I will apply for spousal benefit SS when I turn 66 and 8 mo. in Dec. 2024 (my full ret. age). My husband began receiving SS just past his 65th birthday, at his full ret. amount, in Oct. 2019. It seems from your prior answers that I will miss the COLA increase credit in Jan 2020 because I didn't turn 62 until April 2020. Can I calculate my benefit in 12/24 at half of his Full Benefit in 2019, plus any COLA beginning Jan 2021? So my anticipated benefit will still rise until I reach Full Retirement age? In other words, I can't just anticipate getting half of what my husband receives at my full retirement since I missed that first COLA increase. I have been given multiple answers to this question.

Hi. If you qualify for Social Security retirement benefits based on your own earnings history and if you were born in April 1958, then the first COLA that would be credited to your own retirement benefit rate would be the one that occurred in January 2021. However, unreduced spousal benefits are calculated based on 50% of the primary insurance amount (PIA) of worker on whose record the spousal benefits are paid. A person's PIA is equal to their Social Security retirement benefit rate if they start drawing their benefits at full retirement age (FRA).

Therefore, if you qualify for spousal benefits, your spousal benefit rate will be credited with all of the Social Security cost of living (COLA) increases that occurred after your husband turned age 62. All of those COLAs increase your husband's PIA, which in turn increase your spousal benefit rate. So, if you file to start drawing spousal benefits effective with the month you reach FRA and assuming that you aren't eligible for retirement benefits on your own record, your spousal rate will equal 50% of whatever your husband's PIA is at the time you reach FRA.

Best, Jerry