Most married couples make one costly mistake with Social Security:

They file at the same age — without coordinating.

At first glance, that seems logical. You retire together, so you claim together. But Social Security isn’t designed to reward simplicity. It rewards strategy. And for many couples, a coordinated approach known as the 62/70 split strategy can significantly increase lifetime, inflation-adjusted income.

Why Timing Matters More for Couples

Social Security is often described as “guaranteed income,” but the size of that guarantee depends heavily on when you claim. Claiming early permanently reduces benefits. Delaying increases them — by as much as 8% per year past full retirement age, plus inflation adjustments.

For couples, the stakes are even higher because Social Security isn’t just about two individual checks. It’s about survivor benefits. When one spouse passes away, the surviving spouse keeps the larger of the two benefits — not both.

That means the higher earner’s claiming decision can affect income for decades.

The 62/70 Split Strategy Explained

Here’s how the strategy works in simple terms:

• The lower-earning spouse claims early, often between ages 62 and 64, to get income flowing sooner.
• The higher-earning spouse delays claiming until age 70, maximizing their monthly benefit.

While the early-claiming spouse accepts a reduced check, that smaller payment serves an important purpose: it provides cash flow during the early retirement years, reducing pressure to draw down savings.

Meanwhile, the higher earner’s benefit grows each year they delay — up to age 70 — creating a much larger, inflation-protected payment later on.

Why This Strategy Can Be So Powerful

The real advantage of the 62/70 split strategy shows up over time.

When the higher earner finally claims at 70, the household income jumps — often dramatically. Both spouses benefit from that larger check while they’re alive, and if one spouse passes away, the survivor steps up to that higher benefit for life.

Given that one spouse is very likely to outlive the other — often by many years — this larger survivor benefit can be the difference between financial confidence and constant anxiety later in retirement.

In effect, the strategy turns Social Security into a form of longevity insurance, protecting the surviving spouse from outliving income.

Who This Strategy Is Best Suited For

The 62/70 split strategy tends to work best when:

• One spouse earned significantly more than the other
• Both spouses are in reasonably good health
• The couple has some savings to bridge the early years
• Long-term income security is a top priority

It’s not about squeezing every last dollar out of Social Security. It’s about aligning benefits with how retirement actually unfolds — especially the reality that one spouse will eventually be alone.

A Conversation Worth Having

Many couples spend weeks deciding when to travel or where to downsize, but file for Social Security in an afternoon.

That’s a mistake.

The 62/70 split strategy isn’t complicated, but it is coordinated. And for many couples, it’s one of the simplest ways to increase guaranteed, inflation-adjusted income for as long as either spouse is alive.

It’s a conversation worth having — together.