Filing Strategies

Hi Larry,

My husband and I are full retirement age. We both have enough points for benefits. I'd like to start my benefits now but he doesnt. I'd like to know if that's possible and what the future ramifications are of just starting my benefits now.

Hi,

When my wife reached 62, I will already be 70 (the age at which I started taking my SS Benefit). My benefit will be about $ 3050.00/Month. My wife's SS at 62 will be only about $ 225.00/Month. Should she take her SS at 62 along with Spousal Benifit or wait until her FRA of 66 yrs 8 mo?

Hi,

I am 63 and still working, my wife retired 3 years ago and draws a pension.
she is 62 and can draw social security, should she?
She no longer pays into SS, as a result, does her benefit still grow or should she take it now and not leave the money on the table?

Hi,

I have your book and I read the info on spousal benefits but I am still confused. I am 68. I have not taken SS yet. I retired Dec 2017. If I took benefits now, it would be $2883. If I wait till 70 it will be $3514. My husband is 71. He took SS early and gets $1169. We never applied for spousal benefits. I get the impression that we should. Looking at your example, I think if I took it now, he would get an additional $272 but if I wait till 70, he would get an additional $588. Can that be right? Thanks for your help.

Hi,

I reached FRA in June but was told at the Social Security office (and determined on an AARP calculator) that I can file on my ex husband's record and receive half of his social security benefit by waiting until he turns 62, then let my own grow. It is a no-brainer for me to wait 4 months to take $1250 based on his earning record rather than the $1400 based on mine UNLESS (according to your book) the rule requires me to take the higher amount...in which case I've been forfeiting $1400 for 4 months.

I am going to be 66 in late January 2018. I am not subject to the "deeming" rule since I was 62 before 1-2-16. I was thinking of filing for my OWN SS benefits at FRA in January of 2018. However, they are very low since I didn't earn much money over my working life. They will be about 559 dollars a month. My husband will be 66 (FRA) in June of 2018. He will then file for his benefit which will be about 2569.00 a month. I will already be 66 (my FRA) by then.

Hello. I purchased the maximization software yesterday and have three questions. First I will be 66 in Oct and my husband is 63 (May) and I was the higher earning spouse. (1) I thought my husband (who receives SSDI) would only be able to receive his own record SS benefits (converted to SS benefits from SSDI benefits at his age 66.) However your software shows him receiving an excess spousal benefit on my record after I file for Social Security benefits at my age 70 and his age 67. Does this happen automatically if he does not suspend his benefits at age 66?

I am 64. My husband passed away in 2012 at age 76. He was retired at 65 and collected social security of $1183 per month; mine on my record would be $2035 per month if I wait to retire at FRA of 66. Instead, I hope to retire next year at 65. My question is: can I retire on his social security next year, allowing mine to grow, then switch to mine at age 70?

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

I am 66, my wife is 62. I was told that she can claim her retirement benefits now, and, if i wait for her to claim and collect, I can thereafter claim spousal benefits on her account until I hit 70 at which time she can switch to spousal benefits on my account. Alternatively, I was told that after she files and starts collecting her benefits at 62 I can thereafter retire and claim my full benefits and, when she reaches 66 and 2 months, she can switch to spousal benefits. This seems like the smart way to go.

Hi,