Can I claim my Social Security now at 62 then switch to spousal benefits when husband retires at 67?
Hello everyone, I'm really confused about my Social Security options. I just turned 62 and I'm trying to figure out the best strategy. My husband (he's 59) plans to delay his Social Security until he's 67. His projected benefit will be around $3,200 monthly, while mine would only be about $1,400 if I claim at 62. I've heard something about being able to claim my own benefits now, then later switch to spousal benefits when my husband files. Is this actually possible? Would I get half of his benefit amount ($1,600) when he files at 67? Or do I have to wait until I'm older too to get the spousal benefit? I'm worried about having no income for the next 5+ years if I wait. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!
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Freya Thomsen
The rules changed in 2015 with the Bipartisan Budget Act. Unfortunately, you can no longer take your own benefit first and then switch to the higher spousal benefit later. When your husband files at 67, you'll receive the higher of either your own benefit or your spousal benefit (which would be up to 50% of his PIA), but not both. If you claim at 62, your own benefit will be permanently reduced by about 30%, AND your eventual spousal benefit will also be permanently reduced because you claimed early.
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Ravi Sharma
•Oh no! So there's no way to get my full spousal benefit if I claim anything now? That's so disappointing. How much would my spousal benefit be reduced if I claim my own benefits at 62? Would it still be more than my reduced benefit?
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Omar Zaki
The previous commenter is correct about the rule change. If you take your benefits now at 62, both your own retirement benefit AND your eventual spousal benefit will be permanently reduced. The reduction to your spousal benefit would be approximately 35% if you claim 4 years before your Full Retirement Age (FRA). So instead of getting $1,600 (half of your husband's), you'd get about $1,040 as a spousal benefit. Since that's less than your reduced own benefit, you'd just continue receiving your own.
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Ravi Sharma
•Thank you for explaining the numbers. That helps me understand better. So it sounds like I should probably just wait if I want to maximize my benefits in the long run. It's just hard when you're looking at years with no income.
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AstroAce
my sister did this and regrets it SO MUCH!!! she took benefits at 62 and can barely live on them. when her husband claimed his, her spousal increase was tiny because she took early benefits. wait if you can!!!!
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Chloe Martin
•THIS!! The SSA doesn't explain this NEARLY enough. I made the same mistake. Took mine at 62 thinking I'd just switch to my husband's later and get half. NOPE! Once you take early benefits you're PERMANENTLY stuck with the reduction. The whole system is designed to TRICK people into taking early reduced benefits!
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Diego Rojas
Have you considered working a bit longer? Even part-time work could help you bridge the gap until you reach your FRA. That way you wouldn't need to claim early and reduce your lifetime benefits.
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Ravi Sharma
•I've thought about that, but I have some health issues that make working challenging. Not enough to qualify for disability, but enough to make full-time work difficult. Maybe I could find something very part-time though.
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Anastasia Sokolov
I was in a similar situation last year. Tried for WEEKS to get through to SSA to discuss my options. Kept getting busy signals or disconnected. Finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an agent in under 10 minutes! They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. The agent walked me through all my options and helped me understand exactly how the reduction would affect my spousal benefits later. Worth it to get accurate information for your specific situation instead of guessing.
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Ravi Sharma
•Thank you for sharing! I've been trying to get through to SSA for days with no luck. I'll definitely check this out because I really need to talk to someone who can look at my specific numbers.
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AstroAce
•does this actually work?? i spent 3 hours on hold last week and got disconnected!!!
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Sean O'Donnell
Just wondering but did u check if ur eligible for spousal benefits NOW based on ur husbands record? If he hasn't filed yet probably not but just checking
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Freya Thomsen
•Good question, but spousal benefits are only available if the primary worker (the husband in this case) has already filed for his own benefits. Since her husband hasn't filed yet and won't until he's 67, she can't receive spousal benefits on his record until then.
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Ravi Sharma
Thanks everyone for the helpful responses. I've decided to try to hold off on claiming as long as possible, maybe look for some very part-time work, and definitely call SSA to get exact numbers for my situation. I appreciate all the advice!
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Omar Zaki
•That sounds like a wise approach. One more thing to consider: if your husband's benefit will be substantially higher than yours, it's especially important to factor in survivor benefits in your planning. If he passes away before you, you'd be eligible for his full benefit amount as a widow. So his decision to delay until 67 not only increases his retirement benefit but also potentially increases your future survivor benefit.
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Anastasia Sokolov
Another suggestion - check if you qualify for any other programs while you wait. Depending on your assets and income, you might be eligible for assistance programs that could help bridge the gap until you reach your FRA. Each state has different options available.
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Ravi Sharma
•That's a great suggestion I hadn't considered. We have some savings but not a lot. I'll definitely look into what might be available in my state. Thank you!
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