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.

Hi
My wife is a British citizen and a naturalized American citizen. She worked in the UK for over 20 years and in the US for about 7. She was born in March 1955.
I "filed and suspended" when I turned 66 in October 2014. Our son was under 18 at the time and I collected $1321 a month for about ten months. I plan to wait until I turn 70 to start collecting.

Can my wife file for SS when she turns 62 in 2017, without having any reference to spousal benefits? I'd like to have her receive the $1321 adjusted for inflation when she turns 66 and two months.

Hi, I turned 66 in January 2016 and have an FRA retirement benefit of $2100 but I plan to wait until 7 to draw my benefit. My wife will turn 62 in Oct 2016 with FRA retirement benefit of $590 and she wants to collect at age 62 the reduced benefit of $440. She accepts this reduced benefit until she can file spousal benefits (at near her FRA) when I take my benefit. My question is: Can I file and restrict to spousal benefits after my wife has filed for her early benefit without causing SSA to invoke the "Deemed Filing for Spousal" clause on her benefits? Thanks, Terry

To Larry,

I am 69 receiving soc sec benefits - my husb/ is 63 (was 63 in March 2016) and still working part time (income 30k), not retiring until 70yo - Question: can he apply for spousal benefits?
Thank you,

Mary Jane

Dear Mary Jane,

Hi, I purchased your software last year. I am the lower earning spouse, and have been receiving SS retirement benefits since I turned 62 (in Oct. 2008). I will be 70 in October. My wife will turn 66 in October. According to your software, in order to maximize our combined benefits, my wife should apply for spousal benefits in July (3 months prior to her birthday). Then, when she turns 70 she can file for her own higher retirement benefit.

Hi, I was born 10/22/1951. My ex husband was born 11/6/1941. We were married 34 years and divorced for 10 years. My ex husband started SS at 70 and is now 74. Can I take my SS benefit now and take full spousal benefit at 66? Thanks, Susan