Several years ago I set up a “My Social Security” online account. I did a file & suspend at age 66 so that my wife could claim her spouse benefit, while I delay to increase my own retirement benefit. I turn 70 years old in Arpil 2019. Now, I want my retirement benefits to start effective January 2019 (instead of April).

Can I do this online? If so, how? If not, what is the best way to do it? At the time I did the file & suspend, my PIA was calculated to be $2170 per month. Would my benefit in January be $2820 plus COLA’s?

Hi,

No, reinstating your benefits from voluntary suspension is not something that you can online. If you didn't want your benefits to be reinstated prior to age 70 you wouldn't need to do anything, since reinstatements at age 70 are automatic. But, if you want your benefits to be reinstated effective with January 2019, you'll need to contact Social Security and request reinstatement no later than December 31 2018. A written request for reinstatement is not required, but I would recommend that you do so using a form SSA-795 (https://www.ssa.gov/forms/ssa-795.pdf).

If you attained full retirement age (FRA) in April 2015 and you start drawing your retirement benefits effective with January 2019 (i.e. the payment issued in February 2019), you will receive 45 months of delayed retirement credits (DRC). That should result in a monthly benefit rate that's 30% higher than your PIA (primary insurance amount). Your PIA would automatically be updated to include all applicable cost of living increases (COLA) through December 2018, so in order to calculate your benefit rate you would simply multiply your January 2019 PIA by 1.3.

Best, Jerry