Ask Larry

What Should My Wife Do?

I turned 66 on 3/22/16. I plan to work to 70. I have maximum credits for SS. I applied and SUSPENDED for me in March.
My wife will turn 66 on 5/4/17. I understand we are Grandfathered into the half spousal payment option.
My wife worked for different school systems, and she gets a pension payment of about $2,000 a month. She does not have anything close to necessary SS credits.
What should we do when she turns 66 next May? (I think this is a relatively common and straightforward situation. No divorce, no foreign person, no disability. I hope you can make sense for me.)

Lawrence,
Since your wife is not eligible for a retirement benefit on her own record, she should apply for her spouse's benefit at her full retirement age in May 2017.
Best,
Mike

Category: 
Posted: 
Jul 13 2016 - 2:00pm
MaxiFi software running on a laptop
Get What's Yours!
Discover tens of thousands in extra retirement dollars with Maximize My Social Security software!
  • Find your maximized strategy
  • Unlimited what-ifs
  • Step-by-Step filing instructions
  • Our software's lifetime-benefit increase for an illustrative couple earning $65K each and planning to take retirement benefits at 62.

    Results will differ based on your specific case and filing strategy.

Getting Started is Easy
Web-based software. Works on ALL browsers. No download.