Ask Larry

When My Wife Turns Age 70 Will She Have The Opportunity To Collect More?

I started to collect my SS benefits at age 62. My wife who is seven years younger, started to collect her's at the rate of half my SS income when she turned 62. When she turns 70 this year, will she have the opportunity to collect more?

Hi. No. If your wife applied for benefits at age 62, then her application would have been deemed to be an application for both spousal benefits and her own Social Security retirement benefits. Therefore, your wife should already be receiving the higher of her own benefit rate or her spousal rate.

Furthermore, the reduction for age applied to a person's benefit rate in return for collecting benefits prior to their full retirement age (FRA) doesn't go away when the person reaches FRA or age 70. So, turning age 70 won't make your wife eligible for a higher benefit rate.

Best, Jerry

Category: 
Posted: 
Jan 17 2022 - 4:01pm
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