Hi, Shrewd!        Login  
Shrewd'm.com 
A merry & shrewd investing community
Best Of RIBest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd
Search
Shrewd'm.com Merry shrewd investors
Search
Best Of RIBest OfAll BoardsThe Shrewd’m WeeklyLearn to InvestHow to Become Shrewd


The week's question
In March 2025, in the thread "Re: OT, out", Umm asked the members: "Do you think it is because America is made up of magical soil that makes businesses based in America magically profitable?" This week it is put to everyone again. The button below opens the small thread re-asking it - read what others have said so far, then give your own answer as an ordinary reply.
Answer this questionContinue to Shrewd'mThis note won't appear again
Personal Finance / Retirement Investing
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (51) |
Author: sykesix ✭  😊 😞
Number: of 1355 
Subject: Re: What's worse than lottery tickets?
Date: 11/16/24 2:38 PM
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
No. of Recommendations: 11

So what is the latest on the one spouse taking early/one delaying strategy?

The Kitces article I linked to above explains it (I linked it below as well). But essentially, the issue is longevity risk. In a nutshell, the strategy is for the higher-earning spouse to delay, but to for the lower-earning spouse to claim early. If the higher income spouse dies first, the lower income spouse can claim the higher survivor's benefit, which likely erases the benefits of lower spouse delaying. So the early/delay strategy makes sense for that reason.

If the lower income spouse dies and claimed early, the higher income spouse already has the higher benefit, plus got the utility of the money from lower income spouse early claim. So the early/delay strategy makes sense for that reason too.

kitces.com - Why it rarely pays for both spouses to delay social security benefits

There is some nuance to it of course. Some good discussion in recent thread on Bogleheads about some of the considerations (such as taking into account Roth conversions). The OP asked how many people were doing the early/delaying strategy and most people responded that they either did or intended to.

https://www.bogleheads.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=4...
Post New | Post Reply | Report Post | Recommend It!
Print the post
Members reply directly to sykesix here — and replies get answered. Reading is free; so is joining the conversation. Join Shrewd'm »
This community has written 1,284 posts about Retirement Investing. The article-length ones it recommended most:
The Case for Long-Term Buy and Hold Investing · 49 recs · 2025
Transferring assets to the next generation · 20 recs · 2025
Retirement Year 8 · 17 recs · 2025
(nearly) year one of retirement has been good · 11 recs · 2026
Buying Treasuries Via Vanguard · 10 recs · 2023
Unthreaded | Threaded | Whole Thread (51) |


Announcements
Retirement Investing FAQ
Contact Shrewd'm
Contact the developer of these message boards.

Best Of RI | Best Of | Favourites & Replies | All Boards | Followed Shrewds | Open Questions | Moving a community