Most personal finance and retirement experts recommend waiting until age 70 to claim Social Security benefits. The primary reason for that rule of thumb is because the average individual will maximize their lifetime benefits by delaying Social Security. It also comes with a few additional tax-planning benefits for wealthier households.

But there are still some drawbacks to waiting until you're past your 60s to start collecting Social Security. These unfortunate truths shed light on some of the realities average American retirees might face in their claiming decision.

There's always the chance you won't live long enough to make the most of your decision to delay Social Security until age 70. However, most individuals in average or better health can expect to get more out of Social Security by delaying until they are 70.

Things might change when you factor in a spouse and your total household income. That's because you need to consider spousal benefits and survivor benefits. Spousal benefits can be worth up to half of what your spouse would collect at full retirement age. They max out when you reach your full retirement age. In that case, it might make more sense to claim benefits when you maximize your spousal benefits by filing well before age 70.

When you consider survivor benefits, it might make sense for you to claim as early as age 62. Survivor benefits ensure a lower-earning surviving spouse can receive the higher amount the deceased spouse received. So, if the low-earning spouse claims at age 62 and the high-earning spouse waits until 70, they could end up with more in benefits over their combined expected lifespans depending on whether or when the higher-earning spouse passes away.

While claiming strategies are generally cut-and-dried for individuals, they become much more complex when you add a spouse.