Married with unequal income? Here's an overlooked strategy that can max out your Social Security checks

Married with unequal income? Here's an overlooked strategy that can max out your Social Security checks
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.
Read More: 5 essential money moves to make once you’ve saved $50,000
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.
For those willing to plan together and coordinate their claims, there’s a golden opportunity to maximize payouts from the system.