Can I claim spousal SS benefits at 62 while delaying my own until FRA?

Unfortunately, that strategy won't work for you. The law changed after the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. Now when you file for any benefit (including spousal) before your FRA, you're deemed to have filed for ALL benefits you're eligible for. This is called 'deemed filing.' If you apply at 62, SSA will automatically give you whichever is higher: your own reduced retirement or your reduced spousal benefit. And your benefit will be permanently reduced because you claimed early. The only way to get only spousal benefits and delay your own is if you were born before January 2, 1954. For everyone born after that date, deemed filing applies.

This is one area where the SSA rules can be REALLY confusing. I spent hours researching this exact situation when my wife and I were planning our retirement. The rules used to allow what you're describing (it was called a "restricted application") but Congress eliminated that option for most people. Basically, if you file for ANY benefit before your FRA, you're deemed to have filed for ALL benefits. And once you file early, those reductions are permanent. The only exception is if you were born before Jan 2, 1954. It's frustrating because financial advisors and outdated articles still mention this strategy, but it doesn't work anymore for most of us.

Thank you all for the responses. This is really helpful but also disappointing. I have another question then - if I wait until my full retirement age (67), could I take JUST the spousal benefit then and let my own benefit continue to grow until 70? Or does that "deemed filing" rule still apply at full retirement age too?

My wife tried to do this same thing! Such a bummer when we found out it doesnt work anymore. The old rules let u do exactly what your wanting but now they make u take both at once and just give u the higher amount. government always changing things.

Since your own benefit at FRA ($2,100) is higher than what you'd get as a spouse (50% of $2,800 = $1,400), focusing on maximizing your own benefit probably makes the most sense anyway. Here are your basic options: 1. Claim at 62: You'd get your own benefit reduced by about 30% (so around $1,470/month) permanently 2. Wait until FRA (67): Get your full $2,100/month 3. Delay until 70: Get 124% of your benefit (about $2,604/month) If you need income now, option 1 might make sense. If you can wait and expect to live past about 80-82, waiting will likely give you more lifetime benefits. The spousal benefit doesn't really come into play here since your own benefit is higher.

Trying to call Social Security to ask questions like this is IMPOSSIBLE!!! I spent 5 hours on hold last month trying to get answers about my spousal benefits and kept getting disconnected. By the time I finally got through to someone, they gave me contradictory information from what I was told before. SO FRUSTRATING!!!!

u should just take it at 62 and enjoy the money now imo. who knows what will happen in 5 years? my neighbor waited til 70 to get bigger payments and then died 8 months later. all that money he could have been enjoying! just my 2 cents.

Thanks everyone for all the helpful information! I had no idea the rules had changed so much. I'm thinking I'll probably wait until my FRA (67) to claim my own benefits since they're higher than what I'd get as a spouse anyway. I wish I could've used that restricted application strategy, but at least now I understand how it works. One last question - will my husband's benefit amount change at all when I file for my own benefits? Or are our benefits completely separate?

my cousin said she was able to do what ur talking about but she must have been born before that cutoff date everyone mentioned. the rules r so confusing!!