Social Security retirement benefits tend to be quite simple. You put in your time at work over many years. Once you reach an eligible age, you apply for Social Security. Then you start receiving those benefits. Simple as can be, isn’t it?
Nevertheless, Social Security can have several unexpected aspects—particularly for those who are married. Below are three lesser-known Social Security regulations that every married retiree ought to be aware of.
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1. If your partner asserts that benefits can significantly impact things, this could be important.
It’s well-known that one partner may file for Social Security retirement benefits using the other partner’s earning record. Nevertheless, the timing of when the higher earner applies can significantly impact the outcome.
For instance, let’s say Fred’s wife, Wilma, made significantly more money throughout their professional lives compared to him. Due to this substantial difference in income, Fred stands to gain higher Social Security benefits by leveraging Wilma’s earning record rather than his own. Consequently, Fred could qualify for as much as half of Wilma’s Social Security retirement benefit amount.
full retirement age (FRA)
.
Suppose Wilma decides to retire and claim her Social Security benefits before reaching her full retirement age (FRA). This decision would not only decrease her benefit amount but also lessen the amount Fred can receive as well.
If Wilma decides to wait until she turns 70 to file for her Social Security retirement benefits, this will boost her payments; however, it won’t affect Fred’s spousal benefits. Keep in mind that Fred is limited to receiving an amount equal to at most half of what Wilma would be entitled to.
at her FRA
However, delaying until age 70 might assist Fred indirectly — by boosting his survivor benefits should Wilma pass away first.
2. Husbands or wives may start by claiming benefits according to their own income records and subsequently change to receiving spousal benefits under certain conditions.
A lesser-known provision of Social Security allows lower-earning partners to first file for benefits using their individual work record, before potentially switching to receive spouse’s benefits—assuming this would be more advantageous based on the higher earner’s employment history. Adopting such an approach might optimize the total social security income received during retirement by a married duo.
Let’s once more consider Fred and Wilma as our case study. Assume Fred is three years senior to Wilma. At age 67, which marks his full retirement age (FRA), he opts to start claiming his Social Security benefits. Meanwhile, Wilma, who is 64 at this point, keeps working up until she reaches her own FRA at 67 before applying for her Social Security retirement payments. Subsequently, Fred might file for spousal benefits using Wilma’s earning record and potentially qualify for greater payouts.
Nevertheless, this approach fails if one partner with greater income has already started receiving Social Security benefits. To illustrate, let’s say Wilma began claiming her benefits at 64 years old, whereas Fred decided to claim his later. In such a scenario, Fred’s benefit amount would depend on which figure is larger: the total derived from his own employment history or half of Wilma’s benefit calculated according to her earning record, factoring in reductions due to her having taken benefits prior to reaching full retirement age.
3. If one partner works and also receives benefits, this could impact the other partner’s benefit amounts.
Social Security will reduce your retirement benefit by $1 for each $2 you earn over a specific yearly threshold if you remain below your Full Retirement Age (FRA) throughout the entire year. This reduction is known as the
Social Security earnings test
The yearly cap stands at $23,400 in 2025. If you exceed a certain higher threshold during the year you attain your Full Retirement Age (FRA), which was set at $62,160 in 2025, Social Security will reduce your benefits by $1 for each additional $3 earned over this amount.
Nevertheless, numerous retired couples may be unaware that if one spouse continues working while collecting Social Security benefits, it could impact the other spouse’s benefit amount. This scenario typically occurs when a lower-income earning spouse relies on the higher earner’s income record for their own benefits.
Imagine a scenario where Fred and Wilma, as discussed earlier, decide to file for their Social Security benefits simultaneously. Wilma opts to start receiving hers at age 62, whereas Fred waits until he turns 65. It’s worth noting that Fred’s benefit amount relies on Wilma’s earning record. If Wilma chooses to keep working and surpasses the yearly income threshold set by Social Security, then both of their benefits could be reduced due to this excess earned income.
and
Fred’s benefits.
The silver lining is that these reductions are not permanent. Once you hit your Full Retirement Age (FRA), the income caps will cease to apply, and the deducted funds will gradually be returned to you over time.
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