Deeming

Hi Larry: My wife is 8 months older than I and she will be applying for her own benefit in 2020 (not spousal) on January 24 when she turns 66. Regarding deeming, will I be forced to apply as well because she applied on her own record? I have your great book but am confused about this deeming thing. My plan is to wait until age 70 to apply on my own record, but, like your book says, don't trust everything the folks at Social Security tell us. Thanks in advance for your help.

Hi,

Hi--I purchased MaxMySS and ran a What If scenario with my husband filing at 68 and my filing at 70. We have a disabled adult child. I was born in 10/1958 and my husband in 7/1953. The results show my filing for child-in-care spouse's benefits in Jul 2021, the year I turn 63, and my husband turns 68. This looks good to us. However, a financial planner we've consulted says if I file for CIC spousal benefits in 2021, I will be "filing early and will receive whichever reduced benefit (spousal or yours) is higher.

I have a question about Social Security 'Deeming'.
A little background first; I will be 62 in October of 2018 and was planning to take SS early. Reason being is that I have a pension that covers my expenses and an IRA that I could leave untouched until 70 1/2 when RMD kicks in. Taking my SS at 62 gives me extra play money that would have drawn down my IRA and in the long run, net me a smaller lifetime net worth.
My wife will be 62 in February of 2019.

I claimed early retirement (63 years old at the time) in 2010. I was unemployed and depleted my unemployment benefits and had found no job. I was divorced from my 35 year marriage in 2003 (I believe). My question to you (and I find this most unsettling to me) when I took early retirement my ex spouse who was also 63 at the time had to leave the workforce due to health issues. He claimed disability SS. I had to use my own SS benefits but continued to work (I had found a job by this time).

Hello Larry,

The following is one of your strategies for claiming Society security when you have options to file under your own benefits or your survivor benefits. I have this question and just need to verify : What if I file at age 63 for survivor benefits, will I be deemed to file under my own record since my benefits is much higher than the survivor benefits.

"File for reduced widow's benefits at age 60 or as soon as your earnings will permit benefits to be paid, then switch to your own record at age 70"

Thanks

LT

Spousal Benefit Scenario for New Social Security Rules:

A significantly lower earning spouse (wife) at age 62 filed for her own retirement benefit

When her significantly higher earning husband files for his benefit (currently age 58) at FRA (66) will his wife receive an automatic increase assuming his PIA is greater than 50% of hers?

My husband who is 66 started collecting disability at age 64. He has now been converted to Social security. I was given advice at the same time( age 63) to collect SS on my own benefit and change over to my husbands when I turn 66. Since I am now 65, I called SS to discuss this and I was told I should have been collecting part of my husbands as well as mine and they sent me a large check that went back 2 years. I was told I couldn't collect the 50% of my husbands because I have been collecting since age 63.

I was told that I could have been drawing Social Security under my husbands instead of mine. I started drawing at 62 and under his I would drawn more. Can it be changed?

Thanks, Carol

Hi Carol,

Can I continue to take only my benefits after my husband has filed for his own benefits or will Social Security automatically add in my (reduced) excess spousal benefits?
Scenario: July 2017 - wife is 62+1 and takes her own reduced benefits now or soon after. (no deeming as husband has not filed)
Mar 2020 - husband is 66 (FRA) and takes his benefits. (wife is now eligible for spousal benefits)
Aug 2021 - wife is 66+2 (FRA) and now files for full excess spousal which is added to her own reduced benefits.

Hi Larry
Thanks for your column and advice.
I MAY also be a "victim" of the misunderstanding of the grandfathering clause for the delayed spousal benefits. We went through the process of applying for delayed spousal benefits in February of 2015 at our local SSA office in Tucson.