Hello: IM 62 and my husband is 68 he is on his full retirement and gets 1700 a month, I know that my full retirement is at age 67, but I plan on filing early retirement at age 63 and 8 months., being that I will be retiring early I will only get 865 a month, my full retirement amount at age 67 1,200. will I be able to apply for spousal benefit , get a 32% share from husband benefit whick then I can get 1500...this this correct?

Hi. No. The most that you could be paid is the higher of a) your own benefit amount, or b) 50% of your husband's primary insurance amount (PIA). A person's PIA is equal to their Social Security retirement benefit rate if they start drawing their benefits at full retirement age (FRA). If you start drawing benefits prior to your full retirement age (FRA), though, your benefit rate will be reduced for age.

If your own PIA is more than 50% of your husband's PIA, then you won't be eligible for any benefits from your husband's account while he is living. For example, say Amy files for her benefits at age 64. Amy's PIA is $1000, but since she's claiming benefits early her benefit rate is reduced for age to $800. Amy's husband is drawing his benefits and his PIA is $1700. In that case Amy wouldn't be eligible for any benefits from her husband's record because her PIA is more than 50% of her husband's PIA.

However, even if you start drawing your benefits early, if your husband dies before you then you could be paid up to his full benefit rate as a survivor. You wouldn't get both your own benefit and your husband's full benefit amount, though, just the higher of the two amounts. But, if you start drawing widow's benefits prior to FRA then your widow's rate would be reduced for age.

You may want to strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully analyze all of your options so that you can determine your best strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry