I am evaluating various alternatives using your software and got a message that there was no benefit for my wife to wait to receive her spousal benefit until her FRA after I receive my retirement at my FRA. My birth date is 8/1952 and hers is 1/1954. Her retirement is much smaller than the spousal benefit. I understood from your book that she should wait to apply for spousal benefit until she reaches FRA to avoid a reduced spousal benefit. The program says to enter her receiving the spousal benefit when I receive the retirement benefit. Should she wait until her FRA to apply for the spousal benefit after I receive the retirement benefit or is the software correct? The difference is only 18 months so I'd like to make sure I get this correct.

Hi,

If your wife was born after January 1 1954 and has already filed for reduced retirement benefits on her own record, she'll be deemed to file for spousal benefits as soon as you apply. If that's the case, if you file for your benefits before your wife reaches FRA she would not have the option of waiting until FRA to receive an unreduced excess spousal benefit. This is due to the new law on deeming which was passed by Congress in 2015 (https://secure.ssa.gov/apps10/reference.nsf/links/02052016024404PM).

I should clarify that I don't have access to the data you entered in the maximization software. If your wife was born before January 2 1954 or if she hasn't already filed for reduced retirement benefits, then I don't know why your getting the results you describe. For technical questions about usage of the software, you'll need to use the 'Online Contact Form' available in the 'Help' link. That will put you in touch with people who can access your input data.

Best, Jerry