I am 66 and started collecting $2,500/mo last July. My wife will be 66 in Aoril of 2021 and can collect $1,900/mo shortly thereafter. Should she proceed or is there a better way to proceed?

Hi,

Your wife will only be eligible for her own benefit since it's clearly more than half of your full rate. She could apply for her benefits any time between now and age 70, and basically, the sooner she starts drawing the lower her monthly rate will be. It mostly comes down to which option she's most comfortable with.

If you die before your wife she then would be eligible for the higher or her own benefit rate or your benefit rate, regardless of when she starts drawing her own benefits. So, her best filing strategy depends on factors such as your and your wife's health, your expected maximum ages of life, and your financial circumstances. Your wife may want to strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully analyze her options so that she can choose the filing strategy that she feels is most likely to maximize her benefits in the long run.

Best, Jerry