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Is It Correct That My Wife's Spousal Amount Will Be Calculated By Subtracting Her PIA From Half Of My PIA?

My wife DOB in 2/1944, she took SS in 2013. My DOB in 1/1954, I am taking SS in 6/2021. We need to understand Spousal Benefit my wife will get. As I understand, her spousal benefit is
((My PIA /2) - ( Wife PIA) )
and that will be added to her own SS from the 6 / 2021.
Is that correct?
Thanks

Hi. Yes, but If your wife started collecting her own benefits after reaching full retirement age (FRA) and if her benefit rate includes delayed retirement credits (DRC), her excess spousal rate would be reduced by the amount that her own benefit rate is increased by DRCs (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/poms.nsf/lnx/0300615694).

For example, let's say Jane files for her Social Security retirement benefits 3 years after reaching FRA. Jane's primary insurance amount (PIA) is $1000, but with DRCs her benefit rate is increased by 24% to $1240. Several years later Jane's spouse, Bill, files for his benefits. Bill's PIA is $2600. Jane's unreduced spousal rate would initially be calculated by subtracting her PIA from 50% of Bill's PIA, which in Jane's case is $300 (i.e. $2600/2 - $1000). However, the spousal amount payable to Jane would be reduced by the the $240 DRC increase applied to her own benefit rate. The result would be that Jane would receive a combined benefit amount of $1300, consisting of $1240 from her own account plus a net spousal amount of $60 (i.e. $300 - $240).

Best, Jerry

Category: 
Posted: 
Apr 13 2022 - 3:52pm
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