Hi-I am on a second round of "Get What's Yours" which I find very excellent, I am stuck on the Edith examples pgs 101 and 102. if her FRA at 66 is $1,800, it would be 25% reduced to $1,350 if claimed at 62. If she were t claim widowed benefit at 62 that would be 19% reduced at 62, from $2,000 to $1,620. Then on pg 102 you say that her $1,800 would increase to $3,168, which is true 76% increase from $1,800 at 62 to age 70. Does this mean that FRA for Edith was $2,400? Because, if she were to claim her own at 62 and that equals $1,800, it implies $2,400 at FRA.

Hi Larry,
My son-in-law passed away a year ago. He was 65 and was receiving SS disability. He was also receiving disability benefits through his former employer. My daughter is 53. Assuming she reaches age 60 and has not remarried, what are her options for finding her best benefit? I am pretty sure his lifetime earnings will have exceeded hers, even if she works another 17 years.
Thanks!

My wife turns 69 in June of 2023. Her expected SS benefit sheet shows a monthly benefit at age 69 of $3,944. If she waits to age 70 the monthly benefit iwould ncreases to $4,333. Given the anticipated 8 to 10% COLA adjustment to be released in Oct 2022 for 2023 SS benefits, does it make sense for her to retire at age 69 instead of of waiting until age 70 since inflation is expected to continue with higher than past year COLA adjustments, in effect allowing her to retire earlier but getting the same monthly payment benefit as if she waited to file at age 70?

Good day! I appreciate your knowledge of Social Security and helpful suggestions. I will be 62 and have filed for early Soc. Sec. My determined benefit rate is $955 a month at age 62. From 2004 to the present, I have 14 years with zero earnings. Rough going after 9/11 of 2001 terrorist attack, the 2nd Great Depression of 2008 to present, and the COVID-19 pandemic. I was born in 1960, my wife was born in 1964. We have no savings, no assets, no home as we rent, no property, no IRA, no annuity, no inheritance, and no 401K plan.

Is there a point where high inflation and high COLAs from SS make the wait till 70 to collect strategy does not benefit someone?
Is there a graph that shows a break even point?

Hi. All Social Security cost of living (COLA) increases that occur after a person turns age 62 are added to their Social Security retirement benefit rate regardless of whether or not they are drawing benefits. So, you won't be giving up any COLA increases by waiting until age 70 to apply for your Social Security retirement benefits.

My husband took his Social Security at FRA, although he continued to work until he was 70. (Not a good strategy for me)). Social security adjusted each year based on his additional earnings although it was not by a lot and he paid into Social Security on some of his earnings. He now has cancer and I need to help him but I also need to work. The restricted Social Security will not work even at my FRA because I was born after 1954. I am hoping I don't have to take my Social Security until age 70 because I think if he dies before me I will not have enough money otherwise.

Hi.

Hi, I'm 55 and on SSDI for the last 9 years. My wife younger at 48 years old and she has always being the higher earner, been married for 13 year and we both have a work all of our lives. How can i maximize my retirement at full retirement age or if I become able to work but retire at 62? What if the wife wants to retire early also? thank you!

I worked for 35 years before retiring. I plan to take Social Security at age 70. My wife has never worked. What is our best strategy to maximize Social Security Income? Claim earlier?

Is it possible to let me know if I can file for spousal benefits and then claim my higher benefit? I am married, birthday 10/06/53 and wife was 9/12/60. I have much higher SS beneftis than wife. She just filed on July 2022 since she turns 62 and will receive her first ss check in Nov 2022. I plan to file for spousal benefits this month and let my benefit grow until 2023, when I am 70. Then, 3 months before I am 70, I will file for my own benefit.
1. Is this strategy possible?