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Should I File For And Suspend My Benefits Or Just Wait And File At Age 70?

My birthdate is 7/29/51. I would like to retire from my part-time job this year, but am considering staying on. My husband will not reach FRA until 3/31/2021. My income varies between $23-26K annually. My husband's annual income varies between $90-&120K annually. If I continue to work, should I file for my retirement and suspend payment until age 70? Or should I just wait and file at 70. Also, though I am loath to admit it, my health is not brilliant, which is why I may have to stop working earlier than I had hoped.

Any suggestions?

Hi,

There's probably no reason for you to file for and suspend your benefits. If your retirement benefit rate even if you waited until age 70 to start drawing would be less than 50% of your husband's full retirement age rate, it may be more advantageous for you to start drawing your benefits at age 66. That's only an educated guess, though, based on the limited information in your question.

You should strongly consider using the maximization software available on this website to get a full analysis of all of your filing options. That will permit you to determine the best overall filing strategy for you and your husband.

Best, Jerry

Posted: 
Jul 10 2017 - 7:47am
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