You responded to Sally, regarding her ex-spousal SSN benefits denied claim at 66 while waiting to 70 to claim her own stating: ... regarding What Sally in the above example should have done is simply file for spousal benefits only instead of also filing for and suspending her own benefits. I'm not sure that is true. I've read the opposite! I've read that if you just apply for ex-spousal benefits without suspending your own that SSN will activate both at the same time lowering her lifetime benefit.

Hi,

Hi Larry, I am 60-1/2, my wife is 58-1/2 and stays home with our disabled-from-birth 29-year-old daughter who lives with us and has been receiving SSI for about the last 3 years only. I've been informed that I will be laid off next Spring of 2020 at age 61-1/2.

my wife is on ssi disibility since age 60 can she change to spousal benefit at age 66 on my socal security earnings which wii be much higher.

Hi,

If your wife is receiving Social Security disability (SSDI) benefits then she could potentially get additional spousal benefits when you start drawing your benefits, but she could not switch from SSDI to spousal benefits. If she does qualify for spousal benefits, she could then choose to wait until her full retirement age to claim them so that her spousal rate wouldn't be reduced for age.

My husband died 12 years ago at the age of 49--I was 44. He was fully covered with social security and so am I. I am currently 56, dealing with a workers comp injury, and have applied for ssdi. If I am awarded ssdi I understand I can draw the excess widow's benefits under my husband when I turn 60 since I have not and will not remarry. I also understand the earning limits with ssdi and widow's benefits. I want to know that once I turn 60 can I drop my ssdi, if awarded, and solely draw widow's benefits?

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

If I file for SS at age 62, can I switch to spousal on my ex (more than 10 married years), in 2 years when they turn 62? Do I need to wait until they turn 62? Thank you.

Hi,

Not really. Once you file for your own Social Security retirement benefits you can never switch from drawing those benefits to drawing another type of benefit instead. However, if you subsequently become eligible for a higher benefit rate on another person's Social Security record you could potentially file for an additional partial benefit on the other account.

I am born before Jan 2 1954, was married over 10 years and am divorced for 8 years now.
My ex-wife is 61. I will be 66 soon and would like to file a restricted application, collect 50% of her FRA PIA and then at age 70 switch to my own PIA.

Can I do this?
Do I have to wait until my ex-spouse is 62 to do this?
Is it necessary that she applies for Social Security, as she prefers to wait until she reaches FRA, for me to do this?

Thanks!

Hi,

I started drawing survivor social security benefit on November 1, 2015, with my last day on the job being Oct 31, 2015 (I was a few month older than 60 years old). About a year later, in December of 2016 I applied for SSDI and was awarded SSDI benefits on my own SS record with the onset of my disability as also being determined as November 1, 2015 (my first payment for SSDI though was for the month of April of 2016, which is 5 months after the onset date of my disability).

My husband, who is 6 years older than I, began taking his Social Security retirement benefits when he was 68 and I was 62. I heard about the Social Security spousal benefit from my accountant, but thought I had to wait until I was at FULL retirement age, myself, - i.e. 66 - to apply for it. I did apply for it a few weeks before my 66th birthday and will get a spousal benefit amounting to 50 percent of my husband's benefit starting in July, allowing my own worker retirement benefit to grow.

It is now nearing the end of June, after waiting since November 2018 for my retirement benefits to process, I am being told I need to withdraw my retirement application filed online. Could this be right?

In 2007 my husband took his SS at 62. We had a son (age 15) and a disabled daughter (age 17) living at home. I and the 15 year-old received dependent benefits for 7 months until he turned 16, at which time his benefits terminated and mine suspended.

Hi Larry: i was born 02/21/52 my wife was born 11/03/55
Question: can I file a restricted application for spousal benefit if my wife continues to work full time and she does not file for social security?( under current rules she would need to return all money to SS because of penalties)
please advice , thank you.

Hi,