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Have you ever heard the expression, “You don’t know what you don’t know”?

Let’s add: “Until you do”!

Social Security is a one-time decision you must make correctly and is becoming increasingly complicated, especially if you are coordinating benefits with a spouse, if children are involved, you continue to work, you have an ex-spouse or you are a surviving spouse. Knowing your particular situation and what options are available to you is key. Listed below in plain English are areas to consider when developing your claiming strategy. Also, you may be able to help a friend because now “you know.”

If you are receiving an ex-spousal Social Security benefit, and your ex-spouse is still alive, and you get remarried, your ex‑spousal benefit ends immediately, and you must wait 1 year before you can collect a spousal benefit from your new husband. In that one-year period, you can collect your own retirement benefit if you have already claimed it. If you have not filed for your own benefit, Social Security will not automatically start your own benefit, you must apply.

If you are divorced and married at least 10 years, and remarry after age 60, if your ex-spouse is deceased, you can file for survivor benefits on your ex-spouses record even though you are currently married to someone else. If your ex-spouse is still living, you cannot file for benefits on that record.

If you are applying for disability benefits (SSDI) and are at least 62 or older, you should file for your own Social Security retirement benefit at the same time if you have one. It’s called a RIB-DIB. The reason you would do this is to start to receive your own Social Security retirement benefit first, while your claim for disability benefits is processed, which could take months. Your disability benefit is the benefit you would receive at your full retirement age while your own retirement benefit will be reduced by 30-percent at age 62. So, you would receive your reduced retirement benefit amount while you wait for your disability benefit to be processed and paid.

In the year you reach your full retirement age, the annual earnings limitation is increased. In 2026 the amount increases from $24,480 to $65,160. When you reach your full retirement age, the annual earnings limitation no longer applies.

Anytime you apply for Social Security benefits, you will always be paid your own benefit first if you have one, and then any other benefit if available, like a spousal benefit, is added to your benefit. The only benefit you can apply for and not collect your benefit first is a survivor benefit.

If you are already receiving Social Security benefits and are turning 65, you are automatically enrolled in Medicare. If you are not receiving Social Security benefits and want Medicare, you have to apply at age 65. If you are currently employed and your employer has more than 20 employees, you do not need to apply for Medicare at age 65 if your employer provides credible coverage or your spouse has credible coverage and you are covered by that plan.

Filing for Social Security retirement benefits after you reach full retirement age may qualify you for up to six months of “retroactive” benefits. For example, if your monthly benefit at full retirement age is $2,000 per month and you apply at least six months after full retirement age, you could receive a $12,000 lump-sum payment, but your ongoing monthly benefit will be reduced. If you apply only four months after full retirement age, you will receive four months of retroactive benefits.

Delayed retirement credits earned after reaching your full retirement age are included in your monthly Social Security benefit payment beginning in January of the year following the period in which they are earned.

Delayed retirement credits accrue monthly at an annual rate of 8-percent per year after you reach your full retirement age. These credits increase your monthly retirement benefit. These credits apply exclusively to your own retirement benefit and no other benefit. If you wait until 70 to file for your retirement benefit, and your full retirement age is 67, your benefit will be 24-percent higher than at full retirement age. If you have earned delayed retirement credits on your own retirement benefit, your surviving spouse will receive what the deceased spouse was receiving at the time of death which includes the delayed retirement credits, assuming the deceased spouses’ benefit is greater than the surviving spouse’s benefit.

To enhance your Social Security benefit and provide a larger survivor benefit for your spouse, you may choose to voluntarily suspend your benefit at your full retirement age. This action allows you to accrue delayed retirement credits, increasing your monthly benefit by up to 24-percent and ultimately the survivor benefit. However, please note that if your spouse is receiving a spousal benefit based on your record, and you voluntarily suspend your benefit, the spousal benefit will also be suspended until you turn your benefit back on.

Should your ex-spouses pass away, and their survivor benefit exceeds your existing benefit, you may switch to the higher survivor benefit. Generally, survivor benefits are more substantial because they are paid at 100-percent of the deceased's benefit, whereas spousal benefits are paid at 50-percent.

If you have been married twice, each marriage lasting at least 10 years, and you are 62 or older and currently single, you may be eligible to receive ex-spousal benefits from either former spouse, whichever is greater assuming your ex-spouse’s full retirement age benefit is at least twice your full retirement age benefit.

If you get remarried and have a living ex-spouse, you cannot collect benefits on your ex-spouse’s record. In order to collect on an ex-spouse record, you must be single. If you get remarried after age 60 and your ex-spouse is deceased, you can receive a survivor benefit even though you are remarried.

Your Social Security statement lists estimated benefits available at various ages, based on assumed future earnings. Future earnings estimates are based on you earning the same amount of income based on the most current income reported to Social Security by the IRS. If you are younger, the earnings estimate will most likely change. Estimates become more accurate as you approach full retirement age.

A grandparent who provides more than 50-percent of a grandchild’s support can only receive Social Security benefits for that child on their record if they have adopted the grandchild or if both of the child’s parents are either deceased or disabled.

Remember, take the wrong benefit at the wrong time it’s always smaller and forever!

If this answered a question you didn't know you had—or sparked one you do—drop it in the comments below, because someone else is probably wondering the same thing.