Can wife suspend her account and take spousal benefits? Wife born 5/26/1953. Husband born 7/30/1955. Wife started collecting soc. sec. at 62 years old (5/26/2015). Husband will file at FRA and suspend until later date. Can wife suspend her acct and file for spousal benefits when husband files on 7/30/2021? If so, will her benefit equal 50% of his benefit at his FRA?

Hi. No. Starting with April 30 2016, if a person suspends their own Social Security retirement benefits they can't be paid any other type of Social Security benefits for which they qualify during the time that their own benefits are suspended (https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/claiming.html).

People born prior to January 2 1954 can still potentially claim just spousal benefits only at full retirement age (FRA) or later without claiming their own benefits until later, but once you've started drawing your own benefits you can't suspend those benefits and collect a different type of Social Security benefits instead.

Your wife could potentially claim an excess spousal benefit when you start drawing your benefits, but only if your primary insurance amount (PIA) is more than twice as much as your wife's 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). And even if your wife does qualify for an additional spousal benefit, her benefit rate wouldn't then equal 50% of your full rate. The reduction for starting her own benefits prior to FRA would continue for at least as long as both of you are living.

For example, say Mary files for her Social Security retirement benefits at age 62. Mary's PIA is $800, but Mary's benefit rate is reduced for age to $590. Several years later Mary's husband applies for his benefits, and his PIA is $2000. Mary's unreduced excess spousal benefit would then be calculated by subtracting her PIA from 50% of her husband's PIA, which in Mary's case amounts to $200 (i.e. $2000/2 - $800). If Mary is at least full retirement age (FRA) when she becomes eligible for the spousal benefit, she would then be paid the unreduced excess spousal amount of $200 in addition to her own reduced rate of $563 to give her a combined rate of $790. But, if Mary becomes eligible for spousal benefits prior to FRA, her spousal rate would also be reduced for age.

Best, Jerry