Ask Larry

Is This Correct?

Hi - thank you for prior answers. I'm trying to understand if this is correct, husband and wife are both FRA 67, husbands FRA PIA 2600/m, wife 1000/m. If he waits to 70 with DRC add to $3224 form him, and $1240 for wife. However, for her 50% on His PIA FRA is 1300, will she receive what is hers 1240 or will she brought into 1300? 1240 hers 60 residual spousal. Thank you

Hi. In the scenario you present, the wife would get her own retirement benefit of $1240 plus an excess spousal benefit of $60 (i.e. $1300 total). Given that fact, it would not be wise for the wife to wait until age 70 to start drawing her own benefit. Instead, she'd likely want to start collecting her own benefit at her full retirement age (FRA), then file for an excess spousal benefit when her husband claims his benefits. The result would be a retirement benefit rate of $1000, plus an excess spousal amount of $300 (i.e. $2600/2 - $1000). So, in other words, she'd end up with the same total monthly benefit amount while also collecting $1000 monthly on her own account from ages 67 to 70.

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Best, Jerry

Posted: 
Nov 21 2022 - 6:07pm
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