Breadwinning, Social Security, and Retirement Patterns among Couples

This paper examines how married couples' retirement behavior varies by wives' earnings contributions. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study linked to administrative Social Security records, we find that breadwinner wives are more likely to delay claiming benefits, rely less on spousal benefits, and are less likely to claim benefits jointly with their husbands. In contrast, their husbands tend to rely more on spousal and disability benefits and retire earlier. These findings highlight shifting gender roles in retirement strategies and intrahousehold dynamics as women increasingly attain higher education levels and marry down, reversing traditional breadwinning roles.