I am turning 66 in November and have applied & been approved to receive my SS benefits to begin in a few weeks. My question is, "can my husband, who will be 69 in January 2019 & has not collected SS benefits, apply for "spousal benefits" until he begins collecting his own SS at 70 years old? Will this affect his own SS benefit?

Hi,

Yes, as long as your husband hasn't yet filed for his own Social Security retirement benefits, he could potentially draw spousal benefits starting with the first month that you start drawing your benefits. And, doing so would not adversely affect the amount that he could subsequently be paid on his own record.

Based on what you've described, the only possible sticking point would be if your husband has already filed for and suspended his own retirement benefits. In that case, he wouldn't be eligible for spousal benefits if his own rate is higher than his potential spousal rate, even if his own benefits are suspended.

You and your husband may want to consider using our software to explore all of your options in order to make sure that you choose the best possible strategy for claiming your benefits.

Best, Jerry