In May I filed a restricted application at age 66 for ex-spousal benefits which I have been receiving 1/2 of my ex-husband's PIA for 4 years while my putting off drawing my own retirement benefit til age 70 to earn delayed 32% higher retirement credits. I specified this the comments section when I filed online. This week a received a snail mail letter from Social Security indicating that I could get a higher benefit on my own record. "What You Need to Do. You must apply before we can pay the higher benefit amount. You can apply conveniently at www.socialsecurity.gov on the Internet, in person, or by telephone...Contact us right away to make sure you do not lose any benefits and you receive the highest benefit possible." No mention is made of how the decision I already made is the best choice for me for total return with DRCs. Is Social Security just trying to save money at the expense of their clients best interests? Or are there actually people who are short sighted and ignorant enough to fall for this bird-in-the-hand letter? I will be better off with $51,000 ex-spousal benefits for 4 years and then 32% higher RIB the rest of my life, which is projected to be 86. Break even age is 74.5 which I fully intend to live that long. Guess I just expect better of our government than to mail out such a misleading scare tactic.

Hi,

I wasn't aware that Social Security was doing these mailings, but I doubt if there are any nefarious motives involved. They've done these types of automated mailings before in cases where a person receiving widow(er) benefits is eligible for a higher rate on their own record. In those cases, as in yours, a new application will be required at some point in order for the person to claim the higher benefit. In some cases, people fail to file a new application timely, or at all, resulting in a loss of benefits.

My personal opinion based on my experience working in the agency is that these mailings are well intentioned, but I certainly see how they could mislead someone to make an uninformed poor filing decision. Since you are well informed, however, you can ignore the mailings and follow your original plan to file on your own record at age 70.

Best, Jerry