Dear Mr. Kotlikoff,
I will be turning 66 in November of 2019. My FRA Benefit will be $2,300/month($27,600/year). My wife will reach her FRA in July 2020 with FRA benefit $2,600/month ($31,200/year).
1. If I file for my FRA Benefit this November, can she claim half of mine and wait till her 70 to get the max?
2. Does she have to wait till her FRA (July 2020) to claim this Spousal Benefit?
3. Does she have to apply for her FRA benefit and suspend it in order to claim the Spousal Benefit?

Thank you so much for your time.

Hi,

My wife will be 62 in approx 1 week. She had to stop work earlier this year (approx June) because of significant medical issues and does not expect to be able to return to work. She filed a application for SSDI approx 1 month ago. Our finances are strained and emergency fund is shrinking. Would it foul up the situation re: the SSDI application if my wife were to file for the SS benefits she is entitled to at 62? Is SSDI a appropriate means of getting Medicare coverage (as I assume more medical bills will be coming).

I am 66 but claiming ss benefits yet. My wife is 63 and wants to file for benefits. Can she get spousal benefits of can she file for her own and then upgrade to spousal benefits later when I file.

Hi,

Larry, I have read your book twice (original and updated - great books).
My question is:
Can/should my wife take her normal benefits at FRA=66 and then switch to take spousal benefits at age 70 (when I take my benefits). Or will she be stuck at her FRA level? Can she switch from her FRA to spousal?
My wife and I are each 65. Thus our FRA = 66.
I plan on taking my benefits at age 70.
My benefits at FRA = $2847 and at age 70 = $3810
My wife's benefits at FRA = $815 and at 70 = $1076
Thank you, Jon

Hi Jon,

My wife has been collecting social security benefits since age 62, in 2012. I am 65 and not planning on filing until FRA. Am I eligible to draw a benefit off her record now while I am waiting on my own FRA?

Thank you,

Dennis

Hi Dennis,

If you file for spousal benefits prior to reaching your full retirement age (FRA), you'll be deemed to also be applying for your own benefits. You would then only receive essentially the higher of the two rates, and your benefit amount would be reduced for age.

My husband was born 03/06/1952 (prior to 1/2/54) and is grandfathered under the law passed by Congress in 2015. He intends to stop working within 6 months.
My birthday is 10/16/1956 and at this time, I continue to work FT .

Can my husband file a restricted application for spousal benefits on my SS, allowing his SS to grow until he is 70 years old while I am not claiming SS benefits.?

Thank you

Hi,

I PLAN TO RETIRE IN NOVEMBER 2019.MY FRA IS 2774 WHILE MY EARLY AMOUNT IS 1978.MY 28YEAR OLD DAUGHTER HAS BEEN DISABLED SINCE BIRTH AND COLLECTS 771 ON SSI.MY 56 YEAR OLD WIFE STAYS AT HOME AND HAS NOT WORKED IN YEARS.MY QUESTION IS WOULD MY WIFE AND DAUGHTER EACH GET HALF OF MY FRA AMOUNT 1387 EACH AND I GET 1978 FOR A TOTAL OF 4752 OR IF I FIGURE MY FRA AMOUNT TIMES 175 WHICH IS 4855 MINUS 2774 WHICH EQUALS 2081,DIVIDED BY 2 GIVES 1040 EACH FOR A HOUSEHOLD TOTAL OF 4059.WHICH IS CORRECT???

I am confused regarding restricted application. I am retired and 67, and planning to defer my social security til 70. My wife is 61 and still working. Can i file for restricted application now? Or would i have to wait til my wife reaches full retirement age (66.5), or even 62? Or not eligible at all?

Hi,

I filed for social security at age 66 but deferred receiving benefits and instead received spousal benefits for a couple of years. When my husband died last year, I was automatically switched to survivor's benefits.

I want to receive benefits on my own record when I turn 70 in a year, since these will be higher than the survivor's benefits. My question is whether this will happen automatically, or if I have to do something.

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

The below is a example where the total family benefit is reduced if the wife is forced to take the spouse benefit with the husbands account. In this case child benefit is also part of the family. Even though the spouse benefit exceeds the wife's benefit it reduces the total family house hold benefit. In this case can the wife refuse the spouse benefit and take the smaller wife benefit?

Husband PIA = $3000
5 in house hold, Husband, Wife and three children under 18 years of age
Maximum combined house hold limit exceeded so using SS provided limit = $5500