Being married is about learning to compromise, and sometimes that means doing things that benefit your life partner more than yourself. This philosophy applies not only to life in general, but to Social Securityand if you’re married, it’s important that you avoid the one mistake that might not hurt you so badly, but leave your spouse strapped for life.

Filing early can hurt your spouse

You are entitled to your full Social Security benefits based on your personal income history once you reach what is known as full retirement age, or FRA. FRA is not the same for everyone; it is based on your year of birth, as follows:

Data source: Social Security Administration.

You can join Social Security as soon as 62 years old, but for each month you claim benefits before FRA, they will be permanently reduced. And it can not only hurt you; it could also hurt your spouse.

If you predecease your spouse, he or she will be entitled to survivors benefits which equals 100% of your monthly benefit. But if you reduce your benefits by filing for Social Security earlier, you’ll leave your spouse with much less income — for life.

Imagine you are entitled to a monthly benefit of $1,500 at an FRA of age 67, only you decide to file instead at age 62, which brings that benefit down to $1,050. If your spouse ends up outliving you for 20 years, that means they will have $450 less per month for the rest of their retirement. And if you don’t have a nice amount of savingsthis could create a very stressful situation financially.

That’s why you’ll need to file for Social Security very carefully if you’re married, especially if you have a spouse much younger than you. You’ll often hear that if your health isn’t great, it’s beneficial to claim Social Security before FRA to get more money from the program over your lifetime. But while that may be true, don’t forget about your spouse’s financial well-being. If he’s relying on your benefits to pay the bills, especially while you’re away, it might be beneficial to delay filing until the FRA — or even beyond — to leave more money for your spouse. It’s true: If you delay filing beyond FRA, your benefits will increase by 8% for each year until you turn 70.

Of course, if you’re married, your decision to file for Social Security is one you shouldn’t tackle solo. Instead, sit down with your spouse and strategize together. The benefit of being married is having a partner to help you deal with difficult financial choices, so don’t hesitate to discuss them and find a solution that works well for both of you.