Social security benefits calculator for married couples

Points to know

• Coordinating your benefits with your spouse's benefits can help you both get the most out of your Social Security payments.
• In some cases, it makes sense for both spouses to claim on the same spouse's earnings record.
• Many couples use a "split strategy," which means they begin claiming at different ages. It might be worthwhile for the higher earner to wait longer to collect.

Start with benefits estimates for you & your spouse

Your first step in maximizing your Social Security benefits should be to visit the Social Security Administration (SSA) website.

GET YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY ESTIMATES

The SSA website provides estimates for how much you'll collect if you start receiving benefits at age 62, your full retirement age (FRA) (between 66 and 67), and age 70. Remember that you don't have to start taking your benefits at those milestone ages; you and your spouse can start collecting anytime between ages 62 and 70.

Who's the higher earner?

Compare the estimates for you and your spouse, and pay special attention to the difference between your estimates. The higher earner is the spouse with the larger primary insurance amounts (PIA).

When you're deciding who will collect first and who should wait, consider having the lower earner collect first and having the higher earner wait. Over time, the higher earner's increases will be worth more than the lower earner's increases.

And if one spouse's estimates are more than twice as high as the other's, it might make sense for both of you eventually to collect on the same spouse's earnings record.

In that situation, the spouse with the lower benefits can claim first based on his or her own earnings record and apply for spousal benefits later when the spouse with the higher benefits starts to collect.

The longer the spouse with the higher benefit waits to start collecting, the higher benefits will be for both spouses. Delaying the higher earning spouse's benefits could also eventually increase the other spouse's survivors benefits.

Figure out the best time for you and your spouse to claim Social Security

As you consider the right time to start collecting Social Security, remember that if you decide to delay, you can revisit that decision as often as you'd like.

An advanced claiming strategy (if one spouse reached 62 by 2015)

If you or your spouse reached age 62 by the end of 2015, you qualify for a Social Security claiming strategy called restricted application.

Here's how it works: The younger spouse (who doesn't need to have turned 62 at the end of 2015) claims Social Security benefits based on his or her own earnings record.

When the older spouse (who must have been 62 at the end of 2015) reaches full retirement age (FRA), he or she files a restricted application for spousal benefits only. At that point, both spouses are claiming benefits based on the younger spouse's earnings record.

Then, at age 70, the older spouse claims benefits based on his or her own earnings record, which have increased to 132% of what that spouse would've been eligible for at FRA.

See how it works: Restricted application

What's next?

Social Security provides more than just retirement benefits. And the federal government offers more than just Social Security benefits. As you put your retirement plan together, check to see whether you qualify for other government benefits, such as family and children services, tax assistance, and active military or veterans benefits.

Apply for Social Security

You can file for Social Security benefits online, over the phone, or in person at a local Social Security Administration office.

You may need to produce these documents when you apply

• Your Social Security card.
• An original birth certificate or other proof of your birth.
• A copy of your W-2 form or self-employment tax return for the previous year.
• Your marriage certificate.
• If you weren't born in the United States, proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status.

A Vanguard advisor can help

If you're struggling with making your best Social Security decision, we can help. You'll also get a custom financial plan, ongoing portfolio management, investment coaching, and real-time goal tracking—all at a low cost.

Reach your goals with advice from Vanguard

More help

Build your Social Security strategy

Partner with a Vanguard advisor or call 800-962-5028 to speak with an investment professional.

Partner with a Vanguard advisor or call 800-962-5028 to speak with an investment professional.