Hi, My wife will be 65 this year and I will be 64. Neither of us are currently taking SS, but she is planning to take her's this year, one year before her FRA, and I am planning to wait until I am 70. We realize that her monthly payment will be slightly less than if she waits till her FRA of age 66, but I would like to know whether she will be able to do that and still switch to a spousal contribution when I finally take my social security at age 70. If so, will the amount that she converts to when I reach 70 be equivalent to half of what I would have been entitled to at age 66? Also, if we do that, would I be able to take a spousal contribution equivalent to half of what she will get at age 65 when I reach age 66, while deferring on collecting my own social security until age 70? Thanks, Brian

Brian, if you have not yet filed for your retirement benefit when she files for hers before her full retirement age (FRA), which is 66 not 65, she will not be deemed to have also filed for her spousal benefit. She'll only be deemed to have filed for both if you've already filed for your retirement benefit at the time she files. If she waits until her FRA to file, her unreduced spousal benefit will be equal to 50% of your FRA retirement benefit. However, if she files for her retirement benefit early, her spousal benefit will be reduced below what it would be if she waits until her FRA to file for her retirement benefit. At your FRA, also 66 and not 65, you can collect your unreduced spousal benefit as long as she has filed for her retirement benefit and it would be equal to 50% of her FRA retirement benefit amount. Our software can model all of this and also determine your household maximized strategy. Thanks, John