA is 67, claiming at 62 cuts that by 32.5%.

• They don’t earn delayed credits: If you wait past FRA, your spouse’s benefit won’t go up, and the spousal amount doesn’t include delayed retirement credits.

• The worker generally has to file first: The current spouse cannot receive spousal benefits until the worker applies for retirement benefits.

• Filing for one may mean filing for both: If you were born on or after January 2, 1954, and qualify for your own and a spousal benefit, applying for one is considered to be applying for both. The SSA refers to this as “deemed filing.”

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Other coordination mistakes to watch

Beyond deciding when each spouse should claim Social Security, couples should also be aware of other rules that could affect their benefits.

Working while collecting

If one spouse continues to work and collect Social Security before reaching FRA, the earnings test can reduce benefits temporarily.

In 2026, a person who has not reached FRA for the entire year can earn $24,480 before the earnings test applies. The SSA then deducts $1 in benefits for every $2 earned above this limit.

In the year you reach FRA, the limit is $65,160, with $1 withheld for every $3 over the limit. There’s no earnings test once you reach FRA.

You don’t lose the withheld benefits forever because the SSA will recalculate your benefit at FRA. But a worker’s earnings above that amount could reduce the benefits paid to family members on that record, while a spouse’s own earnings would affect only their own benefit.

Taxes on combined income

The SSA defines “combined income” as your adjusted gross income plus nontaxable interest and half of your Social Security benefits. If filing jointly, you may owe tax on up to 50% of your benefits if your combined income is between $32,000 and $44,000 and up to 85% if it’s above $44,000.

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Divorced-spouse benefits

An ex-spouse who has been married for at least 10 years and is at least age 62 and not married may use a former partner’s record. If you have been divorced for at least two consecutive years and you are both at least 62, you may collect even if your ex has not filed. These benefits do not offset what your ex or his/her current spouse gets.

When claiming earlier might be the smarter move

Delaying Social Security isn’t a smart move for every couple. It may be more reasonable to claim earlier if:

• Both spouses have health concerns: If neither expects a long retirement, there may not be enough time for a bigger check to pay off later. But if the higher earner is the one who is in poor health, a delay could still help protect the survivor.

• There’s a large age gap: If the higher-earning spouse is much younger, they’re more likely to outlive their spouse and keep their own benefit, so delaying gives you less survivor protection. Waiting also could hold up an older lower-earning spouse’s top-up for years.

• There’s no income to bridge the gap: Waiting until 70 means paying bills out of savings, work, or other sources of income. Without that buffer, an earlier check can help preserve savings and avoid taking on debt.

Bottom line

Your Social Security claims are tied together, so you might want to decide together. Start by pulling personalized estimates for each one of you from my Social Security account, then compare scenarios whereby the higher-earning spouse claims at different ages and the lower earner claims earlier.

Run each plan based on the scenario of one spouse dying first, not just while you’re both alive. Even the month you retire early and start benefits could affect what you and your family receive, so it may be a good idea to check with the SSA before either of you file.

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