Thanks to you and your great book, my husband filed for his full retirement benefits and suspended his benefits on 11/16/2015, a day after his 66 birthday, hoping to leave them there until he's 70. We've heard if you tell SS that you want to unsuspend even a month before you turn 70 that SS will automatically give you a lump sum check for 6 months or more, and reduce your benefits as if you had filed 6 months earlier. Should you wait until after your actual 70th birthday to unsuspend so you get the full 4 years of benefits. He wants to start getting a check in January of 2020.

Hi,

Assuming that your husband wants to start receiving his benefits at age 70, he shouldn't need to do anything. Social Security automatically reinstates suspended benefits at age 70 if the person doesn't reinstate their benefits before then. If your husband reaches age 70 in November 2019, he should automatically receive his first payment in December 2019. I know of no way that he could delay his first payment until January 2020.

Best, Jerry