I started taking SS in 11/2020- I was 63 and 9 months at that time. My husband is 5 years older and he was not collecting( waiting until he would turn 70) He was able to collect 50% of mine. Now since July 2022 he has been off mine and collecting his own I now want to collect half of his and go off mine as it is greater. Can I do that? I tried to do it online but it won't let me. The SS office here is a nightmare so if I have to go I want to know my status first.
Thanks!

Hi. No, you can't simply stop getting your own benefit and get half of your husband's benefit rate instead. Once you start drawing Social Security retirement benefits, those benefits continue for life. If you subsequently become eligible for a higher spousal or survivor benefit, Social Security would continue to pay you your own benefit plus a partial spousal or survivor benefit amount. The total benefit amount would then be roughly equal to the higher spousal or survivor rate.

The only way that you could potentially qualify for spousal benefits in addition to your own benefit is if 50% of your husband's primary insurance amount (PIA) is more than your own PIA. A person's PIA is equal to their Social Security retirement benefit rate if they start drawing their benefits at full retirement age (FRA), not their age 70 rate. Therefore, you won't be eligible for as much as half of your husband's age 70 rate even if you do qualify for some additional spousal benefits.

If you think that your husband's PIA is more than twice as much as your own PIA, though, you should apply for spousal benefits in order to get a formal determination of your eligibility. You can't apply for spousal benefits online if you're already collecting your own Social Security retirement benefits, so in order to apply you'll need to call Social Security to make an appointment to apply by phone or in person.

Best, Jerry