This tactic works if you have enough years of employment to qualify for your own Social Security benefits, and you’ve filed for those benefits. If you’re divorced, your ex can usually claim a spousal benefit on your work record even if you haven’t yet filed for your own benefits, but this is subject to certain rules. If you have less than 35 years of work history, or if there are many low earning years among the 35 years you do have but you are now earning more, you might want to keep working. Some of your higher-earning years will bump some of your lower-earning years off of the top 35 so your eventual benefit will be more. This works best if you use this strategy in combination with others and if you have a normal life expectancy. It’s particularly attractive in a low-interest-rate environment. But if you have health issues and you think you might not live past age 80 or so, this might not be a good tactic.
