Ask Larry

How Do We Maximize Our Benefits?

I will turn 66 in July and am retiring as of July 1, 2017. I have significant savings and a pension from my employer, so I have not yet filed for Social Security. My husband will turn 69 in October, and he has not filed for SS either. I would appreciate your advise about what we should do to eventually maximize our Social Security benefits.

Hi,

Your best strategy depends on your and your husband's relative benefit rates. Either you or your husband could start drawing your retirement benefits in order to allow the other of you to file for spousal benefits only, while letting their own retirement rate grow until age 70.

You may want to strongly consider running the maximization software available on this website in order to determine the best option in your case.

Best, Jerry

Posted: 
May 13 2017 - 8:32am
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