Mar 24, 2026
Millions of couples across the country are planning for retirement while earning unequal incomes.
According to a 2023 survey by Pew Research, only 29% of opposite-sex married couples had equal incomes (1). Men were the breadwinners in 55% of couples, while women earned more than their husbands in 16%.
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For the vast majority of couples, a lopsided income distribution could be an opportunity to minimize taxes and maximize Social Security benefits for both partners. Here’s how an often-overlooked strategy can help you boost your combined benefits.
How spousal benefits work
Spousal benefits are relatively straightforward. A low-earning spouse can collect up to 50% of the higher-earning spouse’s “primary insurance amount,” depending on age and other eligibility factors (2).
As of February 2026, the average spouse of a retired worker collected $985 per month in spousal benefits, according to the Social Security Administration’s monthly snapshot (3).
However, that figure represents the average across all beneficiaries. Couples with lopsided incomes and higher lifetime earnings can plan ahead to maximize their benefits and total lifetime payout from the system. The key lever for this is simply timing when benefits are claimed.
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The timing lever
Timing is where couples with unequal incomes can find their biggest edge.
The higher-earning spouse is strongly incentivized to delay Social Security benefits for as long as possible. This boosts their monthly benefit but also locks in a higher survivor benefit for their partner down the road.
Survivor benefits are often overlooked in this strategy. A 2024 survey conducted by T. Rowe Price found that only 59% of couples over the age of 50 considered their spouse’s earnings when planning benefits, and only 46% took survivor benefits into account (4).
That suggests that many couples could be missing out on this crucial strategy. This neglect could mean that millions of couples are leaving money on the table by failing to coordinate their claiming strategies.
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For those willing to plan together and coordinate their claims, there’s a golden opportunity to maximize payouts from the system.
For example, consider the hypothetical case of Sarah and Scott.
Both were born after 1960. Sarah is an experienced M&A attorney with significant income and is on track to receive $3,000 a month in benefits at full-retirement (FRA) of 67. Scott works for a nonprofit organization and earns a relatively modest income. He’s on track to receive $1,200 in monthly benefits at full retirement age of 67.
If Sarah delays claiming her Social Security benefits until age 70, she would receive delayed retirement credits that boost her monthly payout by 24% (5). In other words, her monthly benefit could rise to $3,720 with just a few years of delay.
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Scott could receive a spousal benefit of up to $1,500, which is 50% of Sarah’s primary insurance amount (PIA) at full retirement age, regardless of any delay she takes. Because Scott’s own retirement benefit is projected to be $1,200, he could receive an additional spousal supplement to bring his total benefit up to $1,500.
In other words, Scott would receive more from the combined benefit than from his own retirement benefit alone. The SSA does not pay both benefits in full; instead, it pays the individual’s own benefit first and then adds a spousal top-up if it results in a higher total payment (6).
Together, the couple could collect up to $5,220 per month. When Sarah passes away, Scott could receive up to $3,720 in survivor benefits, instead of being limited to the lower payout (7).
Simply put, by carefully planning Sarah’s claim timing, the couple can unlock significantly higher combined lifetime benefits for both partners for both partners.
The bottom line
The Social Security Administration rewards couples who plan around their wage gap rather than neglect it. Couples approaching retirement with significantly lopsided earnings should have an honest conversation about their benefit claiming strategy and plan for the years between retirement and full retirement age.
Thoughtful timing and coordination can optimize the timing and size of monthly benefits for both partners. Overlooking these features could be an expensive mistake over the long term.
Article sources
We rely only on vetted sources and credible third-party reporting. For details, see our editorial ethics and guidelines.
Pew Research Center (1); Social Security Administration (SSA) (2), (3), (5), (7); T. Rowe Price (4); AARP (6)
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Vishesh Raisinghani is a financial journalist covering personal finance, investing and the global economy. He's also the founder of Sharpe Ascension Inc., a content marketing agency focused on investment firms. His work has appeared in Moneywise, Yahoo Finance!, Motley Fool, Seeking Alpha, Mergers & Acquisitions Magazine and Piggybank.
