Hi. I just started reading your great advise. My husband is 72 in Sept and i will be 70 in Sept. I filed for SS early, age 62. I think he filed age 64. We both have medicare A and B . is there any way we can maximize our SS income? I also don't know what Deeming means or whether it even applies to us. Thanks for any advise
Petra

Hi Petra,

Deeming is just the term Social Security uses to describe when an application for one type of benefit (e.g. retirement, spousal) is also considered as an application for another type of benefit. For example, a person filing for reduced retirement or spousal benefits isn't allowed to file for only one of those benefits and delay filing for the other type (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/deemedfaq.html).

Deeming may have applied to you or your husband in the past if either of you filed for your benefits before full retirement age. Assuming that both you and your husband have filed for your own benefits and for spousal benefits if either of you qualifies, there is likely nothing you can do to maximize your benefits at this point in time.

Best, Jerry