I will turn 70 next March (2023). My wife turns 62 ten years from now. I will start collecting Social Security benefits next year. When should she start collecting?

Many thanks.

Hi. The answer to your question depends in large part to your and your wife's comparative benefit rates, assuming that your wife is insured for benefits on her own account. If your age 70 rate is higher than your wife's age 70 rate, then she may want to at least consider starting her benefits as early as age 62. The downside of that would be that she'd then be stuck with a reduced benefit rate for as long as both of you are living. However, if you die before her and if your wife is at least full retirement age when she claims widow's benefits, she could then be paid the higher of her own benefit rate or your full benefit amount. That means she could then be paid up to your full age 70 rate as a survivor, assuming that you wait until then to start drawing your benefits.

At some point before she applies, your wife may want to strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully analyze all of her options so that she can determine the best overall strategy for maximizing her benefits.

Best, Jerry