Hello Larry and Associates -
My wife turned 64 this month and is considering filing for her SS benefits early. Her FRA benefit is $819. I turned 67 in April of this year and, last April before the deadline, I filed and suspended my SS benefits. I intend to wait until age 70 to restart them. My FRA benefit is $2190. SSA has told her that she could receive $959/month beginning in December of this year. These benefits are based on her work record but also include spousal benefits from my work record. I have two questions.
First, if she files for SS benefits now, can I leave my application suspended and file for spousal benefits on her work record or do I have to wait until she reaches FRA to file for them, or am I not entitled to them at all?
Second, if she files now and I live until at least age 70 (meaning she is now at FRA), will she receive the full 132% of my benefit or will it be reduced due to her taking her benefit early?
Thank you for your time and your answers.
Michael
Hi Michael,
The answer to your first question is that you won't be eligible for spousal benefits at any time. The reason is that you've already filed on your own record, so that is now your primary benefit. And as a result, your spousal rate would be calculated by subtracting your own full benefit rate from 50% of your wife's full retirement age rate (PIA), leaving zero payable in your case. This is true regardless of whether or not you've suspended your benefits.
If you hadn't filed on your own record, then you could have filed a restricted application for just spousal benefits only when your wife filed for her benefits. You could then have been paid 50% of her PIA until you filed on your own record. However, if you hadn't filed and suspended before the April 30 2016 deadline, then your wife wouldn't be able to receive spousal benefits from your record until you started drawing your benefits.
The answer to your second question is yes. Even if your wife files for reduced benefits on her own record she would receive your full age 70 rate if you die at or after age 70, assuming that she is at least full retirement age (FRA) at that time and you don't draw any of your benefits prior to age 70. She wouldn't get both her own rate and your rate, though, just the higher of the two.
Best, Jerry
