SS Spousal SUPPLEMENT

[SumDay]

Browsing through the AARP bulletin, I saw this question in the Ask Jane Bryant Quinn column:

Q. My husband and I have both started Social Security. I’m taking my full benefit, and he is taking spousal benefits on my account. When he turns 70 and takes his own full benefit, can I switch to the spousal benefit on his account? It would be more than what I’m receiving now.

A. You can’t switch to the spousal benefit in this situation, but you can get those same dollars in another way, say Jerry Lutz of Maximize My SS. When your husband takes his own retirement benefit, you can apply for the spousal supplement which will raise your benefits to what you’d be entitled to if you had filed as a spouse. Note: If you had filed for your own benefit or your supplement before your FRA, your new total benefit would be reduced.​

I thought I knew quite a bit about SS, but this one blew over my head. I did find a similar answer that Jerry Lutz provided on his site. https://maximizemysocialsecurity.co...r-or-not-my-wife-qualifies-spousal-supplement

Anyone actually ever done this? DH's spousal benefit from my SS starts in August, and then in four years, he'll begin his. So, it sounds like I might get a little bump if this is what it appears to be?

 

[MissMolly]

Yes, it's possible. The maximum you can get on spousal is 50% of the amount he was entitled to at full retirement age - not age 70. If you filed for your own benefits prior to your full retirement age, the 50% spousal will be reduced due to your early filing. So, if once all those calculations are taken and the amount will be greater than what you are currently receiving, your check will get bumped up to the higher amount.

 

[SumDay]

Yes, it's possible. The maximum you can get on spousal is 50% of the amount he was entitled to at full retirement age - not age 70. If you filed for your own benefits prior to your full retirement age, the 50% spousal will be reduced due to your early filing. So, if once all those calculations are taken and the amount will be greater than what you are currently receiving, your check will get bumped up to the higher amount.

Cool, thanks! I'm guessing they won't do this out of the goodness of their collective hearts unless I ask them to.

 

[MissMolly]

Meh. They may, they may not. I would be proactive and talk to them about it when your husband files.

 

[VanWinkle]

Cool, thanks! I'm guessing they won't do this out of the goodness of their collective hearts unless I ask them to.

Actually they normally do catch this and increase your SS to 50% of FRA of the spouse as long as you waited to FRA to claim your SS. I agree that I would
be proactive just to be sure!!