Comments on: A Little-Known Social Security Spousal Benefit Option

By: Deemed Filing | Getting Your Financial Ducks In A Row

Deemed Filing | Getting Your Financial Ducks In A Row — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 12:45:04 +0000

[...] This is certainly available for the individual that is at or over Full Retirement Age (FRA). This is a common circumstance that many folks employ. One spouse files for benefits and the other, hoping to achieve the full Delayed Retirement Credits (DRCs), while still receiving a benefit, files for the Spousal Benefit only. This is a perfectly allowable method. See this article for more information on filing for the Spousal Benefit only. [...]

By: Review of 2010 Stats | Getting Your Financial Ducks In A Row

Review of 2010 Stats | Getting Your Financial Ducks In A Row — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 05:02:48 +0000

[...] A Little-Known Social Security Spousal Benefit Option [...]

By: jblankenship

jblankenship — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 21:18:37 +0000

Hi, Rick -

It would be better for your wife to wait until her FRA to begin taking the Spousal Benefit, since at her present age the benefit would be reduced to the minimum amount – on your minimized amount since you started earlier. At her FRA she’ll be eligible for the Spousal Benefit to increase her overall benefit to 50% of your PIA, whereas if she were to claim the Spousal Benefit now, her overall benefit would only be increased to 35% of your PIA.

It could also be beneficial to delay receiving her own benefit to her FRA – unless you’re in a position where you cannot get by without the extra income.

This is assuming that both of you are in good health and have no reason to expect that the benefit period would be reduced dramatically.

Hope this helps!

By: Rick Czerwiec

Rick Czerwiec — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 20:11:20 +0000

I’ve got a question that is the reverse of the above. I took SS at 62, getting $1769/mo (at FRA/age 66 I would have gotten the max ~$2300/mo). My wife is now 62 and would get $434/mo now on her work record. Can she claim that now, then claim a spousal benefit at 66 and get more? Or would it be better to claim a spousal benefit now?

By: jblankenship

jblankenship — Mon, 24 May 2010 11:43:44 +0000

Sorry about all the confusion, Jeff. I think my example was not totally complete, and I’ve updated it to better explain the situation.

The Spousal Benefit is a differential between 50% of the worker’s PIA and the Spouse’s PIA. This amount is then added to the Spouse’s benefit for the total benefit that the Spouse now receives.

Hope that helps to clear things up -

By: Jeff Bloom

Jeff Bloom — Sun, 23 May 2010 14:55:20 +0000

After reading this, I called SSA and was told that if the spouse(with lower wage base) took social security at 62, then, later, the spouse’s benefit would not be 50% of the worker (with higher wage base) took benefit at 70. That the spouse’s benefit would be reduced because he/she had taken the benefit early. I am confused.