Many couples look forward to their retirement together, but a lot of them are not prepared. The entire bliss of your retirement all depends on what your Social Security will. In order to ensure you both have an easy retirement, there are steps you can take as a couple. Here are a few social security tips for couples:
Maximize Lifetime Benefits
If you are a couple with similar incomes and ages with long life expectancies, then could maximize lifetime benefits if you both delay. How it works is by deferring your benefits for longer, you are able to get larger the monthly benefits. With every year you delay Social Security between the age of 62 to 70, you could increase your benefit by up to 8%. This is the ideal strategy for couples who are in great health and have longer life expectancies.
Claiming Benefits Early
For couples that are presented with health issues and have a lower life expectancy, they have the option to claim early. Benefits become available when you are 62 years of age. If a couple is planning on a shorter retirement period and those who cannot afford to wait, they can claim early and reap the benefits of retirement sooner. Shorter life expectancies may maximize benefits when claimed early.
Death of a Spouse
Although it is a scary thought, it is one every couple should prepare for. When one spouse dies, the other is eligible to receive your monthly Social Security payment as something known as a survivor benefit. This is why couples should sometimes avoid taking Social Security before your full retirement age (FRA) because it could permanently limit a partner’s survivor benefits. By delaying the claim full retirement age, between 66 to 67, or longer, the monthly benefit will grow. This will make a surviving spouse’s benefit larger after their partner’s death.