As someone who just went through this decision process last year, I wanted to share my experience. My situation was very similar - I was the higher earner and my husband had already been collecting his benefits. I was really torn about filing early because I kept reading conflicting information online about how it would affect spousal benefits. What ultimately helped me was creating a spreadsheet comparing different scenarios over 10, 15, and 20 years. Even though my husband's spousal benefit wouldn't be reduced by my early filing, I still had to weigh my permanent benefit reduction against our immediate financial needs. One thing I wish I had considered more carefully was the impact on survivor benefits. Since I'm likely to outlive my husband statistically, my reduced benefit could become his survivor benefit down the road. That's something worth factoring into your decision beyond just the current spousal benefit calculation. Also, don't forget that once you file, you can't change your mind and unfille (except within the first 12 months and only if you pay back everything you received). So make sure you're really comfortable with the permanent reduction to your monthly benefit before you pull the trigger.

I've been following this discussion closely as I'm in a very similar situation with my spouse. One additional consideration I haven't seen mentioned yet is the impact of Medicare premiums on your decision timeline. Since you're turning 66, you'll be enrolling in Medicare soon, and your Social Security benefits can be used to pay those premiums automatically. If you're planning to file early anyway due to immediate financial needs, it might make sense to coordinate the timing with your Medicare enrollment to streamline the premium payments. Also, if you're still working and have employer health insurance, you'll need to factor in how Medicare coordination works with your current coverage. Just another piece of the puzzle to consider alongside all the excellent advice about spousal benefits, survivor benefits, and break-even calculations that others have shared!

Since we're clarifying misconceptions, let me address the part about being "married way over 20 years" - that duration only matters for divorced spouse benefits (which require a 10-year marriage). For currently married couples, there's no marriage duration requirement for spousal benefits except that you must be currently married. To summarize your situation: 1. You'll get 100% of your own benefit at FRA in March 2025 2. Your husband's early filing has no impact on your benefit amount 3. You'll get either your own benefit OR a spousal benefit (whichever is higher), not both 4. Since you worked your entire life, your own benefit is likely higher than any spousal benefit If you want to verify all this, call SSA at 1-800-772-1213 and request a benefit verification or speak with a claims specialist.

Just wanted to add my experience to help confirm what others have said. I was in almost the exact same situation - my husband filed at 62 and I waited until my FRA at 66. I was also told by someone at our local senior center that my benefits would be reduced because of his early filing. Complete nonsense! When I filed, I got my full PIA with no reduction whatsoever. Your own retirement benefit is calculated independently based on YOUR earnings record and YOUR filing age. Period. The confusion probably comes from the fact that if you were to take a spousal benefit (which you won't need to since your own is higher), THAT could be affected by various factors. But your own retirement benefit? Absolutely not affected by your spouse's decisions. File with confidence in March! You've earned every penny of that benefit through your 32 years of work.

Great question and really smart of you to research this thoroughly before making the decision! I'm currently 68 and went through this same analysis two years ago. Here's what I wish someone had told me: The math really does favor waiting until 70 if you can swing it financially, especially with your income level. That guaranteed 8% return is hard to beat anywhere else. But there's also a psychological factor - having that SS check coming in while you're still working gives you more flexibility if your work situation changes unexpectedly. One practical tip: consider doing a "test run" with your budget. Calculate what your monthly expenses would be if you were only living on your $70K salary (minus taxes, 401k contributions, etc.) and see how comfortable that feels. If you can live well on just your work income, that makes the case for waiting until 70 much stronger since you're not sacrificing your lifestyle. Also, don't forget that your SS benefit will get annual COLA increases once you start collecting, so that higher base amount from waiting pays dividends every year through cost of living adjustments. The difference compounds over time!

This is such a valuable discussion! I'm approaching 65 and have been wrestling with similar questions. One aspect I haven't seen mentioned yet is how this decision impacts your overall retirement income strategy if you have other assets like 401(k)s or IRAs. If you're planning to work until 70 anyway, waiting to claim SS gives you more flexibility with withdrawal sequencing from your other retirement accounts. You can potentially keep yourself in lower tax brackets during those years between FRA and 70 by carefully managing 401(k) withdrawals, then have the higher SS benefit as a larger foundation once you do fully retire. Also, for anyone reading this thread who might be married - the spousal and survivor benefit implications make the "wait until 70" strategy even more compelling since those benefits are also based on your higher delayed retirement credit amount. The fact that you're earning $70K and don't seem to desperately need the SS income right now puts you in an enviable position to optimize for the long term. That guaranteed 8% annual increase really is hard to replicate in today's market environment!

This is such a valuable discussion! As someone approaching a similar decision point, I wanted to add another perspective that might be helpful. Beyond the pure financial calculations, consider your quality of life goals and what you want to do with those extra years of good health. If you're planning to work until 70 anyway and enjoy your job, waiting for maximum benefits makes a lot of sense - especially given your family longevity and the survivor benefit implications for your spouse. But if you're feeling any burnout or have travel/hobby goals you'd like to pursue, having that extra $2,950/month starting at FRA could give you more flexibility to transition to part-time work or consulting. Also, don't forget about Medicare enrollment timing. Since you're still on employer coverage, make sure you understand how that interacts with Medicare Part B enrollment to avoid any late penalties. The policy uncertainty point that Nia raised is really thought-provoking too. While we can't predict exactly what changes might come, higher earners are often the first targets for means testing or increased taxation on benefits.

Great question about tax planning, Oliver! When I started taking SS at FRA while still working full-time, I definitely had to adjust my strategy. Here's what worked for me: 1. I increased my federal withholding at work by about $200/month to cover the additional tax on SS benefits 2. Since about 85% of my SS was taxable at my income level, I calculated that roughly $2,500 of my monthly $2,800 benefit would be subject to tax 3. I also started making small quarterly estimated payments (about $300) to avoid any underpayment penalties The key is running the numbers early in the year when you start collecting. The IRS has a worksheet in Publication 915 that helps calculate the taxable portion of SS benefits based on your "combined income" (AGI + nontaxable interest + 50% of SS benefits). One unexpected benefit: having that steady SS income actually made it easier to max out my 401(k) contributions in my final working years since I had other income to cover living expenses. That extra tax-deferred savings helped offset some of the tax hit from the SS benefits. I'd definitely recommend working with a tax professional the first year you start collecting while working - the interaction between earned income, SS benefits, and tax brackets can get complicated quickly.

Just wanted to add another perspective as someone who's been through this process! I claimed at FRA and continued working for 4 more years. The key thing to understand is that the recalculation happens automatically each year, but you might not see the increase until the following October. Also, if you have any years with $0 earnings in your record (maybe from being a student, unemployed, or caring for family), those are the easiest to replace and will give you the biggest benefit boost. Even if all 35 years have earnings, your new higher consulting income could still bump out a lower year from early in your career when wages were much lower. Congratulations on the great consulting opportunity - sounds like a win-win situation!

As someone new to this community, I wanted to thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm approaching 62 and have been trying to understand all the nuances of Social Security planning. Reading through these real-world experiences has been so much more helpful than wading through the official SSA publications. The point about Medicare premiums potentially masking benefit increases is something I never would have thought of. And learning about the AERO process gives me confidence that continuing to work past FRA won't just avoid penalties but could actually provide modest increases. It's reassuring to see a community where people share their actual experiences - both the successes (like the $90/month increase) and the reality checks (like the $11/month bump). This kind of practical knowledge is invaluable for planning decisions. Thanks to everyone who contributed their insights!