I'm in a very similar situation and have been researching this for months! From what I've learned, you can definitely get the spousal supplement but you need to be prepared for the application process. A few tips that might help: 1) Try calling SSA at exactly 8am when they open - I finally got through after trying this approach, 2) Have your husband's Social Security number and his monthly benefit amount ready (if he's already receiving benefits), 3) Consider visiting your local SSA office in person if phone calls aren't working - you can often walk in for certain services or schedule an appointment online. The key thing to remember is that you're not "switching" benefits but rather adding a spousal supplement to what you're already receiving. Since your husband is 79 and already receiving benefits, this should be pretty straightforward once you get someone on the phone. Don't give up - you're entitled to this additional amount if half of his benefit is higher than what you're currently receiving!

I actually went through this exact same process about 8 months ago! Like you, I started taking my own benefits early (at 62) and then realized my husband's benefit was much higher. Here's what worked for me: I used the SSA's online appointment scheduler to book an in-person appointment at my local office - much easier than trying to get through on the phone. The whole process took about 45 minutes and the representative was really helpful in explaining everything. You'll definitely get the spousal supplement since half of your husband's benefit is higher than your current amount. Just make sure to bring your marriage certificate, both of your Social Security cards, and your husband's benefit statement if he has one. They processed mine in about 6 weeks and backdated it to the month I applied. Don't let the phone system discourage you - there are other ways to get this done!

I researched this extensively when planning my own retirement. The confusion comes from mixing up two different reductions: 1. The reduction to YOUR own benefit from filing early 2. The reduction to YOUR SURVIVOR BENEFIT based on when you claim it They're calculated differently! If your husband waits until 70 and gets (let's say) $3,500/month, then dies, that full amount becomes the basis for your survivor benefit. But how much of that you get depends on YOUR age when you CLAIM SURVIVOR BENEFITS. If you're already past your survivor FRA when he dies, you get 100% of his $3,500. If you're 60 when he dies, you'd get about 71.5% of his $3,500. The fact that you claimed your own benefit early doesn't directly reduce your survivor benefit. What matters is YOUR AGE when you APPLY for survivor benefits.

As someone new to this community but dealing with similar retirement planning questions, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly helpful discussion! The distinction between early filing reductions on your own benefit versus survivor benefit reductions based on when you claim survivor benefits is something I had completely misunderstood. Carmen, your situation really resonates with me - my spouse and I are also close in age with similar earnings, and I've been getting conflicting advice about optimal claiming strategies. The clarification that your husband's delayed retirement credits DO carry over to survivor benefits, but the reduction to YOUR survivor benefit depends on YOUR age when you claim it (not when you claimed your own benefit) is a game-changer for my planning. One follow-up question for the group: For couples with very similar benefit amounts like Carmen's situation, has anyone done the math on whether it's better to have both spouses delay to 70, or stick with the traditional "higher earner delays, lower earner files early" approach? It seems like when the benefit amounts are nearly identical, the survivor benefit protection might be similar either way, so maybe cash flow needs should drive the decision more than survivor planning? Thanks again for all the detailed explanations - this is exactly the kind of real-world insight that's so hard to find elsewhere!

As someone who just went through this exact same worry last month, I can absolutely confirm what everyone has said - you will NEVER have to mail your original documents to SSA! I was losing sleep over this exact concern because my birth certificate is from 1959 and irreplaceable. Here's what actually happened: I submitted my online application on February 15th, got an email on March 3rd asking me to verify my birth certificate and marriage license, called the same day and got an appointment for March 10th. The whole verification visit took 15 minutes - they scanned my documents right there at the counter while I watched, handed them back immediately, and that was it! The staff member even commented on how common my concern was and assured me that protecting original documents is their top priority. She said they've never had someone's originals damaged during scanning in all her years there. One practical tip: I brought my documents in a padded envelope inside a larger folder for extra protection during transport. Totally unnecessary in hindsight, but it gave me peace of mind. The relief I felt walking out with all my originals safely back in my possession was incredible. Don't let this fear delay your application - the process really is designed to protect your important papers!

I'm so relieved to find this thread! I've been putting off my Social Security application for months because I was absolutely convinced I'd have to mail my original documents and risk them getting lost. Reading everyone's experiences has been incredibly reassuring - I had no idea that SSA has such clear policies against mailing originals and that everything is handled through in-person scanning. What really stood out to me is how consistent everyone's experiences have been, despite applying at different times and locations. It seems like the process is pretty standardized: apply online, wait to be contacted if document verification is needed, schedule an appointment, bring originals to be scanned while you wait, and walk out with everything safely back in your possession. The tips about calling right at 8 AM and scheduling for Tuesday-Thursday are gold! I'm also definitely going to follow the advice about bringing documents in a protective folder/envelope and taking photos beforehand for peace of mind. Thank you all for sharing such detailed experiences - you've turned my biggest fear about this process into something I can actually handle confidently!

I'm 61 and have been researching this exact scenario for when I hit 63 next year! From everything I've read and the experiences shared here, it really seems like the consensus is that delaying when you file for Social Security benefits is way more impactful than whether you're working part-time or full-time. That 8% guaranteed annual increase everyone keeps mentioning sounds incredible - I had no idea that was even a thing until I started looking into this seriously. One question I have for those who've gone through this: how do you handle the income gap if you're not working full-time but also not claiming Social Security yet? I'm trying to figure out if I need to build up more savings to bridge that period or if part-time income plus some retirement account withdrawals would be enough. The healthcare insurance piece that someone mentioned is also a big concern for me. Thanks to everyone for sharing such detailed experiences - this thread has been more helpful than hours of reading government websites!

I'm 59 and starting to think about this exact scenario for myself in a few years! This thread has been absolutely invaluable - I had no idea about the 8% annual increase for delaying benefits past Full Retirement Age. That's honestly mind-blowing and changes how I'm thinking about my retirement timeline completely. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned much: has anyone dealt with employer pension coordination alongside Social Security planning? My company has a traditional pension that I can start drawing at 62, and I'm trying to figure out how to time that with Social Security decisions and potential part-time work. The pension might provide enough bridge income to make delaying SS more feasible, but I'm not sure about the tax implications of having multiple income streams. Also, for those who went the part-time route - did you negotiate to keep your same role but fewer hours, or did you transition to a completely different position? I'm wondering if staying in the same role part-time might be better for maintaining health benefits and avoiding the stress of learning something new at this stage of my career. Thanks everyone for sharing such detailed real-world experiences!

As someone who's been helping people navigate Social Security decisions for over 15 years, I want to emphasize a few key points that haven't been fully explored yet. First, consider the "break-even" analysis - calculate how many years it would take for the higher monthly payments from waiting to offset the payments you'd miss by not claiming at 62. In your case, with a $1,400 early benefit versus roughly $1,866 at FRA (assuming a standard reduction), you'd break even around age 78-79. Given average life expectancies, this often favors waiting if you're in good health. Second, don't overlook the compounding effect of cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs). These percentage increases apply to your base benefit amount, so a higher base means more dollars in COLA increases each year. Over a 20+ year retirement, this can add up to tens of thousands of dollars. Finally, I'd suggest looking into whether you qualify for any spousal Social Security benefits based on a previous marriage. If you were married for 10+ years to someone who's already claiming benefits, you might be eligible for divorced spousal benefits without affecting your ex-spouse's benefits at all. This could provide some income now while preserving your ability to claim your own higher benefit later. Just another option to explore when you meet with SSA!

I'm reading through this thread as someone who just started researching Social Security options myself, and I'm incredibly grateful for all the detailed information everyone has shared! One thing I wanted to add that might be helpful - I recently attended a free Social Security workshop at my local library that was run by a certified financial planner. Many libraries and senior centers offer these workshops regularly, and they can be a great way to learn about the basics before diving into your specific situation with SSA. The presenter walked through real examples of different claiming strategies and their long-term impacts, which really helped me understand concepts like the break-even analysis mentioned earlier. They also provided handouts with current earnings limits, reduction percentages, and other key numbers that change annually. It might be worth checking if your local library or community center offers similar workshops - having that foundational knowledge could make your SSA appointment even more productive since you'll know the right questions to ask!