Social Security spousal benefits with older spouse

[Stormy Kromer]

I searched the archives at length and couldn't find an answer to yet another social security question.

Here's our situation.

DW is 4 years older and will be claiming 50% spousal benefits off of my earning record.

We're thinking of applying for social security when she reaches her FRA at age 67. I will be 62.5 and I would have to apply for her to begin her benefits.

My FRA benefit would be $3,300 per month at age 67.

My benefit would be $2,350 if I apply at age 62.5.

My one question is this. If DW and I apply at her FRA age of 67 (me 62,5) will she receive 50% of $3,300 or 50% $2,350 ?

Thanks.

 

[MissMolly]

I searched the archives at length and couldn't find an answer to yet another social security question.



Here's our situation.



DW is 4 years older and will be claiming 50% spousal benefits off of my earning record.



We're thinking of applying for social security when she reaches her FRA at age 67. I will be 62.5 and I would have to apply for her to begin her benefits.



My FRA benefit would be $3,300 per month at age 67.



My benefit would be $2,350 if I apply at age 62.5.



My one question is this. If DW and I apply at her FRA age of 67 (me 62,5) will she receive 50% of $3,300 or 50% $2,350 ?



Thanks.

$3,300

 

[finnski1]

I searched the archives at length and couldn't find an answer to yet another social security question.

Here's our situation.

DW is 4 years older and will be claiming 50% spousal benefits off of my earning record.

We're thinking of applying for social security when she reaches her FRA at age 67. I will be 62.5 and I would have to apply for her to begin her benefits.

My FRA benefit would be $3,300 per month at age 67.

My benefit would be $2,350 if I apply at age 62.5.

My one question is this. If DW and I apply at her FRA age of 67 (me 62,5) will she receive 50% of $3,300 or 50% $2,350 ?

Thanks.

I believe she would receive 50% of your FRA because she waited to her own FRA. You have to have filed for her to receive it. So she should get $1650/month.
As always don't quote me.

 

[SevenUp]

DW is 4 years older and will be claiming 50% spousal benefits off of my earning record.

We're thinking of applying for social security when she reaches her FRA at age 67. I will be 62.5 and I would have to apply for her to begin her benefits.

Have you tried using Open Social Security: Free, Open-Source Social Security Calculator to get that perspective?

 

[Stormy Kromer]

$3,300

Thank you for the quick response. And I'm glad it was the higher of the two numbers.

I spent time in the SS website and couldn't get the calculator to give me a clear answer when I entered the numbers. Maybe I wasn't looking at the right calculator.

My question is answered and DW and I can plan accordingly.

Thank you.

 

[oscar1]

So, does that work the same way if she waits until 70? She would get half ($4092 / 2 or $2046 per mont), correct?

 

[ivinsfan]

No

 

[jollystomper]

So, does that work the same way if she waits until 70? She would get half ($4092 / 2 or $2046 per mont), correct?

No. Off the top of my head, the maximum spousal benefit is 50% of the "primary" spouse's FRA benefit.

 

[Smilinggirl]

So a spouse or divorced spouse cannot collect spousal benefits until the individual starts collecting? I'm asking because my ex is 6 years younger than me. I suppose I can take my SS at 67, then convert to half of his when he eventually begins collecting benefits, although that may not be until he's 70 and I'm 76.

 

[pb4uski]

So a spouse or divorced spouse cannot collect spousal benefits until the individual starts collecting? I'm asking because my ex is 6 years younger than me. I suppose I can take my SS at 67, then convert to half of his when he eventually begins collecting benefits, although that may not be until he's 70 and I'm 76.

Yes that is the way it works for us. DW is a year older. She is currently claiming based on her own work record at her FRA of 66/2 and will until I file when I am 70 . When I file at 70 her benefit will get increased from the amount based on her work record to 50% of my PIA. From that point forward we will collect the maximum benefits available to us since she waited to FRA and I delayed until.70.

 

[orchid55]

You are correct for spousal benefits but I think that for ex-spouse benefits the former spouse does not need to be collecting for the ex-spouse to get a benefit. Also there is no ilimit to the number of ex-spouses who can collect on the same record. My father was married five times and had four ex-spouses eligible to collect on his record.

 

[braumeister]

My father was married five times and had four ex-spouses eligible to collect on his record.

They were all married to him for at least 10 years? Wow!

 

[BooBoo]

Related Question

I am the younger spouse and higher earner and just reached FRA. DW filed at FRA. Can I now file for benefits based on her earning and wait till 70 to file on my earnings ?

 

[FiveDriver]

I searched the archives at length and couldn't find an answer to yet another social security question.

Here's our situation.

DW is 4 years older and will be claiming 50% spousal benefits off of my earning record.

We're thinking of applying for social security when she reaches her FRA at age 67. I will be 62.5 and I would have to apply for her to begin her benefits.

My FRA benefit would be $3,300 per month at age 67.

My benefit would be $2,350 if I apply at age 62.5.

My one question is this. If DW and I apply at her FRA age of 67 (me 62,5) will she receive 50% of $3,300 or 50% $2,350 ?

Thanks.

Before we close the book on your question, I'm going to respectfully suggest that we need to clarify how your claim of early benefits affects your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) --

If an individual claims at FRA , his or her PIA is the monthly benefit amount. For a benefit claimed before FRA , the PIA is reduced by 5⁄9 of 1 percent for each of up to 36 months immediately preceding FRA , and by 5⁄12 of 1 percent for each of any prior months.

I think her Spousal Benefit is based on your PIA. If you claim at 62.5....your PIA is the $2,350 amount.

SSA didn't make this easy. This needs to be verified by someone who knows the letter of the law.

 

[MissMolly]

I am the younger spouse and higher earner and just reached FRA. DW filed at FRA. Can I now file for benefits based on her earning and wait till 70 to file on my earnings ?

No. Once you file you will be deemed to be filing for the highest benefit you are eligible for. The file for spousal and delay your own went away several years ago.

 

[Stormy Kromer]

Before we close the book on your question, I'm going to respectfully suggest that we need to clarify how your claim of early benefits affects your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) --

If an individual claims at FRA , his or her PIA is the monthly benefit amount. For a benefit claimed before FRA , the PIA is reduced by 5⁄9 of 1 percent for each of up to 36 months immediately preceding FRA , and by 5⁄12 of 1 percent for each of any prior months.

I think her Spousal Benefit is based on your PIA. If you claim at 62.5....your PIA is the $2,350 amount.

SSA didn't make this easy. This needs to be verified by someone who knows the letter of the law.

Who do you think is right?

 

[SevenUp]

Who do you think is right?

Have you tried using Open Social Security: Free, Open-Source Social Security Calculator to get that perspective?

 

[oldtimer]

Before we close the book on your question, I'm going to respectfully suggest that we need to clarify how your claim of early benefits affects your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) --

If an individual claims at FRA , his or her PIA is the monthly benefit amount. For a benefit claimed before FRA , the PIA is reduced by 5⁄9 of 1 percent for each of up to 36 months immediately preceding FRA , and by 5⁄12 of 1 percent for each of any prior months.

I think her Spousal Benefit is based on your PIA. If you claim at 62.5....your PIA is the $2,350 amount.

SSA didn't make this easy. This needs to be verified by someone who knows the letter of the law.

Your PIA is the amount at your FRA. Your PIA is not reduced, but your benefits is reduced from your PIA amount if you file earlier than FRA.
If you want to understand the calculations, go to ssa.tools and have it calculate your PIA and various benefit amounts at different ages.
Use opensocialsecurity.com to determine max gross SS scenario. Be sure to click the checkbox at the top of the page to customize for your specific scenario.

 

[MissMolly]

Before we close the book on your question, I'm going to respectfully suggest that we need to clarify how your claim of early benefits affects your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) --

If an individual claims at FRA , his or her PIA is the monthly benefit amount. For a benefit claimed before FRA , the PIA is reduced by 5⁄9 of 1 percent for each of up to 36 months immediately preceding FRA , and by 5⁄12 of 1 percent for each of any prior months.

I think her Spousal Benefit is based on your PIA. If you claim at 62.5....your PIA is the $2,350 amount.

SSA didn't make this easy. This needs to be verified by someone who knows the letter of the law.

This is not correct. PIA is defined as: The "primary insurance amount" (PIA) is the benefit (before rounding down to next lower whole dollar) a person would receive if he/she elects to begin receiving retirement benefits at his/her normal retirement age.

 

[cyber888]

I searched the archives at length and couldn't find an answer to yet another social security question.

Here's our situation.

DW is 4 years older and will be claiming 50% spousal benefits off of my earning record.

We're thinking of applying for social security when she reaches her FRA at age 67. I will be 62.5 and I would have to apply for her to begin her benefits.

My FRA benefit would be $3,300 per month at age 67.

My benefit would be $2,350 if I apply at age 62.5.

My one question is this. If DW and I apply at her FRA age of 67 (me 62,5) will she receive 50% of $3,300 or 50% $2,350 ?

Thanks.

She will get 50% of 3300 or $1650.

I'm on the same boat as you, since my DW is older. I calculated my SS at 62 also around $2,260 and DW getting around $1,610. I could get my SS at around $2,300+ at 62.5 but DW will still get the same amount (no change) so why wait.

If you get your SS at 62.5, your FRA of $3,300 at 67 may be reduced a bit, because you retired at 62.5 and your not earning from 62.5 to 67. It's possible.