Can my wife claim 50% spousal Social Security at 63 while I work past FRA? Worried about early filing reduction

Your wife cannot receive spousal benefits until you actually file for your retirement benefits - this is a common misconception. It doesn't matter if you've reached your FRA; if you haven't filed, she can't get spousal benefits. If you file at your FRA and she claims at 63, her benefit would be permanently reduced to about 35% of your PIA instead of the full 50% due to the early filing reduction. The reduction is approximately 0.69% per month before her FRA. As for survivor benefits - good news here. If you pass away, any reduction she took on spousal benefits will NOT affect her survivor benefits. As your widow, she would be eligible for 100% of what you were receiving if she claims survivor benefits at her FRA. If she claims survivor benefits before her FRA, different reduction factors apply.

Everything the person above said is WRONG. My wife started getting her spousal benefits when I turned FRA even though I DIDN'T FILE. They changed the rules back in 2015 but anyone born before 1954 can still do this. Get your facts straight people!!! The SSA representatives are clueless too, I had to fight with them for MONTHS to get this approved. Don't listen to these internet "experts"!!!

When I was in a similar situation last year, I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which helped me get through to an actual Social Security agent in under 10 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. The agent was able to run calculations for different spousal benefit scenarios which really helped us decide. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU showing how it works. With your specific questions about the interaction between early filing and survivor benefits, talking directly with SSA might give you the most accurate information for your situation.

my mom took spousal at 62 and got like 32.5% i think cause my dad waited til 70 to file. its all super confusing tbh. the survivor thing is seperate tho so dont worry about that part

Here's the complete picture: 1. For spousal benefits: Your wife cannot receive them until you FILE for retirement benefits, regardless of your age. This is non-negotiable under current rules. 2. Early filing reduction: If your wife claims at 63, her spousal benefit will be reduced to approximately 35% of your PIA instead of 50%. The exact reduction is 25/36 of 1% for each month before FRA (up to 36 months) and 5/12 of 1% for additional months. 3. Strategy options: - You could file at your FRA so she can get spousal benefits, even if reduced - You could continue working and delay both your benefits until you stop working - You could file restricted for just spousal (only if born before Jan 2, 1954, which doesn't apply to you) 4. Survivor benefits: These are completely separate from spousal benefits. If you die, your wife would be eligible for 100% of your benefit amount if she claims at her FRA. If she claims survivor benefits early, they would be reduced, but any reduction she took on spousal benefits does NOT carry over to survivor benefits. Contact the SSA directly for calculations specific to your situation.

I read somewhere that filing for benefits while still working can mess up your earnings record and reduce your benefit amount. But maybe that's only before FRA? Anyone know?

wut about if ur wife has some work history? my wife worked part time for about 10 years total but mostly stayed home with kids. would she get her own benefit or the spousal? which is better?

i think my grandparents did something where grandpa filed but then paused his benefits so grandma could get hers? can u still do that?

I've been doing some more research, and it seems like I have two main options: 1) File at my FRA so my wife can get spousal benefits, even though they'll be reduced, or 2) Wait until I stop working to file, which means delaying her spousal benefits too. If I go with option 1, would I be able to earn delayed retirement credits between my FRA and age 70 while still having filed for benefits?

I'm facing a very similar situation with my husband turning 67 next year and me being 4 years younger. From what I've learned through my own research and talking to SSA, here are some key points that might help: 1. The spousal benefit reduction at 63 is significant - you're looking at about 32.5-35% instead of the full 50%. That's a permanent reduction for spousal benefits. 2. One thing to consider is the "break-even" analysis. If you file at FRA so your wife can get reduced spousal benefits, versus waiting until you both reach optimal ages, when does the earlier income stream make up for the lower monthly amounts? 3. For survivor benefits, I was told by an SSA representative that if you delay your own benefits until 70, your wife's potential survivor benefit would also be higher since it's based on what you were receiving (including delayed credits). This could be substantial extra income for potentially 20+ years. 4. Have you considered getting estimates from SSA for different scenarios? They can run projections showing total lifetime benefits under different filing strategies, which really helps visualize the trade-offs. The decision really comes down to your financial needs now versus maximizing long-term benefits. If you need the income, filing earlier makes sense. If you can afford to wait, the math often favors delaying.