Spousal SS, yet another question.

[ShokWaveRider]

I do not profess to understand this by any means and what I do understand may be incorrect. So here are my questions:

DW is 62. I am 67. Is DW entitled to 50% of my SS even though I am not collecting yet?

Then, when she is 67, can she then claim her own, which would be larger than half of mine, even though I will be claiming mine by then?

Thanks in advance.

 

[racy]

Try this for an explanation from the SS Administration: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/claiming.html

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Try this for an explanation from the SS Administration: https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/claiming.html

Thanks I read that, but it does not answer my questions. The 2 scenarios are different.

 

[dumpster56]

Yes it’s still not making any sense even for us . My wife took her SS at 63 on her record. 1013 , now she is 66 and at 1083 a month . I am going to be 65 and not planning on taking mine until close to 68/70. If I die I know she will get my survival benefit of what I will receive at my full retirement age of 66.4. Which is 2640. My question also is one that still never gets answered. If I claim at 68 and it is 2900 a month does she then receive 50% of my benefit or 40% because she started hers at 63 before her full retirement age .

 

[racy]

Thanks I read that, but it does not answer my questions. The 2 scenarios are different.

Maybe call them? From their website: For more information about these changes, contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213

 

[MissMolly]

I do not profess to understand this by any means and what I do understand may be incorrect. So here are my questions:

DW is 62. I am 67. Is DW entitled to 50% of my SS even though I am not collecting yet? - No.

Then, when she is 67, can she then claim her own, which would be larger than half of mine, even though I will be claiming mine by then? There really is no "then" because the above answer is No. But, if she claims at 62 and her amount is higher than any spousal once you claim, then she will not see any change in her benefit when you file. If she waits until she is 67 to claim, she will be deemed to be filing for the largest benefit she is entitled to. If her benefit is larger than 50% of your PIA, then she will receive hers. If 50% of your PIA is larger than hers, then she will receive the 50% of your PIA amount.

Thanks in advance.

*

 

[ivinsfan]

Yes it’s still not making any sense even for us . My wife took her SS at 63 on her record. 1013 , now she is 66 and at 1083 a month . I am going to be 65 and not planning on taking mine until close to 68/70. If I die I know she will get my survival benefit of what I will receive at my full retirement age of 66.4. Which is 2640. My question also is one that still never gets answered. If I claim at 68 and it is 2900 a month does she then receive 50% of my benefit or 40% because she started hers at 63 before her full retirement age .

You are confusing spousal and survivor bennies here. When (not if ) you die you wife will get the exact amount of the check you were getting and that's it. She will get the higher amount of the two checks you were getting as a couple. I don't know why you said your question never gets answered, it's been answered countless times here.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

*

I thought she could claim spousal at 62 as long as I was over my retirement age. So my interpretation was incorrect.

 

[MissMolly]

Yes it’s still not making any sense even for us . My wife took her SS at 63 on her record. 1013 , now she is 66 and at 1083 a month . I am going to be 65 and not planning on taking mine until close to 68/70. If I die I know she will get my survival benefit of what I will receive at my full retirement age of 66.4. Which is 2640. My question also is one that still never gets answered. If I claim at 68 and it is 2900 a month does she then receive 50% of my benefit or 40% because she started hers at 63 before her full retirement age .

Survivor benefits are different from spousal benefits. Since she has already reached full retirement age, she will receive 100% of what you were drawing, or if not yet drawing, what you would be entitled to draw on the date of your death. Survivor benefits look at the age of the survivor when filing for those benefits, not their age when they filed for their own.

 

[ivinsfan]

I do not profess to understand this by any means and what I do understand may be incorrect. So here are my questions:

DW is 62. I am 67. Is DW entitled to 50% of my SS even though I am not collecting yet?

Then, when she is 67, can she then claim her own, which would be larger than half of mine, even though I will be claiming mine by then?

Thanks in advance.

Remember when you spouse files before her FRA..the haircut for filing early follows her forever on her own benefit, even if it's a spousal.

 

[MissMolly]

I thought she could claim spousal at 62 as long as I was over my retirement age. So my interpretation was incorrect.

There used to be a loophole that allowed the older/higher earning spouse to file and suspend, thus allowing the younger/lower income spouse to file for spousal. But they closed that loophole several years ago. Now, in order to claim spousal, the spouse must already be drawing SS.

 

[ivinsfan]

I thought she could claim spousal at 62 as long as I was over my retirement age. So my interpretation was incorrect.

A person cannot file for a spousal if the spouse has not filed for their own benefits. Now if you got a divorce the rules are different.

 

[pb4uski]

Yes it’s still not making any sense even for us . My wife took her SS at 63 on her record. 1013 , now she is 66 and at 1083 a month . I am going to be 65 and not planning on taking mine until close to 68/70. If I die I know she will get my survival benefit of what I will receive at my full retirement age of 66.4. Which is 2640. My question also is one that still never gets answered. If I claim at 68 and it is 2900 a month does she then receive 50% of my benefit or 40% because she started hers at 63 before her full retirement age .

She'll get less than 50% of your benefit because she claimed early.

Once you start receiving benefits, she'll receive a spousal benefit for the difference between 50% of your PIA and her PIA. PIA is primary insurance amount... your benefit if you claim at your FRA (full retirement age).

From what you wrote, it sounds like your PIA is $2,640. It sounds like her PIA would have been ~$1,266. If that were the case, her spousal benefit would be $54 (($2,640 * 50%) -$1,266) and once you start your benefits she will receive $1,067 ($1,013 + $54).

You can probably get a better idea of how it would all work at opensocialsecurity.com

 

[pb4uski]

Remember when you spouse files before her FRA..the haircut for filing early follows her forever on her own benefit, even if it's a spousal.

Yes, see post above for an example.

 

[pb4uski]

I do not profess to understand this by any means and what I do understand may be incorrect. So here are my questions:

DW is 62. I am 67. Is DW entitled to 50% of my SS even though I am not collecting yet?

Then, when she is 67, can she then claim her own, which would be larger than half of mine, even though I will be claiming mine by then?

Thanks in advance.

My understanding is that in order for her to receive spousal benefits that you need to be collecting. She can only collect based on her own work record until you start collecting.

So if she files at 62 and you haven't started collecting, what she received would be based on her work record. Then if you file later and your PIA is more than twice her PIA she would be eligible for a spousal benefit equal to any excess of 50% of your PIA over her PIA.... but since you wrote "her own, which would be larger than half of mine" it sounds like she would not receive any spousal benefit.

Have you run your situation in opensocialsecurity.com?

 

[Chuckanut]

YOu might want to dig through these columns about SS. Mr. Margneu explains a lot of things about how SS works and often why things are done a certain way.

https://www.creators.com/search?tag=social+security

This might help:

https://www.creators.com/read/your-...n-can-switch-from-her-own-to-spousal-benefits

 

[Dwhit]

Maybe call them? From their website: For more information about these changes, contact Social Security at 1-800-772-1213

Good luck with that. Make sure to clear a big block of time to get someone to answer.

 

[ShokWaveRider]

Thanks all.

So the answer to this Original Question is a rousing NO I think.

DW is 62. I am 67. Is DW entitled to 50% of my PIA SS that I was eligible for at 65 (Spousal SS) even though I am not collecting yet?

 

[LRDave]

YOu might want to dig through these columns about SS. Mr. Margneu explains a lot of things about how SS works and often why things are done a certain way.

https://www.creators.com/search?tag=social+security

This might help:

https://www.creators.com/read/your-...n-can-switch-from-her-own-to-spousal-benefits

These links appear to be dead.....

 

[ivinsfan]

Thanks all.

So the answer to this Original Question is a rousing NO I think.

DW is 62. I am 67. Is DW entitled to 50% of my PIA SS that I was eligible for at 65 (Spousal SS) even though I am not collecting yet?

It might not be the answered you wanted, but yes you can move on now..

 

[Chuckanut]

These links appear to be dead.....

Hmmm..... they work for me.

I don't believe there is a paywall there, but perhaps there are other issues

 

[pb4uski]

Thanks all.

So the answer to this Original Question is a rousing NO I think.

DW is 62. I am 67. Is DW entitled to 50% of my PIA SS that I was eligible for at 65 (Spousal SS) even though I am not collecting yet?

Yes, a resounding no.

If she collects while you are not collecting, her SS would be based on her work record and would be discounted if she starts her benefit before her FRA. Once you start collecting, she would get a spousal benefit in additon to the benefit based on her work record if her PIA is less than half of yours.

 

[EfrenA]

I think you can use the 'Restricted Application' strategy:

https://www.kiplinger.com/article/r...-application-social-security-strategy-is.html

From the article:
Baby boomers turning full retirement age in 2019 are the last class that can take advantage of a valuable Social Security strategy. The strategy lets a beneficiary restrict an application to spousal benefits only, giving the beneficiary some Social Security income now while allowing his or her own retirement benefit to grow 8% a year until age 70. If you are a boomer who qualifies, it behooves you to take a good look at when you and your spouse will claim benefits. “It is a way to get a little extra income for four years,” says Judith Ward, senior financial planner for T. Rowe Price.