Hi Larry,
We have read your book and run our options with your software. I will be 66 in August (2018) and my wife was 66 in March .(2018) My SS would be 2100(66) and 2800 at 70. My wife's would be 1200 (66) and 1600 at 70 per our SS statements. I retired in 2013 and my wife hasn't been employed since 2006. I was in the Offset program, but SS was taken out for all 30 years that I worked. My pension was also reduced in 2014.
We thought since we we're grandfathered in under the new law of 2016,. that one of us could file for our benefit at 66 and the other one could file for spousal benefits at 66. ( letting the other grow til 70.) If this is possible, would this make any difference in a
survivor benefits? So how do I figure out, how much my wife would get if I passed away after age 70? Thank you

Hi,

Since your benefit rate is higher than your wife's, if you wait until age 70 to start drawing your retirement benefits and you subsequently die before her, she would receive your full age 70 rate instead of her own retirement rate. But, if you start drawing your retirement benefits at full retirement age (FRA), for example, then your wife could only receive your FRA rate even if you die after age 70.

If you draw spousal benefits from your full retirement age (FRA) until age 70, that would not affect your age 70 retirement benefit rate nor the widow's rate that your wife would receive if you die before her. But, your wife must be drawing her retirement benefits in order for you to potentially receive spousal benefits.

I should clarify that I answer the Social Security questions submitted to this forum, but I do not have access to the data entered by customers into our maximization software program. If you have specific questions about using the software or the results you receive you will need to submit an online contact form via the help menu.

Best, Jerry