Dear Larry,

I like your software. Two things I noticed in the output were different than from the results I tried to produce in a spreadsheet:

1. My son was born 1/2001. If we start my husband's Social Security this year, my son will get child SS till he graduates from high school 6/2019 or he start college 9/2019. the report I got had Andrew's collect 0 for 2019

2. My husband would start collecting this year when he is 62. I'm still working and plan to start collect mine when I'm 70 (10/2029). based on the report my husband should be able to get spouse benefit based on my record which is more than he can get if he start collect this year (62). However, the report keep using his own SS amount, not using half of mine (which is bigger). Wondering is this mistake of the software, or he's not allowed to take spouse benefit when able?
would appreciate clarification on these 2 on our reports

Hi,

On point 1, you are right that our software isn't fully accurate as we haven't been basing child benefits on their precise month of birth and month of graduation. We've been working on this very issue this month and expect to have an upgrade of the software posted within a couple of weeks that corrects this issue.

On point 2, the law changed dramatically last November with respect to spousal benefits. Given your ages, you have to be collecting your retirement benefit in order for your husband to collect an excess spousal benefit. He can't, thanks to the new law, wait till full retirement age and take a full spousal benefit and then take his own maximum retirement benefit at 70. Instead, whenever he files for his retirement benefit he automatically gets his excess spousal benefit if you are collecting and whenever he files for a spousal benefit he automatically gets his retirement benefit plus his excess spousal benefit (not his full spousal benefit). The program is correct. It won't give him any spousal benefits unless a) you are collecting and b) his excess spousal benefit is positive.

My best, Larry