Should Both Spouses Claim Social Security At The Same Time?
For married couples approaching retirement, deciding when to claim Social Security is rarely as simple as choosing an age for each spouse. One of the most common questions is whether both spouses should start Social Security at the same time.
Often, the answer is no. Married couples do not have to claim Social Security at the same time, and in many situations, there can be a meaningful difference between claiming together and staggering the start of benefits.
The right approach depends on each spouse’s individual benefit, age, earnings history, retirement income needs, tax situation, health and longevity considerations, and the potential impact on the surviving spouse. Social Security should be viewed as part of the household’s overall retirement income plan rather than as two completely separate decisions.
How Social Security Benefits Work for Married Couples
Each spouse generally earns a retirement benefit based on their own work history. The amount depends primarily on their earnings record and the age at which they begin receiving benefits. A spouse may also qualify for a benefit based on the other spouse’s earnings record. At full retirement age, a spousal benefit can be as much as 50% of the other spouse’s full retirement age benefit. Claiming a spousal benefit before full retirement age can result in a permanent reduction. This creates an important distinction between a person’s own retirement benefit and a spousal benefit.
Consider a couple where one spouse has a substantially larger Social Security benefit because of a longer or higher earning career. The lower earning spouse may have a retirement benefit based on their own record, but may also qualify for a larger benefit based on their spouse’s record. The household therefore needs to look at how the two benefits interact rather than simply asking when each person should claim their own benefit.
For people who turned 62 on or after January 2, 2016, Social Security’s deemed filing rules generally require someone who is eligible for both their own retirement benefit and a spousal benefit to apply for both when they claim. This means the old strategy of starting a spousal benefit while allowing a separate retirement benefit to continue growing is generally no longer available to this group.
One Spouse Can Claim While the Other Delays
There is no requirement that both spouses begin benefits together. For example, one spouse might begin Social Security at 67 while the other waits until 70. This can make sense when the higher earning spouse has sufficient retirement assets or other income to delay their benefit. For someone born in 1960 or later, full retirement age is 67. Once full retirement age has been reached, delaying retirement benefits increases the worker’s benefit by 8% per year until age 70, although the exact calculation is applied monthly. There is no additional increase for delaying beyond age 70. That increase can matter because the higher benefit may eventually become the surviving spouse’s benefit. Suppose one spouse has a significantly larger Social Security benefit and is also older or expected to be the higher income earner throughout retirement. Delaying that larger benefit can increase the monthly income available later in life and can provide additional protection for the surviving spouse. This is one reason a couple should not automatically assume that both spouses should claim at the same age.
The Survivor Benefit Can Change the Decision
A Social Security decision made today can affect the surviving spouse years later. When one spouse dies, the surviving spouse may be eligible for a survivor benefit based on the deceased spouse’s earnings record. The survivor benefit can be as much as 100% of the deceased spouse’s benefit when claimed at the survivor’s full retirement age, although claiming earlier can reduce the amount. This creates a planning consideration that is easy to overlook. A higher earning spouse who delays Social Security is not necessarily making a decision that benefits only themselves. Their larger benefit can also increase the amount potentially available to the surviving spouse. The impact can be particularly important when there is a large difference between the spouses’ Social Security benefits. If the higher benefit is $4,000 per month and the lower benefit is $1,500, for example, the household has a very different survivor income picture than a couple where both spouses have similar benefits. The question is therefore not simply how much the couple can collect over the next several years. It is also how much dependable income may be available if one spouse lives significantly longer than the other.
Claiming at the Same Time Can Still Make Sense
Staggering benefits is not automatically better. Some couples may have a strong reason to begin both benefits around the same time. They may need the income to cover retirement expenses, have limited investment assets available for withdrawals, or place a high value on receiving Social Security sooner rather than drawing down their portfolio. Health and longevity expectations can also influence the decision. A person who expects to have a shorter retirement may place more value on receiving benefits earlier, while someone expecting a longer retirement may place greater value on maximizing their monthly benefit later in life. Taxes are another consideration. Social Security benefits can be taxable depending on a household’s income, and the interaction between Social Security, IRA withdrawals, 401(k) distributions, investment income and other sources of cash flow can affect the amount of a couple’s retirement income that ultimately goes toward taxes. For that reason, claiming Social Security should not be evaluated independently from the rest of the retirement plan.
What If One Spouse Is Still Working?
A couple may also choose different claiming ages because one spouse continues working. If someone claims Social Security before full retirement age while continuing to work, the earnings test can temporarily reduce their Social Security payments if their earnings exceed the applicable limit. In 2026, the annual earnings limit is $24,480 for someone who is under full retirement age for the entire year. A different limit applies during the year a person reaches full retirement age. After full retirement age, earnings no longer reduce Social Security benefits. This can make the timing of Social Security more complicated for couples who are transitioning into retirement at different times. A spouse who has stopped working may have the flexibility to begin benefits while the other spouse continues working and delays their own benefit. Whether that makes sense depends on the household’s income needs and the value of allowing the larger benefit to grow.
The Decision Should Fit Into the Retirement Income Plan
Social Security is one source of retirement income. For many households, the other major sources are retirement accounts, taxable investments, pensions, cash and continued employment income. That means the best claiming strategy cannot be determined from the Social Security statement alone. For example, a couple may decide to delay one spouse’s benefit and use withdrawals from an IRA or brokerage account to cover the gap. Another couple may choose to claim Social Security earlier and preserve more of their investment portfolio. Both approaches can produce very different tax and cash flow outcomes even when the couple has the same Social Security estimates. The sequence of withdrawals can matter as well. A household may have several years between retirement and required minimum distributions, creating an opportunity to coordinate Social Security claiming with portfolio withdrawals and future tax liabilities. This is where Social Security planning becomes part of broader retirement planning rather than an isolated decision.
How Corbett Road Approaches Social Security Planning
At Corbett Road Wealth Management, we look at Social Security as one component of a client’s overall retirement income strategy. For married couples, that means looking at more than each spouse’s projected monthly benefit. We consider the timing of both benefits, the potential spousal and survivor benefits, portfolio withdrawals, taxes, retirement spending needs and the household’s broader financial plan. A couple approaching retirement may want to compare several claiming scenarios rather than settling on a single age immediately. One scenario might have both spouses claim at full retirement age. Another might have one spouse claim earlier while the other delays to 70. A third might use investment assets for several years while both spouses delay their benefits.
The purpose is not to find a universal Social Security rule. It is to understand how each choice changes the household’s income, taxes, portfolio and potential survivor income. The important part is making the decision based on the couple’s complete financial picture rather than choosing the same claiming age simply because both spouses are retiring at roughly the same time.
IMPORTANT DISCLOSURES
This post was created with the assistance of AI tools for research and drafting. It was reviewed, edited, and fact-checked by Sean Rosencrance before publication. Please verify any critical information.
These materials are provided for general information and educational purposes based upon publicly available information from sources believed to be reliable—we cannot assure the accuracy or completeness of these materials. The information in these materials does not constitute tax or legal advice and may change at any time and without notice. Please consult with a qualified tax professional, attorney, or Wealth Manager regarding your specific situation.
Corbett Road Wealth Management provides all investment advisory services through Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. Corbett Road Wealth Management and Concurrent Investment Advisors, LLC are not affiliated companies.
