Hi Larry, I turn 69 in early November, 2022. I am trying to decide if I should file when I turn 69 and get the benefit of the projected ‘large’ COLA in January 2023 or continue delaying until I turn 70 in November 2023. My estimated SS monthly benefit at 69 is $3343 and if I make the assumption that the COLA will be 8%, my monthly benefit would be $3610. My estimated monthly benefit at 70 is $3761. Am I really gaining that much by waiting until 70? Thanks so much for your guidance. Pam

I waited until 70 years of age to retire and receive a larger monthly benefit amount, as a result. I believe my wife will be eligible to receive at least 95% of my existing benefit after I die. Or, receiving the difference between any amount she would then be receiving and the amount of my benefit.
My question is; Will my wife's spousal survivor benefit amount be affected if she she elects to start receiving her own benefits before her full retirement age ?

I am currently 62 and I am looking to file for my Soc Sec benefits when I turn 63 (my FRA is 67). My spouse (59 at this time) has paying into SSA and is eligible for benefits on her own right. My question is, when she turns 62, can she get the higher of either her own benefits or the 50% of the amount that I am eligible for when I file? Will she get 50% of my payout when I file (well before FRA) or will she get less than 50%? Thank you!

Larry I’ve been working in the USA since 2009 however until 2014 (obtained green card then citizenships) I was on a VISA so only contributing to social security since then.
I believe I paid CPP during the VISA years.
I had worked in Canada all of my adult life till 2009 approx 33 years.
My wife opted to take her CPP at age 60 as she had cancer.
She collected the small CPP pension and only worked for a couple months part time while we lived in Texas.
She was too sick to be able to work anyway for the last few years.

Hi Larry, I appreciate being able to ask this question. My husband and I are both Americans and we are also both French. He is 66, with 11 years in the USA SS system, and started his social security on January 1st 2022 at $980 per month, subject to the WEP once his French retirement pension goes into affect. Same for me, but I am younger, unemployed currently, 60, with 12 years of earning in the USA SS, with $400 monthly anticipated at age 65, but also subject to WEP, $211 per month (estimated).

My name is Jeff. I am 67 years old and will wait to 70 years old to begin my Social Security monthly benefit payouts.

My wife is Mary. Her Full Retirement Age (FRA) is 66 years and 10 months. Mary is 4.5 years younger than me, and at present, we plan for her to retire at 65 years and 6 months. Based on current calculations, we think her “reduced” Social Security benefit amount will be less than 50% of my primary insurance amount (PIA). Would my 50% PIA (that could go to Mary as a spousal benefit) also be reduced because Mary retired early?

My husband died December 28, 2014; I was 55 at the age of his death. In 2015, I went to the Social Security Administration office in Rockville, Maryland to determine when I was eligible to apply for Survivor (widow) benefits. I was told at age 60, I could apply for 50% of my late husband’s benefits and at age 62, 75% of his benefits. So, I decided to continue working to receive the maximum benefit based on the regulations, if I took his benefits, I could not receive my own benefits based on my income.

My husband worked in local government in colo for 7 years. This brings his ss earnings to 23 yrs. He is considering a job change to Washington state government that will not pay into ss. He would retire with 23 yrs into ss payments. Is there a best strategy to figure how much more $ he needs to make and put into savings to best make up the difference? And how will this affect spousal benefits? Is there anyone to talk to about this?

I am trying to figure out if there is a downside to my plan, and was hoping you could help.
I am 58 years old, widowed after 10+ years of marriage to someone who was collecting Social Security Disability at the time of their death in 2015 at the age of 53. My Social Security Benefit will be much larger when I claim it. I am currently working, and make over $50,000 per year.

I am 67 years old and will wait to 70 years old to begin my Social Security monthly benefit payouts. Since my FRA is 66 years and 2 months, can I wait to 70 years and 2 months to get 4 full years of the SS monthly benefit payout increase or is the most I can get equal to 3 years and 10 months of increase at 70 years even.