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I see a LOT of confusion about this topic! My wife is 7 years younger than me, and we went through this exact situation. Here's what ACTUALLY happens: 1) Your husband CANNOT receive spousal benefits until YOU file for YOUR retirement benefits 2) The SSA calculator is showing a HYPOTHETICAL amount based on if you filed RIGHT NOW 3) When you DO file at your FRA, then your husband can apply for spousal benefits 4) He'll only get the DIFFERENCE between his current benefit and 50% of your PIA (if that's higher) Don't be fooled by that $1140 number - that's likely 50% of your projected PIA, not the actual amount he'd receive as a top-up. His actual top-up will be that amount MINUS his current benefit. And YES, it's worth waiting until your FRA to file!!!! Don't file early - you'll reduce BOTH your benefit AND any potential spousal benefit for your husband.
THIS!!! We got burned by misunderstanding this exact thing. My wife filed early thinking it would help ME get more $$ and it actually REDUCED what I could get from her record. Listen to this advice!!!
somebody told me once that if ur spouse dies the survivor gets the higher of the two benefits. not sure if thats true but might be something to think about with ur planning
That's correct. When one spouse passes away, the surviving spouse can receive the higher of either their own benefit or the deceased spouse's full benefit (what they were receiving or would have received at FRA). This is why it's often beneficial for the higher-earning spouse to delay claiming as long as possible - it potentially creates a larger survivor benefit.
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One crucial point that hasn't been mentioned: while claiming divorced spouse benefits doesn't require your ex to be receiving benefits, he does need to be age-eligible (at least 62). Since you mentioned he's 66, this requirement is already met. Even though your own benefit will be higher, it's still important to mention your eligible divorced spouse status when you apply. This ensures the SSA does the proper calculations and comparison. Given your substantial benefit amount ($2,950), I strongly recommend waiting until your Full Retirement Age to avoid permanent reductions. If your financial situation allows, waiting until 70 would increase your benefit by approximately 32% to around $3,900 per month for the rest of your life.
Thank you for this additional information. I wasn't aware of the age requirement for the ex-spouse, but good to know he meets that criteria. I'll definitely mention the marriage when I apply, even though it sounds like my own benefit will be higher. The idea of waiting until 70 is tempting, but I'm concerned about the break-even point. At what age would I need to live to in order to make delaying until 70 worthwhile?
To answer your question about the break-even point for delaying benefits from FRA to age 70: Generally, you'd need to live until approximately 82-83 years old to break even. Every month you live beyond that age, you're coming out ahead by having delayed. With women's average life expectancy now in the mid-80s and continuing to increase, delaying benefits is often a smart financial decision, especially for women with family histories of longevity. It's essentially longevity insurance. Delaying also maximizes potential survivor benefits should you remarry. Something to consider in your overall planning.
This break-even analysis is so important and not enough people consider it! My financial advisor showed me that with current life expectancies for women, something like 80% of women would be better off waiting until 70 to claim. It's basically betting that you'll live beyond 83, which statistically, most women who reach 65 will do. I wish I had waited.
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Thank you everyone for all these helpful responses! I've learned so much. Based on what I'm hearing, it makes the most sense for me to claim at my FRA since delaying won't increase my total benefit beyond the 50% spousal benefit cap. And it's good to know that my husband delaying until 70 will increase the survivor benefit I'd receive if he passes away first.I appreciate all of you taking the time to explain this to me with actual numbers!
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Wait so what happens if you suspend your benefits at 67? Do the kids benefits stop too?? This happened to my cousin and he had NO idea the kids payments would stop when he suspended to get the 8% per year increases!
This is an important point! Yes, if you suspend your retirement benefits at FRA, all benefits paid on your record (including to dependents) are also suspended. Your children would stop receiving payments if you suspend your benefit. This is definitely something to factor into your planning.
Thank you all for the helpful insights! I think I need to weigh the immediate benefit for the twins against my long-term retirement security. Since I'd lose the kids' benefits if I suspend at 67, and my early filing permanently reduces my spousal amount, I'm now leaning toward waiting a couple more years before filing. Maybe I can work part-time a bit longer and file when they're 15 to minimize the early filing reduction while still getting them some benefits before they finish high school. I'll definitely use that Claimyr service to talk with SSA and go through my specific numbers before making the final decision.
Zoe Dimitriou
wait i'm confused why does everyone keep saying ex spousal benefits?? isnt that only for retirement?? i thought he needed disability benefits??? im so confused by all these different SS benefits!!
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Yuki Yamamoto
•The original poster is asking about retirement benefits for her 85-year-old uncle based on his ex-wife's work record. This has nothing to do with disability benefits. It's about whether he can receive retirement benefits as a divorced spouse when he doesn't have enough work credits himself.
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Jamal Anderson
Make sure your uncle applies as soon as possible! Benefits aren't retroactive indefinitely - typically only 6 months back from application date. Since he's 85, he's potentially been eligible for many years and has missed out on significant benefits. The process can take time, especially with international documentation, so start immediately.
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Ethan Brown
•Thank you for this advice! I had no idea there was such a limited retroactive period. We'll definitely start the process right away. Really appreciate everyone's help!
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