Can I switch to spousal Social Security benefits at FRA when husband's benefit is higher than mine?

I went through something similar with my wife's benefits last year. Unfortunately, once you've started collecting your own retirement benefits, you can't switch to JUST taking spousal benefits. What actually happens is that SSA will give you your own benefit PLUS the difference to bring you up to the spousal amount if that's higher. So if your benefit is $1200 and half of your husband's is $1800, they would give you your $1200 plus an additional $600 to reach the spousal amount. But this only happens if you apply for it - it's not automatic! You need to contact SSA and specifically request the spousal benefit. I used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually get through to a real person at SSA after weeks of trying on my own. They got me connected in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Made the whole process way less frustrating.

sorry but ur wrong about this. my sister tried to do this exact thing and they told her NO WAY. once u take ur own benefits early u are stuck with the reduction FOREVER. u cant change to spouse benefits later, thats the old rule that changed back in 2016 i think

I went through this exact scenario! Started my benefits at 62, then applied for spousal benefits when I turned 67 (my FRA). The process was actually pretty straightforward, but getting through to SSA was a NIGHTMARE. Took me 6 calls and about 9 hours on hold total. When I finally got through, the agent explained that I would continue receiving my reduced retirement benefit (because I claimed early) PLUS an additional amount to make it equal to 50% of my husband's PIA (Primary Insurance Amount). The extra amount showed up in my direct deposit about 6 weeks after I applied. Make sure you have your husband's SSN and benefit information ready when you call.

You absolutely CANNOT switch to spousal benefits after claiming your own! This is terrible advice people are giving. The law changed in 2015 with the Bipartisan Budget Act. Restricted applications were eliminated!!!!!!!

Has anyone found a good calculator online to figure this stuff out? I'm in a similar situation but my husband isn't claiming yet. All the SSA calculators confuse me :/

To clarify some confusion in this thread: What you're describing is called the "spousal supplement" or being "dually entitled." Here's how it works: 1. Since you already claimed your own retirement benefits at 63, those benefits are permanently reduced (probably to about 80% of your Primary Insurance Amount). 2. When you reach your Full Retirement Age (67 for your birth year), you can apply for spousal benefits. 3. You will receive your own reduced benefit PLUS a supplement to bring the total up to 50% of your husband's PIA if that amount is higher. 4. This is NOT the same as "switching" to spousal benefits - you'll receive a combination of both. 5. You must specifically apply for the spousal benefit - it doesn't happen automatically. The 2015 law changes eliminated "restricted applications" (claiming only spousal while letting your own grow), but did not change the basic spousal supplement rules. I recommend scheduling an appointment with your local SSA office - in-person appointments often have shorter wait times than phone calls.

My mom just went through this last year!!! She was getting her own SS since 62, then when she hit 66 (her FRA) she applied for dad's and got a nice bump. But watch out - they'll ask for income verification, tax returns from the last few years, marriage certificate, and there might be a processing delay. Mom had to wait almost 3 months for the increase to kick in, but they did backdate it to when she applied. Good luck!!

why is social security so confusing???? i swear they make it this way on purpose so people don't get what they deserve

One thing no one mentioned yet - make SURE you tell them you're applying for the spousal benefit specifically. When I did this, the first agent I talked to just said "you already have benefits" and almost dismissed me. I had to specifically say "I want to apply for the spousal supplement on my husband's record." Use those exact words. Also, I found calling right when they open (8am in most locations) drastically reduced my wait time.

I'm in a very similar situation and have been researching this for months! From what I've learned, you can definitely get the spousal supplement but you need to be prepared for the application process. A few tips that might help: 1) Try calling SSA at exactly 8am when they open - I finally got through after trying this approach, 2) Have your husband's Social Security number and his monthly benefit amount ready (if he's already receiving benefits), 3) Consider visiting your local SSA office in person if phone calls aren't working - you can often walk in for certain services or schedule an appointment online. The key thing to remember is that you're not "switching" benefits but rather adding a spousal supplement to what you're already receiving. Since your husband is 79 and already receiving benefits, this should be pretty straightforward once you get someone on the phone. Don't give up - you're entitled to this additional amount if half of his benefit is higher than what you're currently receiving!

I actually went through this exact same process about 8 months ago! Like you, I started taking my own benefits early (at 62) and then realized my husband's benefit was much higher. Here's what worked for me: I used the SSA's online appointment scheduler to book an in-person appointment at my local office - much easier than trying to get through on the phone. The whole process took about 45 minutes and the representative was really helpful in explaining everything. You'll definitely get the spousal supplement since half of your husband's benefit is higher than your current amount. Just make sure to bring your marriage certificate, both of your Social Security cards, and your husband's benefit statement if he has one. They processed mine in about 6 weeks and backdated it to the month I applied. Don't let the phone system discourage you - there are other ways to get this done!