I will be 60 in January, 2018. My husband turns 72 next week, July 2017. He has been getting SS since he turned 62, so that we could get child ( under 18 ) benefits for our daughter who went through leukemia. Are there spousal benefits I can apply for at 60 and put off taking my SS until I turn 70? Daughter turned 18 2 years ago and we no longer receive those benefits.
Thank you,
Brooke

Hi Brooke,

No, unless your daughter qualifies for benefits as a disabled child, you wouldn't be eligible for spousal benefits until you are at least age 62. And, if you file for spousal benefits without having an eligible child in your care, you will be deemed to have also filed for your own retirement benefits.

Since you were born after January 1 1954, you couldn't file just for regular spousal benefits at any age without also filing for your own retirement benefits (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/deemedfaq.html). You may want to consider using the maximization software available on this website in order to explore your filing options and determine your best strategy.

Best, Jerry