Folks;
I thought, having been married 22 years, and now divorced, my ex-wife, and I, who reach FRA 3 days apart next June, ( WE WERE BORN IN 1952 so My understanding is the new law does not apply to us.) could each file and suspend our own benefits and take spousal benefits of each other.
BUT I READ THIS ON THE SOC SEC SITE TODAY AND DON"T SEE HOW THAT CAN WORK.

I am 73, retired and draw social security. My spouse is not retired and 63. Can she draw any benefits against my social security now? Any penalties when she reaches full retirement age?

Hi,

My wife is 5 years older than me and she has passed her full retirement age but did not work much so her benefits are very low. I reach my full retirement age next year. Is it to our best advantage for me to file at that time and file for her spousal benefits at the same time or do some different scenario?

Hi,

Hi Larry,
Thank you for taking time and answer our question.
Could you please explain what we will gain by choosing an option:
- If I file now, at 62 (Sept.2017) for my benefits before my husband reaches age 70 (Feb.2018)
and at the same time he will file for a spousal benefit on my record and after few months at age 70, he will file separately for his own benefit.
Will be there any impact on the payment (reduction of his benefit)?
What kind of applications should we use?
Is there any deadline we must file for that option?

I just purchased and ran the software (and we use ESPlanner every year). I was very surprised by the results. My husband is 68, made significantly more money than me... I turned 62 last week. Prior to running the software I assumed it would say both of us wait till 70 to collect on our own SS, then when my husband dies I collect the widow benefit. No... the software says I should claim NOW, and my husband should claim spousal on mine then his full at age 70. I thought if I claimed now at 62, it would reduce my portion of my widow benefit later.

What is the best strategy for my husband and myself. He will be 66 in Feb 2017 and I will be 61 in Feb 2017. His social security benefits at age 66 will be $900/mo and my benefits at age 66 will be $2400. Can he take his benefits at age 66 and then switch to my spousal benefits when I start taking SS at age 70 (at which time he will be 74 years old)

Hi,

Hello,
I will turn 62 in September 2017 and my husband will turn 70 in February 2018.
He is still working and planning to work and also not claiming his retirement benefits yet.
I am unemployed and probably won't go back into the workplace, but have earned enough credits to qualify for retirement benefits.
My husband SS benefits will be much higher than mine:
-His at 70 would be about $2.400
-Mine at 62 would be about $840 and at 66+2mo would be about $1.130

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

My husband would like to retire this year at age 62 (born in Dec. 1955) from a Steel Workers job he held for 39 years. He does have a small pension plan from work, however, the company stopped adding to that account approx. 25 yrs. ago. He has terrible arthritis in his hips and 3 herniated discs in his back and doesn't really want to retire, however since the pain is worsening, he needs to do something. I had to leave my position at work due to a disability (MS & Narcolepsy) and have been collecting Work Disability Benefits and SSDI since 1998 and am now 57 yrs. old.

I am 65 years old and will reach my full retirement age of 66 in March of 2018. I was out of work for about 2.5 years at the beginning of 2002 or so. During that time I constantly searched for a job, but due to a few health problems I had at the time I was limited in what I could do. I had no one to help out so I had to basically live on credit cards for most of that time. (I know... horrible!) By the time I was able to find a job it paid only $30,00 - a little over half of what I had been making. And I had about a $35,000 credit card debt from having no income for 2+ years.