I have not taken my SS yet. I am 65 born in 1953, wife 64. She doesn't have 40 credits to claim her own SS. I want to delay claiming as long as I can so I can get a higher payment. Am I eligible for a restricted application where we can claim wife's spousal benefit now and claim mine in future? If this is doable, would the spousal benefit now be based on my present age? Will the spousal benefit be increased to 1/2 my benefit whatever that is, when I start my payments in future?

Hi,

No, you couldn't qualify for spousal benefits unless your wife is drawing Social Security benefits based on her own work record, and your wife couldn't draw spousal benefits on your record until you start drawing your benefits.

Regardless of whether you start drawing your benefits as early as now or as late as age 70, your wife's unreduced spousal benefit amount would be calculated at 50% of your full retirement age rate, or primary insurance amount (PIA). However, if she starts drawing spousal benefits before her full retirement age (FRA) her spousal rate will be reduced for age.

In other words, your wife's maximum possible spousal rate would be 50% of your PIA regardless of when you start drawing your benefits. That's true even if you waited until age 70 to start drawing benefits, in which case your monthly benefit rate would be 32% higher than your PIA. But, if you die before your wife her unreduced widow's rate would be equal to the full amount that you were receiving at the time of your death. So, by waiting until age 70 to start drawing you would not only assure yourself of receiving your highest possible monthly benefit rate for life, it would also provide your wife with her highest possible widow's benefit amount should you die before her. Obviously, though, that would mean that neither of you would receive any benefits until you reach age 70.

It sounds like you should strongly consider using our maximization software to compare all of your various filing options so that you can determine which filing strategy you feel would be best for you and your wife.

Best, Jerry