Hi - When I am ready to retire, am I able to receive both my husband's and my social security. Both check not either or?
I am not ready to retire yet, I am only 57 years of age.

Hi,

The most that you could receive is the higher of a) your own retirement benefit rate or b) your spousal benefit rate, not both. However, if half of your husband's full retirement age rate (PIA) is higher than your own PIA and you qualify for both benefits, you would be paid your own benefit plus a partial spousal benefit.

For example, Jane applies for benefits at her full retirement age (FRA) and her husband is already receiving benefits. Jane's PIA is $700 and her husband's is $2000. Jane would then receive her own retirement benefit plus a partial spousal benefit equal to 50% of her husband's PIA minus her own PIA, or $300 in this example (i.e. $2000/2 - $700). Jane's combined benefit rate would then be $1000, which is the same amount that she'd receive as a spouse if she wasn't entitled to benefits on her own record. If Jane had filed before her FRA instead, each benefit would be reduced for age separately.

The same principle would apply if you were entitled to both widow's and retirement benefits. That is, you could only draw essentially the higher of the 2 benefits, not both. However, in that case you may be able to start out drawing reduced benefits on one record and later switch to higher benefits on the other record.

Before filing, you may want to consider using our maximization software to determine your best strategy for claiming your benefits.

Best, Jerry