Can my mom switch to spousal Social Security benefits years after claiming her own at 62?

Good news - your mom CAN apply for spousal benefits even though she's already receiving her own retirement benefits! The SSA will pay her own benefit first, then add an additional amount to bring her up to what she's eligible for as a spouse. Since they're still legally married despite being separated, she qualifies. Since your dad gets maximum benefits, your mom would likely receive up to 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA). However, because she claimed at 62, her spousal benefits will be permanently reduced - probably to around 35% of his PIA due to the early claiming reduction. Have her contact Social Security right away - this change isn't automatic. She'll need to specifically apply for spousal benefits.

Your mom should definitely apply for spousal benefits ASAP! But I need to clarify something important - the spousal benefit calculation isn't based on what your dad is currently receiving ($4,200), but rather his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is what he would receive at his full retirement age. The spousal benefit would be calculated as follows: 1. First, they'll continue paying her own benefit ($740) 2. Then they'll add an additional amount to reach the spousal benefit level The maximum she could get is about 32.5-35% of his PIA (reduced because she claimed at 62). So if his PIA is around $3,600, her total might be closer to $1,250-$1,300 total per month. Unfortunately, SSA will only pay retroactive benefits for 6 months, so she has lost some money by not applying earlier.

she can definitely apply for spousal benefits even after taking her own!! i did this 2 years ago. just go to the social security office with marriage certificate and they'll help. they dont tell you this stuff unless you ask!!! makes me so mad. she'll probably get around $1200-1500 total which is way better than $740!!

trying to get an appointment at social security is IMPOSSIBLE these days!! i tried calling for 3 weeks straight and couldn't get thru. all busy signals or disconnects! the offices are still appointment only since covid. i finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me thru to an agent in like 20 mins. they have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - was totally worth it to skip the phone nightmare! once i got the appointment everything was easy.

My mother had almost the exact situation!!!! She and my father separated in 1990s but never divorced. She claimed at 62 (big mistake) and got tiny checks while he was getting huge ones from his government job. HOWEVER - does your dad have a government pension that wasn't covered by Social Security??? If so, your mom might get hit with the Government Pension Offset (GPO) which can reduce or eliminate spousal benefits. Worth checking.

THIS IS WHY THE SYSTEM IS SO BROKEN!!!!! They make everything IMPOSSIBLE to understand and don't tell people their options when they apply!! Your mom probably lost TENS OF THOUSANDS of dollars because Social Security didn't explain her options!!! 🤬🤬🤬 And why should she get less just because she claimed at 62??? She NEEDED the money then! The penalties for early claiming are RIDICULOUS when people are just trying to survive!!! The whole system is designed to CHEAT PEOPLE OUT OF THEIR BENEFITS!!!!

To clarify a few technical points: 1. Your mother can indeed apply for spousal benefits despite already receiving her own. This is an "excess spousal benefit" case. 2. The calculation will be: [50% of your father's PIA] minus [100% of your mother's PIA], further reduced for claiming at 62. 3. Since she claimed at 62, she'll receive approximately 32.5% of your father's PIA instead of the full 50% (this is a permanent reduction). 4. Assuming your father's PIA is around $3,600 (estimating from his $4,200 benefit), and your mother's PIA is about $1,000 (estimating from her $740 benefit), she would receive: - Her own benefit: $740 - Plus excess spousal: about $170-$230 - Total: approximately $910-$970 monthly This is significantly less than some commenters suggested because the excess spousal calculation is complex. I'd recommend she contact SSA directly to get the exact amount.

Just wanted to add that your mom should bring as much documentation as possible to her appointment: 1. Marriage certificate (original or certified copy) 2. Both her and your father's Social Security numbers 3. Birth certificate (original or certified copy) 4. Photo ID 5. Most recent tax returns if available 6. Any divorce papers if there were previous marriages Also, even though they're separated, she doesn't need your father to be present or even aware that she's applying. This is her independent right as his spouse. Just make sure she specifies she wants to apply for "spousal benefits" not "spouse's benefits" (which is different and requires consent).

heres something nobody mentioned - if ur mom and dad get divorced in future she could lose these benefits!! unless they stay married for at least 10 yrs then she can keep them even after divorce. but if theyre already been separated for decades sounds like theyve passed that 10 yr mark anyway so should be ok