{"id":77215,"date":"2025-07-20T05:24:12","date_gmt":"2025-07-20T05:24:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/77215\/"},"modified":"2025-07-20T05:24:12","modified_gmt":"2025-07-20T05:24:12","slug":"3-little-known-social-security-rules-that-could-save-you-thousands","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/77215\/","title":{"rendered":"3 Little-Known Social Security Rules That Could Save You Thousands"},"content":{"rendered":"

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When it comes to Social Security<\/a>, what you don\u2019t know can cost you.\u00a0Many retirees leave money<\/a> on the table simply because they are unaware of certain rules built into the system. <\/p>\n

Whether you\u2019re nearing retirement<\/a> or planning for the future, understanding these lesser-known rules could save or even earn you thousands of dollars.<\/p>\n

Here are three <\/strong>little-known Social Security rules that could save you thousands.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n

The Do-Over Rule\u00a0<\/p>\n

One of the biggest ways retirees lose money is by claiming Social Security too early, then regretting it.<\/p>\n

However, Social Security allows a one-time withdrawal within the first 12 months, giving claimants the opportunity to delay benefits and secure a higher future payout.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

\u201cMost people think their filing decision is set in stone,\u201d said Yehuda Topper, CEO of Beca Life Settlements<\/a>. \u201cBut for the first 12 months, you\u2019re allowed a one-time \u2018do-over.’\u201d<\/p>\n

Topper explained, \u201cYou withdraw the claim, repay the checks, and restart later at a higher rate. This resets your record as if you never filed, allowing your future benefit to grow up to about 8% per year for each year you delay claiming after full retirement age, up to age 70.\u201d<\/p>\n

This strategy isn\u2019t just theoretical. It can make a six-figure difference.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn terms of real-world savings, I have a friend who claimed at 62, then landed a consulting contract that eclipsed the earnings limit,\u201d Topper said. \u201cTwelve months later she repaid, and then filed later at 67. Her monthly check rose enough that it will net her over $100,000, assuming she lives to 85.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Divorce Benefit Rule<\/p>\n

Another way people miss out is by not knowing what they\u2019re eligible for after divorce. Many divorced retirees<\/a> don\u2019t realize they may qualify for Social Security benefits based on an ex-spouse\u2019s work record.<\/p>\n

This rule allows those who were married for at least 10 years, divorced for at least two, and currently unmarried to claim up to 50% of an ex-spouse\u2019s full benefit without reducing the ex\u2019s payout.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf you were born before January 2, 1954, you can delay your benefits while collecting and an ex-spousal benefit,\u201d said Lewis Landerholm,<\/a> a family law and divorce attorney. \u201cThis allows your own benefit to grow up to 8% per year until at 70, ultimately increasing your lifetime payout.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Landerholm gave the following example: Linda, 66, was married to her ex-husband Tom, 63, for 15 years before they divorced. Because she never remarried and meets the key requirements, married for at least 10 years, divorced for over two years, and Tom is over 62, she can claim up to 50% of Tom\u2019s full benefit, or $1,500 per month instead of her own $900 benefit, even though they\u2019ve been divorced for more than a decade.<\/p>\n

This strategy increases Linda\u2019s benefits by $600 per month, totaling more than $140,000 over 20 years, without affecting Tom\u2019s benefits. In fact, Tom doesn\u2019t even need to be collecting yet; he just needs to be eligible.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis example showcases why it\u2019s so important for individuals, divorcees in particular, to consult with a professional to ensure they are getting all the benefits that they are entitled to,\u201d Landerholm said. \u201cThe rules are not always crystal clear to someone who is not familiar with all the nuances.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Overlooked Survivor Benefit Rule<\/p>\n

Widows and widowers often leave money on the table by assuming they will lose benefits if they remarry. However, certain Social Security rules<\/a> can actually work in their favor if they know how to use them.<\/p>\n

Social Security rules allow surviving spouses to keep their late partner\u2019s benefit if they remarry after age 60, while still letting their retirement benefit grow until age 70 for a higher payout.<\/p>\n

\u201cSurviving spouses get an overlooked break: remarriage after 60 doesn\u2019t cancel survivor benefits,\u201d Topper said. \u201cSo, a 62-year-old widow can keep her late partner\u2019s benefit while delaying her own record to 70 for the maximum payout.\u201d<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"lorozco3D \/ iStock.com Commitment to Our Readers GOBankingRates’ editorial team is committed to bringing you unbiased reviews and…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":77216,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15],"tags":[64,8726,255,700,711,67,132,68],"class_list":{"0":"post-77215","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-personal-finance","8":"tag-business","9":"tag-gobankingrates","10":"tag-personal-finance","11":"tag-retirement","12":"tag-social-security","13":"tag-united-states","14":"tag-unitedstates","15":"tag-us"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/114883897848087294","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77215","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=77215"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/77215\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/77216"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=77215"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=77215"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=77215"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}