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?
What do we need to pay attention when we file to prevent any future problems?
… and what else I should be asking ??? ;)
Thank you.

Hi,

I can't say whether or not that's a good strategy for you without more information, most importantly your relative benefit rates. But, what you would potentially gain in that scenario is that both you and your husband would receive benefits sooner, and your husband's spousal rate would be unreduced and drawing the spousal benefits would have no adverse effect on his own benefit rate at age 70. The downside is that your monthly benefit rate would be reduced for at least as long as both you and your husband are living.

So, you need to weigh the positives and negatives of such a filing strategy, and the maximization software available on this website should be able to help you determine what's best in your case.

If you do decide to file at age 62 when you are first eligible, you would need to file your application no later than September or October of this year depending on your exact day of birth. You can file online at ssa.gov, or by phone or in person at a Social Security office. And, in your husband's case, he needs to be sure to restrict his initial application to spousal benefits only by excluding retirement benefits on his own record from the scope of his application (https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.15/handbook-1510.html). If he files online he'll need to do that himself, but if he files by phone or in person the Social Security claims representative should take care of that for him. Then, at age 70, your husband would need to file a separate application for benefits on his own record at which time you may also need to file for additional spousal benefits on his record depending on your relative benefit rates. Those applications would likely have to be filed by phone or in person because SSA's online filing options are currently limited to initial applications only.

Best, Jerry