Spousal SS Benefits

[DavidL105723]

My wife is 5 years older than me. If she starts taking her SS at her full age, it will be around $900/month.  When I retire and take SS at my full age, half of it will be around $1800/month.  Can my wife take her $900/month until I take mine and then get the increase to half of mine?  Thanks

[GailL1]

YES - she will have to file again for the spousal benefit once you retire at your FRA.

Good Plan.

[RobertoA231547]

Hi Gail,

My husband is 70 (still works FT) and also started collecting SS at his FRA of 66 and 6 months. I just turned 64 and am still working part time and am trying to postpone collecting SS till my FRA of 67. I'm confused about Spousal benefit. Could I be collecting 1/2 of his SS now which would supplement my part time job and then when I turn FRA, collect my full SS? 

[GailL1]

@RobertoA231547 

Yes, you can but there is some considerations you need to make -

You can file for your spousal benefits now but it will be at a reduced rate (so less than 50% of his benefit) since you are less than your FRA. 

SSA.gov- Benefits for Spouses - worksheet 

from the link:

A spouse can choose to retire as early as age 62, but doing so may result in a benefit as little as 32.5 percent of the worker's primary insurance amount. A spousal benefit is reduced 25/36 of one percent for each month before normal retirement age, up to 36 months. If the number of months exceeds 36, then the benefit is further reduced 5/12 of one percent per month.

However remember there is an earnings test that if you are less than FRA and still earning an income and you make over a certain amount, your benefit will be further reduced. It goes up a bit each year.  

SSA.gov - Receiving Benefits While Working 

from the link:  

If you are under full retirement age for the entire year, we deduct $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. For 2024, that limit is $22,320.

SSA.gov - 2025 Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) INFO

So for 2025, that earnings limit is $ 23,400 - announced just today.

Any reduction you get for your spousal benefit will blow up your getting YOUR FULL retirement benefit at your FRA because once you have filed for A RETIREMENT benefit for which you qualify - your own or your spousal - any reduction will follow you on into any other retirement benefit for which you qualify later on.

You will have to just work it out math-wise to see what effect all of these rules has on your plan - worth it or not ?  Sometimes a bird in hand  . . . . . well, you know.

Good Luck

[DavidL105723]

Thank you!