Spousal benefits are worth up to one-half of what your partner qualifies for at their FRA. You can claim these benefits early, but you lose 25/36th of 1% per month for up to 36 months and five-twelfths of 1% per month thereafter. There's also no delayed retirement credit for applying for spousal benefits after your FRA.

The cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) for 2025 is indeed a most notable change in Social Security for 2025, but it's not an Earth-shattering one. The COLA, effective in December 2024, is just 2.5%. So if you were collecting, say, $2,000 per month, you'd now be getting $2,050.

George C., a 77-year-old retired worker, started claiming his Social Security benefits at age 65. He thought he had made the right decision, but now he regrets it. “I wish I had waited until the full retirement age (FRA) to get bigger checks,