How To Increase Your Social Security Retirement Benefits - Continued

Have someone contact you to discuss ways to increase your Social Security retirement benefits.

through age 70 and die on your 71st birthday?  If you hate your work, consider your life expectancy.  If you like your work, you might as well work.

Have Your Spouse Earn More

Roughly, the lower earning spouse will get a Social Security benefit equal to the larger of their own benefit or 50% of their spouse's benefit.

Suggestions:

• Check to see if the lower earning spouse's projected Social Security benefit is a lot lower than 50% of the higher earning spouse's Social Security payment.  If it is and if you have the ability to shift income, see that the higher income spouse gets paid, up to the annual Social Security earnings maximum.
• Check to see if the lower earning spouse's projected Social Security benefit is close to or above 50% of the higher earning spouse's Social Security payment.  If it is and if you have the ability to shift income, see that the lower income spouse gets paid, up to the annual Social Security earnings maximum.