Social Security Spousal Benefit Mistakes (The Truth Will Surprise You)

Video Description

In this video Colin Exelby, CFP® breaks down how spousal social security works. You may have heard that spousal Social Security benefits can pay up to half of your spouse’s benefit—but that’s not always how it works. In fact, many people are surprised when they receive much less than expected, often because they misunderstood the rules or listened to outdated advice. In this video, I break down exactly how spousal benefits are calculated, the common misconceptions around “getting half,” and why timing matters more than most people realize. I’ll walk you through examples, including how to calculate a spousal top-off, what happens if one spouse claims early, and why delayed benefits don’t increase your spousal amount—but could still help in the long run, especially with survivor benefits #SocialSecurity #SpousalBenefits #RetirementPlanning #SocialSecurityExplained #SocialSecurityMyths #FinancialPlanning #RetirementTips #SocialSecurity2025 #SpousalTopOff #OpenSocialSecurity 00:00-Intro 00:45-Why Spousal Benefits Don’t Always Equal Half 02:25-Breaking Down the Two Components 03:15-How to Calculate the Spousal Top-Off 04:10-Why Timing Matters 05:27-An Example Using Open Social Security 06:20-What About Delaying? Does It Help? 07:45-A Common Strategy: Split Claiming 08:27-Longevity & Tax Planning Considerations 08:44-Final Thoughts: Know the Rules Before You Claim ✅Open Social Security: https://opensocialsecurity.com/ ⭐Support the Channel by Becoming a Community Member⭐ 👇https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC13s0hQVkEv-azgzhOe8QXA/join Outstanding Personal Finance Tools👇 Budgeting...👇 ★☆★ Rocket Money (originally called as TrueBill) ★☆★ https://rocketmoney.sjv.io/CelestialWM Wealth Management...👇 ★☆★Personal Capital ★☆★👇 https://personalcapital.sjv.io/CelestialWM Bookkeeping...👇 ★☆★Gusto Bookkeeping★☆★👇 https://gusto.pxf.io/CelestialWM [About] Colin Exelby is a Certified Financial Planner Professional™ or CFP®. He owns the virtual financial advisory practice Celestial Wealth Management. I provide financial planning for business owners and their families that makes sense. Transformational change is made when you focus on the big picture. My goal is to help you think outside the box about your life, your money, and your health to be the best you can possibly be. We strive to help you: *Optimize Your Cash Flow *Minimize Your Taxes *Build Your Net Worth *Create a Lasting Legacy ➡️ ➡️Free Guide Here: https://celestialwm.com/ptpebook-go/⬅️⬅️ Do you watch Dave Ramsey, Robert Kiyosaki, Grant Cardone, Gary Vee, Graham Stephan, Meet Kevin, Ryan Scribner, Replace Your Mortgage, Project Life Mastery, Russel Brunson, Alex Becker, Tanner J Fox, Refusing to Settle, Dan Lok, Jeff Rose, Tai Lopez, Bigger Pockets, or Pat Flynn? Then you'll love our channel! Be sure to subscribe and I'll see you in the comments! Top Financial Advisor Baltimore. Top Financial Planner Maryland. Affiliate Link Disclaimer: I only recommend products I would use myself and all opinions expressed here are our own. This post may contain affiliate links that at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Read full privacy policy at celestialwm.com. Celestial Wealth Management LLC receives compensation from YouTube for the presence of advertising before, after, and during this video content. Celestial Wealth Management LLC does not control the content or presence of any advertisements. The presence of any advertisement does not constitute an endorsement of the ad, company, entity, or product by Celestial Wealth Management LLC.