Ask Larry

When Can My Wife Start Drawing SS?

I am 70 and started drawing SS ay FRA. My wife is age 62. When may she start drawing SS? May she draw before FRA?

Hi. Both Social Security retirement and spousal benefits can be paid as early as age 62, but if your wife starts drawing prior to her full retirement age (FRA) then her benefit rate will be reduced for age. Also, there is a Social Security earnings test (https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/whileworking.html) that applies until a person reaches FRA, so whether or not your wife could actually collect benefits prior to FRA depends on whether or not she's working and, if so, how much she's earning.

There isn't enough information in your question for me to be able to offer your wife any advice, but it sounds like she should strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully analyze all of her options so that she can determine her best strategy for maximizing benefits.

Best, Jerry

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Posted: 
Jun 17 2022 - 1:18pm
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