Can I claim Social Security at FRA while husband still works at 62? Need advice on consequences

good news - your benefits at FRA wont be reduced by your husbands income! thats only if YOU work while collecting. but watch out for the tax situation, if your combined income is high enough youll pay taxes on up to 85% of your SS benefits. also have you looked into spousal benefits? might be worth checking

Your situation is actually quite straightforward from the SSA perspective. Since you're reaching your Full Retirement Age (FRA), you can claim your own retirement benefits without any reduction regardless of your husband's work status or income. The earnings test only applies to someone collecting their own benefits before their FRA. However, there are two key considerations: 1. Taxation: If your combined income (adjusted gross income + nontaxable interest + half of Social Security benefits) exceeds $32,000 for married filing jointly, up to 50% of your benefits may be taxable. Above $44,000, up to 85% may be taxable. 2. Spousal benefits: If your husband has a much higher earnings record, you might eventually qualify for higher spousal benefits (up to 50% of his FRA amount) - but only after he files for his own benefits. Given your financial situation, claiming at your FRA may be the right move, but do consider how it fits into your long-term plan.

ARE U SURE about the tax thresholds??? I thought they were much lower!!! My sister and her husband got SHOCKED with a huge tax bill because she claimed SS at 66 and he was still working. The government ALWAYS finds a way to take our money!! 😡 And they never explain these rules clearly on purpose!!

Your benefits won't be reduced because of your husband's work since you're at your FRA. However, it's essential to understand how his income might affect your overall financial picture. First, regarding taxes: Your benefits may be taxable depending on your combined income. The formula uses your adjusted gross income, plus nontaxable interest, plus half of your Social Security benefits. For married couples filing jointly: - If this total is under $32,000, your benefits aren't taxable - Between $32,000-$44,000, up to 50% of benefits may be taxable - Above $44,000, up to 85% of benefits may be taxable Second, regarding coordination strategies: Since you mention financial difficulties, claiming your retirement benefit at FRA makes sense. Later, when your husband files for his benefit (whether at his FRA or earlier), you could potentially switch to a spousal benefit if it would be higher than your own. Finally, if your financial situation is urgent, your husband could consider filing for his benefits early, which would allow you to claim spousal benefits - though his benefits would be permanently reduced by filing before his FRA.

Your spousal benefits would be based on your husband's primary insurance amount (PIA) - which is what he would receive at his full retirement age - even if he files early. However, since you're at your FRA, your spousal benefits wouldn't be reduced. But yes, if your husband files early while still working, he would likely be subject to the earnings test. For 2025, if he earns more than $22,320, SSA will withhold $1 in benefits for every $2 he earns above that limit. This could significantly reduce or even eliminate his benefits until he reaches his FRA. The withheld benefits aren't lost forever - when he reaches his FRA, his monthly benefit will be recalculated to account for the months benefits were withheld. But in the short term, this could mean little to no extra income from his early filing.

Last year I was in a similar situation. I had reached my FRA but needed to deal with Social Security because we were struggling financially while my wife was still working. Trying to call SSA was a NIGHTMARE. I spent weeks trying to get through to ask questions about how taxes would work and spousal benefits. I finally found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to a real SSA agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I got through, the agent explained everything about how my benefits wouldn't be affected by my wife's income, but gave me tax planning advice I hadn't considered. Definitely worth talking to an actual SSA representative about your specific situation.

my mom started her SS at 67 last year while dad was still working part time at 64. her check wasnt affected by his work at all, but they did have to plan for taxes. they set aside about 15% of her SS check just to be safe. also they found out that when dad does retire she can switch to a spousal benefit if its higher than her own which was news to them! good luck with everything

Thank you all for the helpful responses! I'm going to go ahead and file for my benefits at FRA next month. I'll set aside some money for potential taxes, and we'll look at whether spousal benefits make sense when my husband is closer to retirement. I managed to get through to SSA using that service someone mentioned above - the agent confirmed everything you all told me and helped me understand our specific situation. Really appreciate this community!