Spousal Benefits

I began taking my social security benefit at NRA. I'm 66 and my wife is 61. After reviewing what she would get under the spousal benefit I think that it would be to our benefit for her to take the reduced spousal benefit when she turns 62 in December of 2018. My question has to do with the benefit she would receive should something happen to me. When I retired I began taking my benefit in September of 2017 at NRA which was the maximum benefit allowed. Based on the SS calculators she would receive a little over $900 per month because she would be taking it early.

My husband started his Social Security benefits a few years ago at age 65, but has continued to work. When I begin collecting benefits at 66, will I receive half of his fra, or half of the amount he is currently collecting, which has increased due to colas and salary increases?

Hi,

I am turing 65, m FRA is 66 and plan on supending SS until I am at 67. I will not need Medicare as well until I turn 67. My wife is 63 and will turn 65 at the same time I turn 67. In this way I am mantaining medical insurance up and until she can be on Medicare. Having said this, if I retire at 67 when can she claim the full 50% sposual from SS? She has been a stay at home mom and does not have enough credits to receive any SS on her own.

Hi,

Good morning!

I am 70 and drawing Social Security on my own (previously from deceased husband) as of March 2108.
My second husband is 69 drawing Social Security from his deceased spouse benefits.

Can he draw from my Social Security without affecting my dollar amount?
How does this affect my future Social Security?
When is it beneficial for him to draw from his own Social Security?

Hi,

Hi,
I filed for my social security benefit on my record at FRA in November 2017 at age 66 and my PIA is $1026 per month. Do I understand correctly that I can file for excess spousal benefit when my husband (who turned 64 in March 2018) files for his benefit? He plans to wait until age 70 to file. As of now, his PIA at FRA is $2710.

Or is there a better strategy for us? (I would be willing to withdraw my application if I need a do-over.)

Thanks for your help.

Hi,

I have a disabled adult child from birth. I am 62, my wife is 56. It appears to me that she would be eligible for Child in Care benefits but Social Security is saying this benefit is only avail up to the time my son reaches the age of 16. Has the law or requirement changed? Two different people have told us the same thing. Thank you for your time and attention.
Bob

Hi Bob,

can my wife draw off my social security she draws $450 a month

Hi,

I can't answer your question without more information. In order for your wife to potentially be eligible to draw benefits from your record, you would have to be drawing your benefits and your full retirement age rate (PIA) would have to be more than twice as much as your wife's PIA.

Best, Jerry

I plan to claim social security at 70 (mostly to preserve survivor benefits), so this question is about the rules governing claiming strategies for my wife. She was born in 1959 and I was born in 1960, so we are currently 58 and 57. Her own benefit will be modest as she was primarily a homemaker, but she does have a number of years of part time employment. Do I correctly understand that she can claim her own benefit (either early or at FRA), and then have it increase to 50% of my benefit (which will be higher) when I finally claim?

My wife and I are both at FRA and have not claimed SS benefits yet. WEP is applicable to my wife's earnings record. It is not applicable to mine. If my wife applies for spousal benefits on my record will her benefits be WEP reduced? She's worked and paid into SS for the last 22 years. For the 15 years before that she was a teacher and will receive a state teacher's pension based on that work. Also, I am correct in thinking GPO would not apply here? Thanks !

Hi,

My wife took her own retirement benefit in Feb 2015 at the age of 62. I was over FRA at the time and filed a restricted application for spousal benefits only immediately after she filed and drew a spousal benefit until I filed for my own retirement benefit in Dec 2017 at age 69 yrs, 3 mo. When should she apply for her spousal benefit in order to get the largest check...now or when she reaches her FRA (66) in Jan 2019? Or does it make a difference in the check amount when she applies? How will it be calculated? Her PIA is $938; mine is $2154. Thanks.

Hi,