Can I claim spousal Social Security benefits at 62 while my husband is still working?

There are a few key points to understand about spousal benefits in your situation. First, your husband must file for his own benefits before you can receive spousal benefits. Since he's still working and not collecting, you can't receive spousal benefits yet. Second, if you're already collecting your own retirement benefits, when your husband does file, you'll only receive the difference between your benefit and up to 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - and that's if you had waited until your Full Retirement Age (FRA). Since you filed at 62, your spousal benefit will be permanently reduced. His work income doesn't directly penalize your spousal benefits, but if he files before his FRA while still earning above the earnings limit ($23,760 in 2025), HIS benefits would be reduced, which doesn't affect the spousal calculation (based on his PIA, not his reduced benefit).

my sister went thru this exact thing!!! she got her SS at 62 and her husband kept working til 68!!! the SSA told her she couldnt get spousal until he filed but when he did she got a nice bump up even tho she took benefits early

The system is DESIGNED to confuse you and keep you from maximizing benefits! My wife and I went through this nightmare last year. First they told us one thing, then another. Every rep gave different info! The KEY fact: if your husband has high earnings, you WILL get more when he files, but you've PERMANENTLY reduced both your own benefit AND your eventual spousal benefit by filing at 62. SSA doesn't explain this clearly because they WANT you to take benefits early so they save money!!

Based on what you've shared, here's what you need to know: 1. You can't receive spousal benefits until your husband files for his own benefits 2. When he does file, you'll receive your own benefit plus the difference to get you to (potentially) 50% of his PIA 3. Because you filed at 62, your spousal benefit will be reduced to about 35% of his PIA instead of the full 50% 4. His continued work doesn't affect YOUR benefits, only potentially his if he files early 5. The optimal strategy often involves the higher earner delaying as long as possible (even to age 70) One thing nobody mentioned: if your husband's benefit is substantially higher, you might eventually receive survivor benefits if he passes away before you. Those would be worth 100% of what he was receiving (including delayed retirement credits if he waits past FRA).

i got confused too when i tried for this last year!! the thing nobody is telling you is about the earnings test - if hes making good money and files early, ss takes back $1 for every $2 he earns over the limit! my husband lost almost all his benefits til he hit full retirement age because he was still working!!

Has anyone actually tried calling the SSA about this? I spent THREE HOURS on hold last month trying to get info about my widower benefits. Finally hung up and never got through. The website is useless for complicated questions like this.

I think you're getting some good advice here, but here's a technical clarification that might help: what you're asking about is called the "deemed filing" rule. Since you've already filed for your own benefits, when your husband files, you'll be automatically "deemed" to have filed for spousal benefits too. The amount you'll get as a spouse depends on: 1. Your husband's PIA (Primary Insurance Amount) 2. Your age when deemed filing occurs 3. Your own PIA The maximum spousal benefit is 50% of your husband's PIA at your FRA, reduced if you're under FRA when deemed filing happens. Then, SSA pays your own benefit first, and only adds the spousal amount if it would increase your total benefit.

In your specific situation, here's what will likely happen: 1. You'll continue receiving your reduced retirement benefit of $1,250/month until your husband files 2. When he files (regardless of his age), you'll be deemed to have filed for spousal benefits 3. SSA will calculate your spousal benefit (reduced because you started benefits at 62) 4. If that amount is higher than your current $1,250, you'll get the difference added to your check Generally, if your husband's PIA is more than double your PIA, you'll receive some additional amount as a spouse once he files. Given that you mentioned his earnings were "much higher," you'll likely qualify for some additional amount.

Good question about him waiting until 70. Your spousal benefit is based on his PIA (what he'd get at his full retirement age), not his actual benefit amount. So while HE would get a larger benefit by waiting until 70 (about 8% per year in delayed retirement credits), your spousal benefit wouldn't increase beyond 50% of his PIA. However, there's still an advantage to him waiting - if he passes away before you, you'd be eligible for survivor benefits equal to 100% of what he was receiving, including those delayed retirement credits. So his waiting could significantly increase your eventual widow's benefit. Given your age difference and his higher earning history, him delaying benefits could be a good strategy for maximizing your lifetime household benefits, especially if he has longevity in his family.

Just want to add one practical tip that helped me when I was navigating this - keep detailed records of all your communications with SSA! I created a simple spreadsheet tracking dates, who I spoke with, and what they told me. This saved me so much hassle later when I got conflicting information from different representatives. Also, if you haven't already, create your my Social Security account online at ssa.gov. You can see your earnings history, get benefit estimates, and even run scenarios for different filing ages. It's much more reliable than trying to get through on the phone, and you can see exactly what your husband's estimated PIA would be at different ages. One last thing - consider consulting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security strategies before making any major decisions. The rules are complex and the stakes are high given that these decisions can't easily be undone.