What percentage is the spousal Social Security Benefit?

[Drake3287]

Not to get this question confused with the other H.R. 82 Social Security post currently on this forum but what percentage of a spouses SS does a spouse get if he or she never paid into SS system but wishes to file under their wife's account/work history? In my case I never paid into SS so I don't qualify for anything plus being a public employee with a large pension I fall under the current GPO provision, meaning zero benefit from my wife's account.

I was told that if this H.R. 82 bill actually gets signed then I'd be eligible to receive SS spousal benefits through my wife's work history. I'm just curious to hear what other spouses get in the way of SS spousal benefits when they've also never paid into the system. I'm guessing there's not a lot of people in the same boat as me.

 

[homestead]

Spouse can get 50% of your FRA benefit if they wait until their FRA before starting benefits and you must start your benefits too.

 

[Rianne]

If spouse, such as myself, took SS early at 65, my spousal benefit is 43.5% of DH FRA SS. If you go to opensocialsecurity.com you can get a good idea of what the total benefit will be plugging in various dates of collecting SS. It will give you their best plan, but scroll down and fill in your own dates to collect.

 

[FIYes]

I went to open social security to get an estimate. It is very slow even using the preferred chrome browser. This is something that I haven’t paid attention to over the years. I have always assumed that I will get nothing and based our retirement planning on that.

DH claimed social security at 63. GPO was a factor in his claiming early. I assumed that if GPO is repealed, I would get 50% of what he is currently getting as a spousal benefit. I am over full retirement age. Apparently the calculation is more complicated than that?

 

[Drake3287]

Thanks for all that info. My wife just started SS recently at 65 so I assume I'd be getting something in the range of 43% ($1,000) or so. Be nice to get something to offset my monthly Part B premium. At this point anything is a gift, still holding my breath on this entire H.R. 82 bill though!

 

[imnontrad]

The Spousal benefit is composed of two parts - their own benefit and a "spousal excess" (aka topoff) equal to the difference between their benefit at FRA and 50% of the spouse's FRA amount.
If their own benefit at FRA is more than 50% of their spouse's FRA amount, there there is not "spousal excess"/spousal benefit.
Someone can not file for the spousal benefit based on a current spouse until that spouse has filed for SS (different rules for filing based on an ex-spouse). Tp make this even more fun, if someone files for SS, and their spouse has already filed for SS, they are "deemed filing" for their own benefit and the spousal benefit and will get the higher of the two amounts. if this is before their FRA, it will be reduced but each portion has a different monthly reduction percentage.

 

[RetireBy90]

So my DW took her at 65 her FRA, and I’m planning to file in 1 year at 69 and 7 months. If her current SS draw is less than 1/2 of mine at 69 7 months, will she get the bump up based on mine when I file ?

 

[MissMolly]

So my DW took her at 65 her FRA, and I’m planning to file in 1 year at 69 and 7 months. If her current SS draw is less than 1/2 of mine at 69 7 months, will she get the bump up based on mine when I file ?

The maximum spousal amount is 50% of what your Full Retirement Age benefit is, not the age you are when you file. And since she filed before she reached full retirement age it will be less than 50% of your full retirement age benefit.

 

[Drake3287]

Thanks for the info.

 

[RetireBy90]

The maximum spousal amount is 50% of what your Full Retirement Age benefit is, not the age you are when you file. And since she filed before she reached full retirement age it will be less than 50% of your full retirement age benefit.

So her max benefit is 50% of what mine would have been at 65, her age when she started ?
Thanks for the reply

 

[MissMolly]

So her max benefit is 50% of what mine would have been at 65, her age when she started ?
Thanks for the reply

Isn't your full retirement age 66 and 4 months?

 

[RetireBy90]

Isn't your full retirement age 66 and 4 months?

Yes, but hers is or was 65. She likes the younger bucks
Just to be clear, she took SS at FRA, I’ll take at 69 7 months.
She already is taking, I’ve got one year before I start.
Thanks

 

[Tadpole]

Question - the spousal benefit is 50% but isn't the widow benefit 100%?

 

[MissMolly]

Yes, but hers is or was 65. She likes the younger bucks
Just to be clear, she took SS at FRA, I’ll take at 69 7 months.
She already is taking, I’ve got one year before I start.
Thanks

Then she will get the full 50% of your full retirement age amount. But again, if you are 69 in 2025, isn't your full retirement age 66 and 4 months? If yes, she would get 50% of that amount if it is higher than her own.

 

[MissMolly]

Question - the spousal benefit is 50% but isn't the widow benefit 100%?

It depends on when the widow files for survivor benefits. If they are full retirement age they get 100% If they are between 60 and full retirement age, they get a reduced percentage.

 

[imnontrad]

So her max benefit is 50% of what mine would have been at 65, her age when she started ?
Thanks for the reply

Your Full Retirement Age may not have been 65. it is slowly being change (based on birth year) up to age 67.
And yes, no matter when your FRA is or when you file, the spousal benefit is always 50% of your FRA amount. That does not change whether you file at 62 or wait until 70 (BUT it makes a great difference in the separate surviving spouse benefit).

 

[RetireBy90]

Your Full Retirement Age may not have been 65. it is slowly being change (based on birth year) up to age 67.
And yes, no matter when your FRA is or when you file, the spousal benefit is always 50% of your FRA amount. That does not change whether you file at 62 or wait until 70 (BUT it makes a great difference in the separate surviving spouse benefit).

Sorry to be dense, if my FRA at 67.4 is say $2,000 and hers at her FRA of 65 is $800 then she would be eligible for 50% or $1,000. One point, would she be eligible for the $1,000 at her FRA or after I claim ?

 

[RetiredHappy]

Sorry to be dense, if my FRA at 67.4 is say $2,000 and hers at her FRA of 65 is $800 then she would be eligible for 50% or $1,000. One point, would she be eligible for the $1,000 at her FRA or after I claim ?

She is eligible for $1000 (no double dipping) at or after her FRA only AFTER you claim.

 

[imnontrad]

She is eligible for $1000 (no double dipping) at or after her FRA only AFTER you claim.

Yes, but you must file before her.
This benefit is actually composed of two parts- her own benefit at FRA (and that is NOT at 65) and a "spousal excess"/"top off" equal to the difference between her own benefit at FRA and 50% of your FRA amount. So if her own benefit was $800/month at FRA and yourFRA amount was $2,000/month, then the spousal benefit would be $1,000/month ($800 plus $200 "spousal excess").
BUT if she files for SS before she reaches her FRA, the benefit is reduced. And each portion has a different reduction percentage. Benefit Reduction for Early Retirement
However, if she is younger, chances are she may outlive you anyway and then transition to your benefit amount as a surviving spouse. So it could mean that more checks for a reduced amount adds up to a larger total than waiting.
BUT if she was getting the "spousal excess" when you died, that excess portion ceases. If this is before her FRA, she would need to choose whether to drop back to her own benefit until she reaches her FRA and then transition to the surviving spouse benefit or to start the surviving spouse benefit at a reduced amount for the rest of her life.

 

[RetiredHappy]

Yes, but you must file before her.
This benefit is actually composed of two parts- her own benefit at FRA (and that is NOT at 65) and a "spousal excess"/"top off" equal to the difference between her own benefit at FRA and 50% of your FRA amount. So if her own benefit was $800/month at FRA and yourFRA amount was $2,000/month, then the spousal benefit would be $1,000/month ($800 plus $200 "spousal excess").
BUT if she files for SS before she reaches her FRA, the benefit is reduced. And each portion has a different reduction percentage. Benefit Reduction for Early Retirement
However, if she is younger, chances are she may outlive you anyway and then transition to your benefit amount as a surviving spouse. So it could mean that more checks for a reduced amount adds up to a larger total than waiting.
BUT if she was getting the "spousal excess" when you died, that excess portion ceases. If this is before her FRA, she would need to choose whether to drop back to her own benefit until she reaches her FRA and then transition to the surviving spouse benefit or to start the surviving spouse benefit at a reduced amount for the rest of her life.

+1 Very well explained. But if her FRA was indeed 65, then there is no reduction. But that would make her pretty old...

The Social Security full retirement age is:

birth year	Full retirement age
1937 and earlier	65
1943 -1954	66
1960 and later	67

For other years, the full retirement age isn’t a full year but rather a year plus some months.

 

[RetireBy90]

A buddy found this. It explains very well to me our situation. DW FRA IS 65 when she started SS based on her earning record.

https://www.aarp.org/retirement/soc...s-answers/switch-social-security-spousal.html

 

[Dtail]

It depends on when the widow files for survivor benefits. If they are full retirement age they get 100% If they are between 60 and full retirement age, they get a reduced percentage.

What about if they filed before 60 y.o. due to a disability? I believe the effective amount the disabled person receives is the FRA amount.