DEAR RUSTY: I’m 64 and my wife is 62. If my wife starts her own benefit now, she will get about $700 on her own at 62. I will retire next year and claim Social Security when I am 65. SSA says my wife can draw $1,100 under spousal benefits, so if she claims now will they give her spousal benefits of $1,100, or does she need to wait until I claim at age 65 to get the $1,100? — Trying to Understand

DEAR TRYING: If your wife is now 62, then her full retirement age (FRA) for Social Security purposes is age 67, and if she claims any SS benefit before reaching her FRA, the amount will be reduced for early claiming. If your wife were to claim now (before you), she would get only her own SS retirement amount (the $700 amount), and that would be a reduction of about 30% from what she would get if she waited until her FRA to claim.

Your wife cannot get a “spousal boost” (an additional amount as your spouse) until you claim your SS retirement benefit (at age 65?). And her benefit as your spouse at that time will also be reduced because she will not have yet reached her FRA.

If your wife is already collecting her own SS retirement benefit when you later claim, she will be given her “spousal boost” to make her benefit equal what she is entitled to as your spouse. But her total monthly benefit as your spouse will also be reduced because it will be awarded before her FRA.

The only way your wife can get her full spousal benefit from you is to wait until she is 67 to claim Social Security. If she claims any earlier, her monthly amount will be permanently reduced.

FYI, if you plan to claim at age 65, you should also be aware that your full retirement age (FRA) is also age 67, and claiming at age 65 will mean that you will get about 87% of the amount you would get if you waited until age 67 to claim. Again, these reductions are permanent, except for normal Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) awarded annually thereafter.

Having said all of that, deciding when each of you should claim your Social Security benefit is a matter of financial need, while also considering your life expectancy. If your life expectancy is short and/or you need the money, then claiming early is likely the right decision. But if your life expectancy is longer and you don’t urgently need the money, then you might both consider waiting longer to claim a higher monthly amount and get more in cumulative lifetime benefits.

Finally, please remember that whenever SS is claimed before full retirement age, Social Security has an annual earnings test which limits how much can be earned by working while collecting early SS benefits. The earnings limit for 2025 is $23,400 and, if that is exceeded, SS will take back $1 in benefits for every $2 over the limit (they take back by withholding future SS payments). FYI, the earnings limit for those who claim SS early changes (increases a bit) yearly and goes away entirely once full retirement age is reached.

So, if either or both of you are working, you should evaluate whether claiming your Social Security benefit early (before your respective FRA) is a prudent choice.

(Russell Gloor is a national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the non-profit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens.)