Filing Options

I'm 62, my wife is 53 and i have a son in high school who is 15.
Can I file a restricted application and only receive benefits for my wife and son leaving my benefits alone.
Does this rule apply?
I am being told by another company that because of my wifes age, we cannot employ this strategy?

NOTE: For exceptions to deemed filing, see GN 00204.035B2 in this section.

2. Exceptions to deemed filing
Regardless of the claimant’s DOB, you must consider the following two exceptions before applying deemed filing:

I was just terminated from my job in September and I will be eligible to receive unemployment. I am 63 and my husband passed away a year ago. Can I potentially collect survivors benefits the remainder of the year even though I made significantly over $40K the first 8 months of the year. I want to switch to my benefits at age 70 as they will be larger than my husband's. I do not want to jeopardize any future benefits. Thank you.

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

Hi Larry I will be 66 (FRA) this October in which I will start collecting SSI benefits and continue to work. My wife who will be 63 this coming March wants to stop working and collect early SSI benefits . Her amount would be about $920. Can she collect spouse's benefits to increase her amount?

Hi,

Can my spouse get her full SS plus get half of my SS on top of hers?

Hi,

No. The most that your spouse could receive while you're living is the higher of those two amounts.

Best, Jerry

Greetings to you. I’ve been collecting widow benefits from husband for 3 years. I’ll be 71 9/4/2019 want to apply for my benefits and still working. I was under the impression that I couldn’t get my benefits since I’m still working. I was informed when I went to collect husband’s benefits that I couldn’t collect mine until I retire. I need clarity regarding discontinuing husband’s and applying for mine which is greater. Since I’m maxed out at 70 and I’m 71 could I get retroactive to last September when I was officially 70? Thanks for your time and attention to my question.

My wife is a few years older than me and started taking Social Security benefits at full retirement age. A few years later, when I reached full retirement age, I applied to start Social Security benefits too. During the online sign up process I was asked if I wanted "Spousal Benefits". I replied Yes and now get an amount half of what my wife receives.

I am 62 and a widow. I am wondering if I take my social security out at age 63 with reduced rates, can I switch to my deceased husbands full social security at age 66 and 4 months without having to have reduced rates on his amount? My social security is about only half of what his would be. I keep getting different answers from social security.

Hi,

RE your July 19 column, "Does My Larger Social Security Retirement Benefit Disqualify Me From Spousal Benefits?" My wife is older than I am and has been receiving her benefits for several years. I hit my FRA in June 2020 and plan to wait to take my benefits until I reach age 70. I read your column as meaning I could claim 50% of my wife's benefit as long as I did not file or file/suspend my own benefits, but when I went to the SS office this month they told me that only applied if I was born PRIOR to January 1954, and I was born in June 1954.

Larry, My spouse received spousal survivor benefits (with child) nearly 30 years ago from a former husband's passing. Do those payments in any way affect her claiming either her own SS or spousal SS on my now that she is arriving at full retirement age? Thanks.

Hi,

If I am 53 and my husband is 62 and he wants to retire, can he get social security even if I am still working?, is he affected because I am still working? How does that work with our age difference? I don't plan to retire until I am 65 or so but he wants to retire now at 62. Or can he receive his benefits at a reduced amount and I still continue to work until I am 65 and not 67?

Hi,