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Filing Options
April 17, 2023
Can I File For Surviving Ex-Spouse Benefits At Age 60 And Then Switch To Full Widow's Benefits At FRA?
April 16, 2023
Has There Been A Definite Update From Social Security On Applying For Your Own Benefits At Age 70 After Collecting Spousal Benefits?
April 15, 2023
Can My Wife Collect Half Of My Full Benefit Amount Instead Of Her Own Benefit When I Start Drawing My Benefits?
April 14, 2023
Can I Collect My Social Security Benefit At Age 62 And Then Switch To Surviving Spousal Benefits At Age 67?
March 29, 2023
If I Die Can My Wife File For Reduced Benefits On Her Record At Age 62 And Then Apply For My Full Amount When She Turns 67?
March 28, 2023
Could My Wife File A Restricted Application For Spousal Benefits On My Account?
March 24, 2023
Is My Wife Allowed To Apply For Her Own Benefits If She's Already Receiving A Spousal Benefit?
March 21, 2023
Can I Start Collecting My Own Benefits At Age 62 And Then Switch To A Spousal Benefit At Age 67?
March 20, 2023
Can My Wife Collect Her Benefit At Age 62 And Then Spousal Benefits When I Begin Collecting?
February 24, 2023
Can I File For Survivor Benefits On My Ex-Spouse's Record At Age 60 And Later Switch To My Own Benefits Or Widow's Benefits On A Different Spouse's Record?
February 24, 2023
Can I File For Spousal Benefits On My Disabled Husband's Account And Then Switch To My Own Retirement Benefits At Age 70?
February 2, 2023
What Are My Options Now If I've Already Cancelled My Benefits Once And Then Reapplied?
February 9, 2023
Am I Eligible To File A Restricted Application Based On Having A Disabled Child In My Care?
February 3, 2023
Am I Entitled To Collect Spousal Benefits While Waiting To Claim My Own Benefits?
February 3, 2023
Don't I Have The Option To File A Restricted Application For Widow's Benefits?
January 31, 2023
Is It True That My Wife Can Have Her SSDI Redone At Age 65 If Her Amount Is Less Than Half Of Mine?
January 25, 2023
Why Is SSA Making The Option Of Receiving A Lump Sum Payment Available To Me?
January 22, 2023
Can I Collect Early On My Spouse's Social Security And Then Switch To My Account At Age 70 1/2?
January 22, 2023
Can I Collect Half Of My Husband's Benefit Now And Then Change To My Own Benefits At Age 70?
December 24, 2022
Am I Able To Draw My Ex's Benefit Amount In April And Allow Mine To Grow Until I'm 70?
January 2, 2023
Can I Collect Six Months Of Back Pay In A Lump Sum And Then Suspend Further Benefits?
December 24, 2022
Is There Any Way That I Can Continue To Receive Spousal Benefits And Also Apply For Retirement Benefits?
November 29, 2022
Can I Delay Filing For My Retirement Benefits Until January 2024 And Receive Six Months Of Back Benefits From 2023?
November 13, 2022
Is It Correct That My Wife Can't Start Collecting Spousal Benefits Until I Start Drawing My Benefits?
November 2, 2022
Can I Draw Just Widow's Benefits Starting At FRA And Delay My Retirement Benefits Until Age 70?
October 24, 2022
Can I Suspend My Disability Benefits And Get Full Benefits At An Older Age?
October 19, 2022
Is It True That My Only Option Is To Collect Reduced Survivor Benefits Now?
October 6, 2022
Can I File Using My Ex-Wife's Earnings From The Years She Made More Than Me?
September 20, 2022
When Should I Apply To Get Both The 8% Delayed Credit And The 2023 COLA In My First Check?
September 15, 2022
If A Person's SSDI Benefits Stop Can They Choose To Take Early Retirement Benefits Temporarily And Then Switch Back To SSDI?
September 11, 2022
If I Collect My Own SS Will They Make Me Collect Off Of My Husband's SS?
August 28, 2022
Can It Be Correct That My Mom Can't Qualify For Any Social Security Benefits?
August 16, 2022
Can My Wife Claim Spousal Benefits When I Apply For My Benefits And Then Switch To Her Own Benefits At Age 70?
August 16, 2022
Does It Hurt Me In Any Way To Apply For Regular Social Security While Waiting For SSDI?
August 15, 2022
Can I Collect Part Of My Deceased Husband's SS Now And Collect My Own SS When I Retire?
August 6, 2022
Is It True That I Can Collect Up To Half Of My Husband's Benefit Now Before He Starts Collecting?
August 4, 2022
If I Draw My Benefits At Age 62 Will I Also Be Able To Draw On My Husband's Record When He Retires?
August 1, 2022
If I Die First Can My Wife Stop Drawing Her Benefits And Collect Mine Instead?
July 31, 2022
At Age 62 Can My Wife File For The Higher Of Half Of My Benefit Amount Or Her Own Benefit Amount?
July 21, 2022
If My Spouse Dies Before I Reach FRA Can I Collect My Own Benefits And Wait Until FRA To Claim Survivor Benefits?
July 19, 2022
If I Retired At Age 62 Can I Collect Half Of My Husband's Benefit Amount Instead Of My Own When He Retires?
June 30, 2022
Can My Sister Take Her Deceased Husband's Benefit Now And Still Change Over To Her Own Social Security Later?
June 23, 2022
Is It Correct That My Wife Can't Apply For Spousal Benefits And Wait Until Age 70 To Claim Her Own Benefits?
June 20, 2022
Can My Husband Start Drawing His Early Retirement While Waiting For A Determination On His Disability Claim?
June 7, 2022
Should I Be Collecting My Own Social Security If I'm 68 And Collecting Widow's Benefits?
May 24, 2022
Can A Surviving Ex-Spouse File For Her Ex-Husband's Benefits At FRA And Then Switch To Her Own Benefit At Age 70?
May 22, 2022
Am I Able To Collect Widow's Benefits Now Regardless Of My Earnings And Not File For My Own Benefits Until Age 70?
May 21, 2022
If I'm Already Drawing Spousal Benefits Will Social Security Automatically Switch Me To My Own Benefits At Age 70?
May 8, 2022
Is It True That I Cannot Postpone Receiving SS Beyond My FRA In Order To Receive A Larger Monthly Benefit?
May 8, 2022
If I Apply Now And Later Suspend Benefits Will I Have To Pay Back The Full Amount I Collected?
April 22, 2022
Can I Collect My Own Social Security At Age 62 And Then Switch To My Late Husband's Survivor Benefits At FRA?
April 15, 2022
Can My Wife Claim 50% Of My Benefit At Age 63 And Wait Until She's 67 To Claim Her Own Benefits?
April 13, 2022
Can I Claim My Benefits At Age 62 And Then Switch To Full Survivor Benefits At Full Retirement Age?
April 6, 2022
Can I Collect My Social Security At 62 And Then Switch Over To My Deceased Husband's Record At FRA?
March 31, 2022
If I Die Before Applying For Benefits Can My Wife Draw Her Own Benefits Until Her FRA And Then Switch To My Higher Amount?
March 12, 2022
Is There A Certain Time Period When I Need To Notify Social Security That I Want A Spousal Benefit?
March 5, 2022
If My First Husband Is Deceased And My Second Husband Is Retired, Can I Collect From Both?
March 1, 2022
Can I Collect Both My Deceased Husband's Social Security And My Own Social Security Disability Benefits?
February 22, 2022
Can I Collect On My Deceased Husband's Social Security Now And Wait Until Age 70 To Collect My Own Benefits?
February 15, 2022
Is There Any Advantage To Claim My Wife's Child In Care Spousal Benefits Retroactively?
February 14, 2022
Is It True That I Can't Apply For Half Of My Ex's Social Security Retirement?
February 13, 2022
Are There Any Options For My Wife To Collect Other Than Waiting Until Age 70?
February 11, 2022
If I Marry The Man I've Been Dating Would We Still Be Able To Claim Divorced Spousal And Survivor Benefits On Our Previous Spouses' Records?
February 6, 2022
Will I Get 32% Of My Husband's Benefit Amount In Addition To My Own Benefit?
February 5, 2022
Is It True That My Wife Can File For Spousal Benefits Now And Wait Until Age 70 To Claim Her Own Benefits?
January 31, 2022
Can I Reclaim A New Benefit Based On My Ex-Wife's Social Security Numbers?
January 28, 2022
If My Wife Files For Spousal Benefits Now Can She Claim Her Own Higher Benefit Later?
January 25, 2022
Can I Take My Own Retirement Now And Switch To Spousal Benefits When My Husband Retires?
About the Author
Laurence J. Kotlikoff
Laurence J. Kotlikoff is a William Fairfield Warren Professor and Professor of Economics at Boston University, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Econometric Society, and a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Professor Kotlikoff received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973 and his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 1977. Kotlikoff is the Director of the Fiscal Analysis Center.
A New York Times Bestselling author, he has written nineteen books and hundreds of professional articles and op-eds. He is a frequent television and radio guest. His columns have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, London Financial Times, the Boston Globe, Bloomberg, Forbes, Yahoo.com, Fortune, and other major publications. In 2014, The Economist named him one of the world's 25 most influential economists