Larry, I was born in 8/1955 and my husband was born in 7/1955. My husband retired in April 2009 and is receiving a retirement benefit since that time. I have continued working all these years and want to retire in 2020. Neither have started taking SS benefits. Am I eligible to draw a spousal benefit from my husband once he takes his next year?

Also, should I retire at the 1st of the year or wait until August 2020?

Thanks.

Hi,

Since you were born after January 1 1954, you couldn't file just for a spousal benefit without also filing for your own benefits at the same time. Therefore, the only way that you could qualify for any spousal benefits is if your husband's primary insurance amount (PIA) is more than twice as much as your PIA. A person's PIA is equal to their Social Security retirement benefit rate if they start drawing at full retirement age (FRA).

When to retire is entirely up to you, but your best strategy for claiming benefits depends on numerous factors. You and your husband should strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to explore and compare your various options so that you can choose the best possible filing strategy.

Best, Jerry