My wife is 65 and I am 64. She has advanced MS and is on SSID have been receiving a little over 9000/year for several years. She worked only part time while I had a good paying job by whole career - so I have a MUCH higher SSI benefit coming in the future (I have not initiated SSI yet). Our financial advisor says we should start SSI when I reach 67. Can my wife increase her SS benefit payments now by claiming half of my SSI - even though I have not initiated SSI payments yet? Also, she was married to an airline pilot previously who has maximum SSI payments coming.

Hi Larry,

I have a question regarding filing a "Restricted application for spousal benefits". My wife will turned 62 in May 2017 and I will be 66 in October 2017. My wife has filed for her retirement benefits. I plan on filing for a "Restricted" application for spousal benefits only 3 months before I turn 66. Can I then file for full retirement benefits at age 67 or 68, or do I have to wait until I am 70 before filing for full retirement benefits? Can my wife then file for supplemental spousal benefits at the age I retire, whether at 67 or 68?

Thank you.

my husband passed away last month at age 61 i am age 60 he was just put on disability but not social security before he passed away he was
earning around 67,000 per year i am making 41,000 per year but not i will all so be receiving his pension from work wish is 8604 year so do i still qualify for any other money i plan to retire at age 62 and than do i take my ss and wait to take his till im 70
thanks for your help

Hi,

I'm sorry for your loss.

Both by my wife and I are working. She is 67(full retirement age) and I am 68. She make more money then I do. She plans to retire at age 68. I will never retire (Artist). We have postponed Social Security Benefits. Should I (lower wage earner) fill for benefits and then suspend? Or wait another year and an half until I man 70? Should my wife wait until she is70 also to file?

Hi,

Hello Larry, I was born 7/30/60 and my wife 8/16/73, so I am 13 years older than she is. Tama will have a reasonable SS income on her own, but mine will be larger. I imagine that I should wait until 70 to collect SS so that when I die Tama will collect more based on my income, but I am not certain how that works? No matter when I collect, should Tama start collecting a reduced amount at 62, when I am 75? Anyway, the question is, based on our ages, what is the optimal approach to collecting SS? Thanks so much! Joe

Hi Joe,

I am 65 and my husband is 66. He will receive the maximum social security benefit when decides to file. My benefits at 66 will be $1120 per month which is less than half of what his will be. Is our best strategy for me to go ahead and file now instead of when I turn 66 later this year and have my husband do a restricted application and take a spousal benefit at the same time? Would he receive half of my full retirement benefit (50% of $1120) even though I file 6 months before turning 66?

I'm planning to retire at age 62 when I'm eligible for the rule of 90 to collect my pension. Can I begin to collect my deceased husband's SS benefits at 62 and then collect my full SS benefits at FRA? My husband was 53 when he passed away. I have not remarried. My SS benefits will be higher than his. Thank you!

Hi,

Potentially, yes. You can even start reduced widow's benefits as early as age 60 if your earnings permit (https://www.ssa.gov/planners/retire/whileworking2.html).

I am 67 and started collecting last year. My wife will be 66 in July and will start collecting. We were told by SS that she can collect half of mine and defer taking hers until she is 70. We were told that this applies to anyone born before 1953. SS is now telling us that this is false.

Hi,

My birth date is Aug 7,1949 and my wife's birth date is Jan 3, 1958. I was on SS Disability as I turned 66. As my benefit was changing from disability to regular SS at age 66, I suspended it, waiting until I reach 70 to resume benefits.
My question is can my wife start collecting her SS at age 62 (which is a very small amount) and then at her full retirement age of 66 yrs and 8 Months change over to Spousal Benefits and collect 50% of my SS. I have both of your SS books, the first one and the revised one but still can not figure this out. THANKS

I am 64, my birthday is 3/3/53. My husband is 64. His birthday is 7/27/52. He will retire on his full retirement age in 2018. My ss retirement benefit right now is $710 a month. At my full retirement age it will be $814. At age 70 it will be $1,075. My husband 's ss retirement benefit at full retirement age will be $2,722. Can I file a restricted application for my benefit now, and then get a spousal benefit when I reach full retirement age in 2019, even though my husband will start receiving his benefit 8 months earlier?
Thank you

Hi,