My FRA was in February 2020 at age 66. I did not file for social security benefits at that time. It is now January 2021 and I am considering filing a six-month retroactive claim under my own record. I do understand that my monthly benefit will be calculated based on what I would have been receiving then if I had filed at that time. I do know that I will receive the previous six months in one lump sum and moving forward will receive a reduced amount. As stated before I would be filing under my own record. I am married. My husband is not drawing social security. He will not reach his FRA until later this year. When he starts drawing social security I can switch to the spousal benefit, which will be a higher amount? Am I jeopardizing receiving a higher amount under the spousal benefit because I filed a retroactive claim under my own record? I know that the spousal benefit is not more than 50%. Will I qualify for the actual 50% amount?

Hi,

No, you won't jeopardize your potential spousal benefits if you file for your own benefits retroactively for 6 months. Since you were born after January 1 1954, you could never file just for spousal benefits without also applying for your own benefits. And, if your own benefit rate if you waited until age 70 to apply would be less than 50% of your spouse's primary insurance amount (PIA), it would almost certainly be advantageous to file for your own benefits as soon as possible and claim the maximum 6 months of back pay. A person's PIA is equal to their Social Security retirement benefit rate if they start drawing their benefits at full retirement age (FRA).

You can't actually switch from drawing your own benefits to collecting just spousal benefits, and you can't qualify for a spousal benefit at least until your spouse starts drawing his benefits. If you're drawing your own benefits and if you later qualify for spousal benefits, your spousal benefit rate would be calculated by subtracting your PIA, augmented by any delayed retirement credits (DRC) you've earned by waiting past full retirement age (FRA) to start drawing, from 50% of your spouse's PIA. So, if your PIA including DRCs is less than half of your husband's PIA, once your husband starts drawing his benefits your combined retirement and spousal benefit rate would amount to 50% of your husband's PIA regardless of whether you started drawing your own benefits effective with FRA or any month thereafter.

I sounds like you and your husband should strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to make sure that you're choosing the best possible filing strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry