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Can I File & Suspend My Benefit And Still Get Spousal Benefits?

Can my husband collect on his primary and get the difference from mine which is higher.
I deferred &suspended until 70. So now that he collected on his primary can I get half of his till i reach 70 then apply for mine a much higher benefit

Hi,

If I understand your question correctly, the answer is no. The only way that your husband could be eligible for a spousal benefit on your record is if you file on your own record. And, the only way that he could receive spousal benefits while your benefits are suspense is if you suspended your benefits prior to April 30 2016 (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/suspendfaq.html).

Once you file for retirement benefits on your own record, that becomes your primary benefit for life, even if you choose to voluntarily suspend your benefit. If you subsequently file for spousal benefits, you could only qualify if 50% of your spouse's full retirement age rate (PIA) is higher than your own PIA.

You may want to consider running the maximization software available on this website in order to make sure that you and your husband choose the best filing strategy.

Best, Jerry

Posted: 
Apr 3 2017 - 2:30pm
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