My wife and I were both born in 1957 and remain married. She is a few months older than I am. After having read your book (the revised Getting What's Yours), we planned to initiate her retirement benefit at her FRA later this year, and wait to initiate my benefit and her excess spousal benefit when I turn 70 (her FRA benefit is only a few dollars more than her spousal benefit). However, in re-reading the book, I became concerned about the viability of this strategy. On p. 60 it sounds like she would be deemed to be fling for her spousal benefit this year since I am above age 62, and since she cannot receive her spousal benefit unless I also file, one could conclude that I would be forced to file this year instead of waiting. Elsewhere in the book it sounds like our plan is sound and viable. Can you confirm/clarify? Thanks.

Hi. Your plan is certainly viable. Even though your wife will technically be deemed to be filing for spousal benefits when she applies for her own benefits, that would not require you to apply for your benefits. If you don't start drawing your benefits until sometime after your wife claims her benefits, her spousal deeming wouldn't take effect until the first month that you start your benefits.

Your plan sounds fine based on the limited information in your question, but whether or not it's the best possible strategy for you and your wife depends on a number of different factors. You and your wife may want to strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully compare and analyze all of your various options so that you can determine the filing strategy that you believe would be the most likely to maximize your benefits.

Best, Jerry