On a talk radio, the guy said if you are 62, then I need to come listen to his SS/retirement recommendation. Free dinner of course. He gave an example. Similar to what I had hoped to do with my spouse's and my SS benefits. Basically, when my wife reaches 66 in December 2016, I was going to let her start her SS benefits and I (62) file and suspend my benefits and ask for spousal support. I got the inkling that this may no longer be possible, thus the guest speaker on the radio said people like us should come to his lecture. I hesitate to do that because it comes down to a sales pitch. And they keep hounding you. So, is this no longer possible? Where I file and suspend and ask for spousal benefits when I am 62 and my wife is at FRA drawing her SS benefits? Thanks, Norm

Hi Norm, first you would never have wanted to file for and suspend your retirement benefit before filing for your spousal benefit. If you did, you'd then be eligible only for your excess, not your full, spousal benefit, which could be very small or perhaps more likely, $0. This has always been the case and has nothing to do with the new law. Second, you cannot suspend your retirement benefit until your full retirement age (FRA). Third, you cannot file for just your spousal benefit before your FRA. If you file for your spousal benefit before FRA, you'll be deemed to have also filed for your retirement benefit and both would be permanently reduced. This again has always been the case and has nothing to do with the new law. You can purchase our software for $40 for an annual license and it will not only determine your household's maximized strategy, but will also let you run any number of alternative what-if scenarios to see how they would play out in comparison to the strategy that yields the highest lifetime household benefits. As for 'the guy' on talk radio trying to get people to sign up for and attend his sales pitch, do you really believe in free meals? Thanks, John