Has anyone here filed a restricted application for spousal benefits?

[ScaredtoQuit]

Has anyone here actually filed a restricted social security application for spousal benefits? My wife and I are the same age – about to turn 65 early next year. She is already collecting social security. I intend to collect my full benefit five years from now when I turn 70. But I intend to file a restricted application for spousal benefits when I turn 66 in early 2018 and collect half of her full benefit. According to what I have read, that will still be allowed under the 2015 changes in regulations because we were both born before 1954.
Has anyone here actually successfully done this? From what I have read, many of the processors at the SSA don’t understand this part of the law and they are likely to process your application incorrectly or refuse to do it at all. In addition, since I have never known anyone that has actually done this, I would like some sort of assurance that this is actually doable.
I would appreciate any feedback from anyone who has actually done this and what to look out for.

 

[TrvlBug]

I believe that's what it's called...what we are doing. I turned 62 earlier this year and applied for SS. DH filed for and is receiving 1/2 of my FRA benefits for the 10 months and will switch to his record early next year when he turns 70. An extra $12K we hadn't planned on .

 

[ScaredtoQuit]

Did you encounter any difficulties when your husband applied? Did the people at the SSA look at you like a deer in the headlights when you explained what you wanted to do?? Or was it easy?

 

[TrvlBug]

Did you encounter any difficulties when your husband applied? Did the people at the SSA look at you like a deer in the headlights when you explained what you wanted to do?? Or was it easy?

The application was easy...they knew what we wanted to do. We had an appt. at the local office as we couldn't do it online. We weren't sure we could because of the recent changes; we thought I might have had to be 62 before 12/15. It took forever, about 4 months, before DH started receiving his benefits. They had review issues. We had to keep calling for status and to make sure things were moving along. Fortunately, he rec'd back payments and his first payment was over $4K due to the delays.

 

[braumeister]

I think you don't have as much to worry about as you fear. All the SS people I've dealt with, over many years and several different offices, have been great, and I mean that sincerely.

DW and I have earned nearly identical SS amounts. Since we're not hurting for reloading our Starbucks cards, we both decided to wait until 70 to collect.

I'm about two years older, so when DW turned FRA, we wanted to have her collect spousal on my record while leaving her own to grow. So I needed to file and suspend, and she needed to file the restricted application for spousal only.

I made an appointment for a phone transaction. One fine day SS called to deal with it.

I explained that I wanted to file and suspend so DW could get spousal while keeping her own separate. The very nice lady at SS went through the details with me on the phone, then she threw a curve ball at me. She needed to talk with DW in order to complete the process.

Unfortunately, DW was out having lunch with some friends at the time. The SS agent said that was fine, she would be happy to call DW and handle it with her after hanging up with me.

I gave her DW's cell phone number, then immediately texted DW to tell her to expect a call from an unknown number in a few minutes, and she should definitely answer it because etc., etc.

It all worked out nicely. Very smooth and no hitches.

A couple of years later, I turned 70 and went to the local SS office to start collecting. Fifteen minutes in the waiting room, then 15 minutes with the agent and it was done.

I should mention that at least 12 of the 15 minutes with the agent were spent shooting the bull, since he was a USAF veteran just like me.