Hi Larry-
I am submitting this question for a friend who will be 67 in October. She started drawing Social Security early when she turned 62. At that time her husband was 65 and was receiving disability benefits, transitioning to Social Security when he turned 66. Now she is wondering if there is any way to increase her benefit by filing for excess spousal benefits or does she even qualify? Thank you for your help.

Hi,

Probably not. Since your friend's husband was already receiving disability benefits when she applied for reduced retirement benefits, she would have been deemed to also have applied for reduced spousal benefits on his account at the same time. So if she was eligible for any excess spousal benefits, she should already be receiving them.

For your friend to be eligible for additional spousal benefits, one-half of her husband's full benefit amount would have to be more than her own full retirement age benefit amount (PIA), which is the amount she would have gotten on her own account if she would have waited until age 66 to apply.

To be absolutely certain, your friend can file an application for spousal benefits with Social Security. It won't cost her anything, and the worst they can say is that she's not eligible for any additional benefits.

Best, Jerry