I have worked 30 years in a school system and contributed to the Maine State Retirement System. My husband has always been self-employed and is of retirement age planning to start collecting this year. I have only paid in 20 quarters of social security in my working career and want to know if I can still collect Medicare (my insurance will be too expensive when I retire) and if my husband passes away before me, how much am I eligible to collect from his social security (percentage). Thank you.

Hi,

My husband died in April 2008. I started to collect my widow benefit in October of 2009 at age 60 and 10 months. I am now 71 years old and still have my own social security benefits I have not collected. What will I lose if anything if I apply to collect my SS benefits

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

My husband will turn 66 on 1/12/20. Does he need to either file for social security or file and suspend before his birthday? He has been ill so We don’t know how long we will be able to suspend collecting. My birthday is 1/10/56. Is it possible that I will be able to file and suspend then collect spousal benefits either now or when I turn 66 +4 months?

Hi,

I am 67,my wife 63.Neither of us is currently collecting SS benefits.My PIA@FRA is about 2500.My wife about 850.She earns about 18200 per year,I earn about 80000.
Is it feasible for her to collect RETIREMENT BENEFITS at reduced rate NOW,and for me to now file and restrict(I was born before 1954). I would collect spousal benefits until 70.
At 70 I start collecting my OWN RETIREMENT BENEFITS,and wife switches to spousal benefits which are more than her retirement benefits.

Hi,

Hi Larry,

I filed a "restricted application" when I turned 66 in Sept 2016 which has allowed my own benefit to continue to grow. I plan to file for my own benefits upon turning 70 which will be Sept of 2020. I'm looking for help with the logistics.

(1) Is there an online application somewhere to request a switch from ex-spousal benefits to my own? Or must I do this via phone, personal visit, or some paper application since I am already receiving an ex-spouse benefit?

I am 66 (Birthdate 1953) and took reduced social security benefits at 62 (in 2015). I went back to work at 64 (in 2017) in August. I knew I would surpass the earnings limit with my new salary, so I called SSA in August and let them know so that my social security payments should be stopped / withheld (suspended?) , starting August. When I turned 66 (2019), I called SSA and asked for my SS Benefit to continue to be suspended, as I do not want to start drawing until I retire again in 2-3 years. I was told my account would be in "voluntery suspension".

Hi Larry, my DOB is 4/21/54. I was a stay at home mom until divorced in 2009 (married 35 yrs). I have been working for ten yrs and am eligible to collect $799 at my FRA of 66 in April 2020. My ex-spousal benefit at 66 will be $1,060. I have been told by two SS call center persons that I can start collecting my ex-spousal benefit in April and let mine grow until I’m 70. But according to what I read on the SS website, I missed that option having been born after Jan 1, 1954. I even read the paragraph to one of them.

My wife and I are 60 years old. I am the primary income earner and could draw $2000 in SS starting at 62 based on my earning history. My wife can draw $700 at 62 based on her earning history. My question: if I want to wait until my FRA to draw my SS, can I draw a spousal benefit based on my wife’s earning history and if so, how would this affect the amount of SS I would receive at FRA.

Hi,

Hello. My husband is 65 and plans to work until he is 66 next year. I am 18 months younger and no longer work. We plan for him to start taking his social security at 70. Because he has worked for 15 years more than I have, his benefit is higher than mine (but not by much since I made more than he did when I worked). I am considering whether I should wait until I am 70 or take benefits at 68 1/2 when he starts his. Can I receive spousal benefits for the months between the time he takes his at 70 and I reach 70? Thank-you

Hi,

My wife began taking social security at age 63. She will be 66 (FRA) in February 2020. I am 64 (FRA 66/2) and still working and will have a much higher benefit when I collect. I would like to retire in the next 2 years and live off other savings and retirement accounts and wait until 70 to collect social security to maximize my benefit (and her survivor benefit if applicable). Can I collect spousal benefits on her record in the meantime (until I turn 70), knowing it would be a small, but helpful, benefit?

Hi,