Can I switch from my reduced Social Security benefit to spousal benefits after my husband filed at FRA?

youre not stuck but you wont get half. since you took benefits early they reduce the spousal amount too. they call it "deemed filing" and it means ur stuck with the reduction for claiming early. you might still get a small increase tho

Your situation is actually quite common. Since you filed for your own benefits before FRA, you won't receive a full 50% of your husband's benefit as a spousal benefit. Instead, you'll receive what's called a "spousal add-on." The calculation works like this: 1. SSA will calculate your full spousal benefit (50% of your husband's PIA) 2. They'll subtract your own PIA (not your reduced benefit) 3. The difference becomes your spousal add-on amount, which is then reduced because you took benefits early You should contact Social Security to apply for the spousal benefit now that your husband is collecting. You won't get 50% of his $2,868, but you'll likely receive some increase over your current $988. Every bit helps!

Same boat!! I'm getting $1025 after taking benefits at 62 and my husband gets $3076 at his FRA. When I applied for spousal benefits, my monthly amount only went up to $1192. That's WAY less than half of his! The SSA agent explained that I'm permanently reduced because I filed early - if I had waited until MY full retirement age to file for ANY benefits, I could have gotten the full 50% spousal benefit. The system really punishes us for taking early benefits!! Definitely apply though - even a small increase helps with these grocery prices!

You should definitely apply for the spousal benefit, but understand that your early claiming decision does permanently impact both your own retirement benefit AND your spousal benefit. Based on the numbers you provided, here's a rough estimate of what might happen: - Your PIA (unreduced benefit) is probably around $1,400-1,500 - Half of your husband's PIA would be approximately $1,434 - Since these are so close, your spousal add-on might be very small The key thing to understand is that when you take benefits before FRA, you're locked into a reduction for life. This is why financial planners often recommend that the lower-earning spouse consider waiting until FRA if a significant spousal benefit might come into play. You'll need to contact SSA directly to apply for the spousal benefit - this isn't automatic.

This whole system is RIDICULOUS!!! The SSA makes everything so complicated ON PURPOSE so people don't get what they deserve. I tried calling them for WEEKS about my spousal benefits and couldn't get through. When I finally did, they gave me THREE different answers from THREE different people!! Some "expert" on YouTube said you can switch to spousal and get the full 50% anytime after your spouse files. WRONG! They don't tell you about all these crazy reductions and deemed filing rules until it's TOO LATE. The whole system needs to be burned down and rebuilt!!

Try using Claimyr to get through to SSA faster! I was in your same position last month trying to sort out my spousal benefits. Kept calling for days and couldn't get through. My neighbor told me about claimyr.com and they got me connected to a real person at Social Security in about 15 minutes! They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent explained exactly what my spousal add-on would be and processed my application right over the phone. No more waiting on hold forever!

btw one more thing - make sure you apply right away. they only go back 6 months for benefits so if you wait too long you could lose some $$$

Has anyone else noticed that SS benefit increases never keep up with REAL inflation? My "cost of living adjustment" this year was a joke compared to how much my groceries and medications have gone up. Even with a spousal add-on, we're all falling behind. Sorry for the rant - just frustrated with the whole system lately.

Just to clarify something that might be confusing - when we talk about your "spousal benefit" in this scenario, you're not actually switching from your retirement benefit to a spousal benefit. Instead, you'll receive your own reduced retirement benefit PLUS a spousal add-on amount (if you qualify for one based on the calculations). The deemed filing rules mean that when you file for one benefit (retirement), you're deemed to have filed for all benefits you're eligible for at that time. This prevents people from selecting one benefit type now and another later to maximize payments. Definitely contact SSA to see what additional amount you might receive. The application process for the spousal component is relatively straightforward once you get through to a representative.