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my mom said back in the day COLA used to be way bigger like 5-8% every year... we really getting the short end now with these tiny increases while everything costs way more smh
Your mom is right that COLAs were much higher in the late 1970s and early 1980s - there was an 11.2% increase in 1981 and a 14.3% increase in 1980! But those were times of much higher inflation. The COLA is designed to match inflation as measured by the CPI-W (Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers). So while the increases may seem small, they're supposed to be keeping pace with inflation.
Yeah it's frustrating but like @Liam said, the COLA is tied to actual inflation rates. The problem is that the CPI-W they use might not fully capture what seniors actually spend money on - like healthcare costs which tend to rise faster than general inflation. There have been proposals to use a different index that better reflects senior spending patterns, but nothing's changed yet. At least we're getting something though - there have been years with 0% COLA when inflation was really low.
This is really helpful information, everyone! I'm new to Social Security (just turned 62 and considering when to file) and had no idea about the timing confusion with COLA increases. It makes sense now why people get confused - when they say "January COLA" they really mean the January payment which is for December benefits. One question for the group: does the COLA apply the same way if you're receiving survivor benefits instead of retirement benefits? My neighbor mentioned she gets survivor benefits and wasn't sure if the timing was different. Thanks for all the explanations - this community is so knowledgeable!
Welcome to the community! Yes, COLA increases apply the same way to survivor benefits as they do to retirement benefits - same timing, same percentage. Your neighbor would have received her COLA increase in her January payment (for December benefits) just like everyone else. The 3.2% increase applies across all Social Security benefit types including retirement, disability, and survivor benefits. The only difference might be in how much the actual dollar increase is, since that depends on the benefit amount, but the timing and percentage are identical.
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I'm new to this community but going through something similar with my parents right now. My dad is 68 and still working, mom just turned 63. We learned the hard way that she can't get spousal benefits until he actually files - even though he's past FRA. One thing that helped us was requesting a Social Security Statement online to see exactly what both their benefits would be at different ages. You can create an account on the SSA website and it shows your projected benefits at 62, FRA, and 70. Really helps with running the numbers to see what makes sense financially. Also, don't forget about Medicare! Even if you delay Social Security, you still need to enroll in Medicare at 65 to avoid penalties (unless you have qualifying employer coverage). That's a whole other set of rules to navigate unfortunately.
Welcome to the community! That's really good advice about getting the Social Security Statements online - I hadn't thought of doing that but it would definitely help us see the actual numbers instead of guessing. And thanks for the Medicare reminder! I totally forgot about that being a separate decision from Social Security. So even if we decide to delay filing for benefits, we'd still need to sign up for Medicare when I turn 65? That's another thing I need to research now. It's helpful to hear from someone going through the exact same situation with their parents. Did your dad end up filing so your mom could get spousal benefits, or are they still waiting?
I'm dealing with almost the exact same situation! My husband is 66 and still working past his FRA, and I just turned 62 last week. We went to the Social Security office thinking I could start getting spousal benefits while he delays his own benefits to get those delayed retirement credits - boy were we wrong! The agent explained that I absolutely cannot get spousal benefits until he actually files for his own benefits first. It doesn't matter that he's past his FRA - if he hasn't filed, there's nothing for me to claim against. We were pretty disappointed since we were counting on that income. What we learned is that if I file now at 62, I'd get about 75% of my own benefit (not the spousal benefit), and it would be permanently reduced. Then when my husband eventually files, I could potentially switch to the higher spousal benefit, but that would also be reduced since I'm filing early. We're now trying to decide if he should just file now so I can start getting something, or if we should both wait. The math is tricky because we're giving up his delayed retirement credits but gaining years of spousal benefits for me. Definitely recommend talking to someone at SSA in person if you can - the phone reps seem less knowledgeable than the office staff.
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Thank you all for the responses! This has been incredibly helpful. I've made an appointment with SSA for next month and will specifically ask about surviving divorced spouse benefits. I'm gathering all my documents, including our marriage certificate, divorce decree, and her SSN. From what you've all shared, it sounds like I might be eligible since we were married over 10 years, even though we both remarried. I'll update once I learn more from SSA - this forum has already given me a much better starting point than I had before!
Sounds like you're on the right track! One additional tip: when you have your appointment, make sure to ask them to run calculations showing how different claiming ages would affect both your retirement benefit and any potential survivor benefit. Sometimes delaying one type of benefit while claiming another can maximize your lifetime payout. Good luck!
Just wanted to add that you should also ask SSA about the timing of when to claim these benefits. Since you're still working and have 3 years until FRA, you might want to understand how the earnings test works if you claim survivor benefits early (you can claim as early as 60, but at a reduced rate). Also, survivor benefits don't earn delayed retirement credits like your own retirement benefit does, so there's no advantage to waiting past your FRA to claim them. The strategy might be to claim survivor benefits at FRA and let your own retirement benefit grow until age 70 if that would result in higher lifetime benefits. Definitely worth discussing all the timing options with them!
This is really valuable information about timing strategies! I hadn't thought about the fact that survivor benefits don't earn delayed retirement credits past FRA. So if I understand correctly, if my survivor benefit would be higher than my own retirement benefit, I should claim the survivor benefit at FRA and let my own retirement benefit continue growing until 70? That could potentially give me the best of both worlds - the full survivor benefit now, then switch to my own higher benefit later if it grows beyond the survivor amount?
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just wondering how the appointment went?? mine was so scary but the lady was soooo nice actually!
It went great! They called right on time and the rep was super helpful. I took everyone's advice here and asked about survivor benefits vs. my own retirement. Turns out I can get about $2,800/month on my husband's record if I wait until my FRA vs. $1,450 on my own record now! I'm going to think about whether to take reduced survivor benefits now or wait. Thanks everyone for your help!!
That's wonderful news! What a huge difference between the two benefit amounts - almost double! It sounds like waiting for the higher survivor benefits at your FRA could be worth it financially, especially since you're only turning 65 in a few months. Since you mentioned health issues that kept you out of work, you might want to consider how that factors into your decision timeline. Sometimes having benefits start sooner provides peace of mind even if the amount is less. Did they give you any paperwork or deadlines for making your final decision? And congratulations on getting through what sounds like it was a stressful process!
This is such great news! The difference between $1,450 and $2,800 is really significant - that's almost $1,400 more per month if you wait until FRA. As someone new to all this Social Security stuff, I'm learning so much from reading everyone's experiences here. It's amazing how complex the survivor benefit options are compared to regular retirement benefits. Did the SSA representative explain how the reduced survivor benefits would work if you decided not to wait until FRA? I'm curious about that middle option since you mentioned considering reduced survivor benefits now versus waiting for the full amount.
StellarSurfer
my financial guy told me the best thing is usually for the lower earner to claim at 62 and higher earner wait till 70. that way u get some money flowing in early but also maximize the survivor benefit for later. worked good for us!
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Sean Kelly
•This approach works well for many couples, but it depends on factors like age difference between spouses, health/longevity expectations, and immediate income needs. It's definitely worth running the numbers for your specific situation.
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Yuki Sato
As someone new to understanding Social Security benefits, this conversation has been incredibly enlightening! I'm 58 and my husband is 61, so we're starting to think seriously about these decisions. One thing I'm still unclear on - if my husband files for his benefits at 62 but I wait until my FRA to claim spousal benefits, will I get the full 50% of his PIA even though he filed early? From Diego's examples, it looks like the answer is yes, but I want to make sure I understand correctly. Also, does anyone know if there are any recent changes to these rules? I feel like every time I think I understand Social Security, someone mentions that the rules changed a few years ago!
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Serene Snow
•Welcome to the conversation! You're correct based on Diego's examples - if your husband files at 62 but you wait until your FRA to claim spousal benefits, you would get 50% of his PIA (Primary Insurance Amount), not his reduced benefit amount. The spousal benefit calculation is always based on what his benefit would have been at his FRA, regardless of when he actually claimed. Regarding rule changes, there were some significant changes that took effect in 2016 that eliminated certain claiming strategies like "file and suspend" and restricted "claim now, claim more later" strategies. But the basic spousal benefit rules we're discussing here haven't changed recently. The key principles still apply: you get the higher of your own benefit or the spousal benefit (never both), and timing matters for reductions. At 58, you have plenty of time to plan this out carefully. I'd definitely recommend getting your Social Security statements updated and maybe consulting with a fee-only financial advisor who specializes in Social Security optimization before making any final decisions.
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