I am 65 years of age and plan to claim my SS benefit at 66 & 2 months to get my normal benefit. My wife will soon be 62 and has earned a SS benefit that is substantially lower than mine as she worked minimally while we reared three children. My question relates to her filing for benefits at age 62. Will this in any way affect what she can draw once I begin claiming a benefit as well? When she reaches her full benefit age, will she be able to then claim the spousal benefit of 50% of my benefit? Will her claiming a benefit at age 62 affect her widow benefit? Thank you.

Hi,

Your wife cannot start drawing her own benefits at age 62 and then switch to a full spousal benefit at her full retirement age (FRA). If she files for her benefits at 62 her benefit rate will be reduced for age and she'll keep that reduction for as long as both of you are living. She would also be deemed to have filed for spousal benefits, so she'll be required to start drawing those benefits when you start drawing your benefits. And, if that's prior to her FRA then her spousal rate will also be reduced for age.

For example, say Deb applies for her Social Security retirement benefits at age 62. Deb's FRA rate, or primary insurance amount (PIA) is $800, but she gets a reduced age 62 rate of $576. A year later when Deb is 63, her husband files for his benefits. Deb's husband's PIA is $2000, and Deb's unreduced spousal rate would be calculated by subtracting her PIA from 50% of her husband's PIA. In Deb's case that would amount to $200 (i.e. $2000/2 - $800), but since Deb is only age 63 her spousal rate is reduced to $143. Deb would then be paid that excess spousal benefit in addition to her own reduced benefit rate, giving her a combined benefit of $719.

However, filing at age 62 would not lock your wife into a reduced widow's rate. If you wait until FRA to start drawing your benefits and your wife is at least FRA when she starts drawing as a widow she'd get an unreduced survivor rate equal to 100% of your rate. She wouldn't get that plus her own amount, though, just the higher of the two.

You and your wife may want to strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to fully explore all of your options so that you can determine the best way to maximize your benefits.

Best, Jerry