Hello Larry. Since I was misinformed at my local SS office shortly after the most recent change in SS law, I want to make sure I can file the way I plan. I am 64 years old. When I turn 66 (12-29-17), I plan to file for half my ex-husband's SS. (We were married 25 years and he turns 66 approximately 6 months before I do on 8-6-17.) In the event I have no other sources of income, I plan to defer my SS until age 70. (I am fortunate that currently I am employed full time.) Lastly: In the event his SS is higher, am I eligible to instead file for half of my first husband's SS?

TWO QUESTIONS:
1. Both my wife and I just reached FRA. Can we both file and suspend at the same time and both take spousal benefits from the other's retirement benefits at the same time?

2. I am still working and plan to for a few more years. Will my income from these years continue to contribute toward increasing the Monthly Benefit Rate when it becomes established at the point that I take my retirement benefits?

Hi,

I read your informative article in Forbes this weekend. I have a scheduled apt. w/ SS on July 14th to decide if i should start taking benefits at 66 or wait until 70. After a brief look at the software and wondering if i could do this on my own thought i would go ahead and ask my question in this format. My financial advisor says wait; tax advisor says start at 66.

I am working 64 , turning 65 this year and plan to retire in June 2017. My spouse is receiving SS benefits for the past 4 years. Is the Start-Stop-Start strategy something we could benefit from if I postponed my retirement until age 66?

Hi,

Probably not. The start-stop-start strategy normally means filing for reduced benefits prior to full retirement age in order to permit a spouse or children to receive benefits, voluntarily suspending benefits at full retirement age (or later), then resuming benefits at age 70.

larry; In mid April 2016, I was 65 and my wife was 66. Obviously we were both born before the 1954 "Deemed" cut-off date. I learned about file and suspend and attempted to do so with me filing for spousal benefits on my wife's account. on the SS website. I received a letter from SS informing me that I could not file for spousal under a suspended account as I had not yet reached my FRA.

I'm am going to be 65 the end of July, my husband is just 62 and doesn't want to take his benefits till he's at least 66, hopefully 70. If I begin taking my SS benefits at 65 can I switch to my husbands when he takes his? His will be a lot more than mine. I've heard a few different answers. One person told me that I could do that as long as my share of my husbands SS is twice as much as mine........which they are. Another person told me that in order to take advantage of that plan I must wait till I'm 66 to open my claim. Can you please clarify?

thanx
mick

My wife and I both retired early. My birthdate is Oct-1955, hers is Mar-1954. My estimated benefit at FRA is $2,700/mo and my reduced benefit at 62 yrs old is $2,000. Her estimated FRA benefit is $700 and reduced 62 yr old benefit is $540 (this is reduced since she taught public school for a portion of her career). We desire to start taking one or both benefits ASAP, but we have some flexibility to wait if the increased payments make it worth waiting for.

Dr. Kotlikoff - While I read the prior edition of your book and purchased numerous copies for give-aways to friends, I have not yet obtained the updated edition. My question is personal to my situation. In August 2016 I will turn 62. Although now divorced, I was married for over ten years and have not remarried. My plan was to defer taking SSA benefits using the following strategy: at 66 take the spousal share from my former spouse, then at 70 take my own "full" share. Knowing you cannot predict four years ahead, is that strategy still available currently? Thanks!

Hi... I am 62 and my husband is 43. I own my own small business, earning around $30,000 last year. My husband is employed and earned over $60,000. Question... should I start social security benefits at age 62 or wait? How will that affect my husband?

Hi, my husband is 63 (born 1/4/53)and working. I am 62 (born 2/27/54) and currently not working but am eligible for my own ss at age 66. Under the new law should he wait to file and suspend until I file at FRA ? Can he receive 50% of my ss benefits if I also file and suspend? Or am I eligible to receive 50% of his benefits if he files at FRA and I wait until FRA to file? Also at age 70 would I then be eligible for 50% of his full benefit or only mine which would be less money? I am so confused! Thanks, Barb