📌 5 Permanent Social Security Mistakes Married Couples Make (Share with your spouse)

If you are married and approaching Social Security decisions, this video could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars over your retirement. In 2026, only 9% of new retirees wait until age 70 to claim — and for married couples, the timing mistakes don't just affect one person, they compound across two. I walk through five specific mistakes: claiming the lower-earning spouse's spousal benefit early (a permanent 35% reduction); both spouses filing simultaneously instead of coordinating; triggering the earnings test by working while collecting before full retirement age; attempting the restricted application strategy that was eliminated in 2016; and the higher earner claiming too early, which shrinks the survivor benefit for the widowed spouse for potentially 15 to 20 years. Subscribe so you don't miss the next update — these rules affect your household income for the rest of your life. #SocialSecurity #MarriedCouples #Retirement #Seniors #SurvivorBenefit