I would appreciate it if you can please clarify a situation regarding restricted applications. My wife and I are both retired and do not plan on starting our SS benefits until we are 70. Currently I am 65 and my wife is 64. For this example my monthly benefit at 66 will be $2,500 and my wife's will be $1,500. At 70, my monthly benefit would be $3,200 and my wife's would be $1,850.

Currently I’m receiving spousal benefits as my husband did file and suspend about 2 years ago. I turn 70 in March 2018, he turns 70 in 2019 and still will continue to work. Should I continue to collect spousal benefits until he turns 70? I have a spotted work history. Thank you. ( We did file and suspend after the PBS show.)

Hi,

Hello Larry....My wife and I are both 66 and have not filed for benefits as yet. We were thinking that waiting until 70 would maximize our monthly benefit. We both work full time as well. My question is: Are we leaving anything on the table by not having one of us file and the other apply for spousal benefit?...I'm seeing other information out there that indicates that if we don't act by February 2018, we could be leaving substantial sums of money on the table....Just want to make sure we're doing the right thing...Thanks Larry...Happy New Year!

Hi,

I was married in 1974 and divorced in 1995. My ex filed for ss at 62. He died 3 months later in april 2011. I am now 64 and will be 65 in April 2018. I was laid off in August 2017. If I claim my Soc Sec now, my benefit is about 2100/mo. The SS people told me that I could claim my ex's which is about 1600 and then switch over to mine at 66. . I do not have any other retirment income other than 401k's. If I don't take SS till 66, I will be paying for living expenses from my savings. Since my amount is more than his, what should I do.

Thanks for your time.

My wife and I are both 64. I was born in July and she was born in August. My full benefit is 3 1\2 times as much as hers. We have two questions. If my wife files before her FRA, we believe this will reduce her spousal benefits which she will be eligible for when I take my benefits at age 70 but will not effect her full survivor benefits, correct? If so, what percentage will this reduction be?

I am turning 65, am one year older than my wife, and have had significantly more earnings over our lifetimes. Given our years of birth (1953, 1954) our plan is for my wife to file at 65 for benefits, and I will file at the same time (66) for restricted benefits so I can get the spousal benefit while my benefit continues to grow. Then when I turn 70, I will switch to my benefit, and my wife will switch to the spousal benefit. My question is this. What happens if I die before 70? Can my wife then change her filing from her benefit to the survivor benefit?

Hello, I will be 69 years old in a few months. I was laid off in August 2017, 4 months ago, from a high paying position, and am currently collecting unemployment insurance. I have not claimed a social security benefit and was hoping to wait until age 70 to maximize the benefit. I am married and my wife is 62 and is working but her income will be declining. I am seeking another position but so far I have been unsuccessful, even though I am highly qualified. I have savings and a pension which has not yet been activated. Regarding obtaining new employment, my age is the issue.

My husband will be 58 in Feb and I will be 61 in March. I've not worked for the past 19 years. My husband is a high earner and plans to wait until 70 to draw on his benefit (estimated to be $3514 at age 70) His estimated benefit at FRA 67 is $2825. My estimated benefit at FRA 66 & 6 month is $905 a month & $1159 at age 70. Is there any reason for me to be concerned with my higher benefit amount at age 70 if I'm able to draw 50% spousal benefit once my husband is drawing his? Shouldn't I be drawing my $905 from age 66.5 until my husband is 70 (6.5 years X $905= $70,590)?

Hi,
My ex wife is 63 and has been collecting SSDI since she was 61 at 1670.00 per month. I will be 66 ( FRA) on 8/2018 and plan to apply for divorced spouse benefits in 5/18,
3 months before I turn 66. Our marriage lasted over 10 years.