Hi, my parents are just starting to run through their options. My father is 68 (5/1949) and my mother is 61 (1/1949). My father will be retiring early next year and plans to wait until 70 to claim and my mother is considering 62. Based on the age gap and the fact that my mother is the lower income earner and his benefits are more than 50% of my mothers does that strategy make since? The big question is- if she files on her own record now at the reduced benefit will she be able to switch to a spousal benefit based on his FRA. I believe she will still receive a reduction based on filing early but she would receive some income now to offset the delay in my fathers SS.

Hi,

I assume that 1/1949 isn't your mother's correct birth month and that she is in fact currently age 61. If that's the case, your mother could never file for her own retirement benefits without being deemed to have also applied for spousal benefits. If she files for her own benefits before your father files for his benefits, she'll be deemed to have filed for spousal benefits effective with the first month of your father's entitlement. Your mother would then receive essentially the higher of the two benefit rates, and her benefit amount will be reduced for age if she starts drawing prior to her full retirement age.

Your parents should strongly consider using the maximization software available on this website in order to explore all of their possible options and determine their best overall filing strategy.

Best, Jerry