1. Claim and switch. The wife takes her own retirement benefit at 62. When her husband reaches full retirement age, he files for spousal benefits on his wife’s account (that’s called a “restricted application”; he has to be at least 66 to qualify). He would get half of her benefit. At 70, the husband switches to his own benefit, which has grown by 8 percent a year plus cost-of-living increases. If he dies first, his wife switches to her survivor’s benefit, now enhanced by those 8 percent gains.

2. File and suspend. The husband files for his own retirement benefit at 66 but asks that it be suspended. That lets his future benefit continue to grow. His wife immediately files for spousal benefits on her husband’s account. Again, she would get one-half of his benefit. At 70, he claims his payments, including those lovely 8 percent increases.