I plan on retiring next June when I am a month shy of age 70 and plan to switch from ex spousal benefits that I started collecting 2 years ago to my own benefits. My benefits are subject to windfall as I am. cA public school teacher. Am I actually lowering my benefits by waiting to 70? I recently read something to that effect.

Hi,

I am 64, still working and have not yet filled for SS. My wife will be 62 in October and is considering taking her reduced benefit of approximately $680 . My question is, should she wait until I file at 66 to claim her spouse portion or should she claim her own at 62 and the change to the spouse benefit when I hit my FRA in April 2019?

Hi,

Hi Larry:
While at full retirement age 66 and working full time, I applied for and received SS benefits from my ex-spouse (living). Then, 6 months later, I retired and changed over to collect SS from my own account. Now, SS is billing me for the full amount I collected from my ex-spouse SS , the 6 monthly benefit payments and the 6 month retroactive benefit.
I had the understanding this was a recommended path to follow so my own SS would increase. The local SS office maintains they are due all monies from my ex-spouse's SS.

Hi Larry, I am 64 and retired. My husband recently died at age 66 and had not filed for social security benefits. My social security benefit will be more than my husband's so I plan to take survivor benefits until I am 70 then file for my own benefit. I understand the survivors benefit is reduced prior to my reaching FRA. If I take survivor benefits early at 64, will I receive less social security payout in total compared to taking survivor benefits at FRA? Thanks for your advice!

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

In (Divorced Spousal Benefits) How Do I Restrict My Application To Divorced Spousal Benefits Only? Mar 23 2017 - 7:30am, Jerry discusses the "restrict retirement benefits on your own record from the scope of your application for divorced spousal benefits" approach.

I am 64 born 9/1952, divorced and never remarried and have never filed for social security benefits. My ex husband & I were married 26 years. He is 68 born 9/1949 and began collecting early SS retirement benefits at 62. I need major surgery that will keep me out of work for several months then hopefully be able to work again until age 70. I want to know if under the new Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015 I can file and collect divorced spousal benefit this year (before my FRA of 66) and delay my own benefits until age 70.

hi i am 63 my wife is 62
she worked in past and has a fra of 692
i am still working and plan to work for a while at least (god willing). my fra is 2680

if she files now she loses 25% of her fra. but if she waits to 66 to claim spousal or god forbid widows will she be negatively impacted

please advise
thanks
tom

Hi Tom,

Hello Larry,
I wanted to run my situation by you and see what your initial impression is.
Bill - Age 65 (9/'51) PIA $1735 retired 12/2014 - not yet filed for SS.
Pam - Age 63 (9/'53) PIA $1352 - retired 12/2013 - not yet filed for SS.

Larry: My birthdate is Dec 1951. My wife's birthdate is May 1955. I plan on working and not drawing SS until at least age 66 and hopefully age 70. My wife is planning to start receive Social Security payments based solely on her own income at age 62 (June 2017). Will my wife drawing SS early (age 62) have any impact on me receiving full SS payments later when I start drawing SS payments? Would my wife be able to draw SS based on 1/2 of my SS payment after she reaches age 66? and if I were to die first, would my wife still be able to draw full SS Survivor Benefit from my SS?

I am going in May to Social Security to apply for spousal benefits. My husband thinks I must first file and suspend and then file for spousal benefits. I read your first book. My husband filed and suspended before April 2016. His birthdate is 2/2/1949. My birthdate is 5/11/1951. We both have more than 35 years of work history. I am desperate for your answer. I am going to write the sentence on my sheet at social security that this does not apply to my retirement benefits. It is the statement that I copied off the question and answer sheet (your website).