Confused about spousal benefits timing - do I claim when I reach FRA or when my younger husband does?

You need to understand a few key things about spousal benefits:1. Your husband must actually file for his own retirement benefits before you can receive spousal benefits. It doesn't matter who reaches FRA first.2. If you claim spousal benefits before your own FRA (67), they will be permanently reduced.3. Your spousal benefit won't be exactly 50% of his $2,800. It would be 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount (what he gets at his FRA), minus your own primary insurance amount. So basically, you can't get spousal benefits until your husband actually files for his benefits, regardless of whether you've reached your FRA or not.

Thank you for explaining! So even if I wait until my FRA at 67, I can't get anything until my husband files? That means I'd have to wait 3 more years after my FRA since he'll be 64 then. That seems so unfair! Can he file early at 62 so I can get my spousal benefit sooner, or would that reduce what I get too?

This SS stuff is SOOO complicated!!! I went thru something similar with me and my husband (he's younger too). I kept getting different answers from differnt people at SSA when I called. One told me I could get benefits on my record first, then switch to spousal later. Another said I had to wait for him to file. The system is a MESS and they don't make it easy to understand AT ALL!!!

The rules changed significantly after the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. Before that, you could file for your own benefits first and then switch to spousal later (called

Hi there! I recently went through this exact situation with my wife. Here's how it works: your husband MUST file for his own benefits before you can receive spousal benefits. That's the rule, unfortunately. You have some options though:1. Wait until your husband files at his FRA (67) and then you'll get the maximum spousal benefit (you'll be 70 by then)2. Your husband could file early at 62, allowing you to claim spousal benefits sooner (you'd be 65), BUT his benefit would be permanently reduced by about 30% which also reduces your spousal benefit3. You could claim your own small benefit at your FRA, then when your husband files later, you'd switch to the higher spousal benefitThis is definitely confusing, and I spent hours on the phone with SSA trying to sort it all out. Have you tried calling them directly? I eventually got through using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they got me connected to an actual person at SSA in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours or getting disconnected. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Honestly worth it because the agent I talked to walked me through all the options specific to our situation.

I tried calling SSA twice this week and got disconnected both times after waiting 45+ mins! So frustrating. I might try that Claimyr thing. Did they actually give you good info or just the generic stuff on the website?

The agent I spoke with was really helpful - gave me specific dates and dollar amounts based on different filing scenarios. Much more detailed than the generic website info. Just make sure you have your SSA statement handy when you call so you know your exact benefit amounts.

you dont get 50% of his 2800. you get 50% of his PIA minus your PIA. so if his PIA is 2800 and yours is 425, youd get 1400-425 = 975 as spousal. thats on top of your 425 so youd get 1400 total. but ya he has to file first thats the rule

Hmm, I'm confused now. So I'd get my $425 PLUS an additional amount to bring me up to 50% of his? I thought I just got 50% of his instead of my smaller amount?

It's essentially the same end result. You'll receive your own benefit of $425, plus an additional amount (the spousal benefit) to bring your total up to 50% of your husband's PIA. The SSA doesn't actually pay these as separate benefits - you'll just receive one monthly payment of $1,400 (assuming his PIA is $2,800).And yes, he must file for his benefits before you can receive any spousal benefits, regardless of your ages.

my sister waited til her husband filed at 62 even though he could of got more by waiting. they did it that way because she needed the money sooner and was 5 years older than him. she got less than if they waited but sometimes you just need the money now not later you know?

That's exactly my concern! Waiting until my husband reaches FRA means I'd be 70 by then. That's 11 years from now! We might need the money sooner than that. Do you know if your sister regrets having him file early?

she says its fine for them cause they have some savings too. but yeah if they waited she woulda got more. i think its all about if you need money now or can wait for more later

One important point that hasn't been mentioned: If your husband files early (before his FRA) so you can get spousal benefits sooner, he'll be subject to the earnings test if he's still working. In 2025, that means for every $2 he earns above $22,950 (approximate), $1 will be withheld from benefits. This applies until he reaches his FRA.Another consideration: If your husband files at 62 (taking a 30% reduction) and then passes away before you, your survivor benefit would be based on that reduced amount. If maximizing survivor benefits is important, having him wait until at least his FRA to file would be beneficial for you in the long term.This is why Social Security claiming strategies for couples are so complex - you need to consider both of your life expectancies, your current financial needs, and multiple benefit types (retirement, spousal, and eventual survivor benefits).

Wait, I thought survivor benefits weren't reduced if the person who died took benefits early? I read that somewhere...

You're partially right. If your spouse claimed benefits early and then passes away, you as a widow(er) can still wait until your FRA to get 100% of what your spouse would have received at their FRA. But if your spouse claimed early and received reduced benefits, the maximum survivor benefit you can receive is limited to the larger of: (1) the actual amount your deceased spouse was receiving, or (2) 82.5% of your deceased spouse's full retirement age benefit.So while you have some flexibility as a survivor, having your spouse claim early does place a ceiling on potential survivor benefits compared to if they had waited until FRA or later.

Thank you all SO much for these detailed explanations! I think I understand better now - my husband has to file first before I can get anything, and if we want maximum benefits, waiting until his FRA is best, but that means I'd be 70 by then. We'll need to consider if we want to maximize the monthly amount or start getting something sooner even if it's reduced.I'm going to talk this all over with my husband this weekend and then try calling SSA directly to get specific numbers for our situation. Hopefully I can actually reach someone! If not, I might try that Claimyr service someone mentioned.One last question - does my husband have to actually start receiving his benefits, or can he file and suspend so I can get spousal benefits while his continues to grow?

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This is such a common confusion! I went through the same thing with my older spouse situation. Just to add one more perspective - you might also want to consider your own longevity and health when making this decision. If you're in good health and expect to live into your 80s or 90s, waiting for maximum benefits could pay off in the long run even though it means waiting until age 70. But if you have health concerns or need the income sooner, taking reduced benefits earlier might make more sense. Also, don't forget that your spousal benefit amount will be based on your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) at his full retirement age, regardless of when he actually files. So if his PIA is $2,800, your spousal benefit calculation uses that number even if he files early and gets less. The key is that he has to actually be receiving benefits for you to get spousal benefits - the old "file and suspend" strategy isn't available anymore since 2016. Good luck with your SSA call! Persistence definitely pays off when trying to reach them.

I'm in a very similar situation - I'm 61 and my husband is 58, so I really understand your frustration with the timing! After doing tons of research (and several calls to SSA), here's what I've learned that might help you: The unfortunate reality is that you're stuck waiting for your husband to file first, no matter what. But here's a strategy worth considering: your husband could file at 62 (when you're 65) and you could start getting spousal benefits then. Yes, his benefit would be reduced by about 25%, but you'd get 4-5 years of spousal benefits that you wouldn't get if you wait until his FRA. I ran some rough numbers for my situation and found that even with the reduced amounts, we'd come out ahead over our lifetimes by starting earlier rather than waiting. The break-even point was somewhere around age 78-80 depending on the scenario. Also, something to keep in mind - once you start receiving spousal benefits, you can't switch strategies later. So whatever decision you make about timing will be permanent. Have you considered meeting with a fee-only financial planner who specializes in Social Security? I found one through the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors and it was worth every penny to get personalized projections for different filing scenarios.

I'm dealing with a similar age gap situation and wanted to share what I learned from my SSA representative. One thing that might help is understanding that you DO have the option to file for your own retirement benefit at your FRA (67) and then automatically switch to the higher spousal benefit later when your husband files. You'd get your $425/month starting at 67, then when he files (whether at 62, FRA, or later), you'd automatically get bumped up to the spousal amount. This at least gets you SOME income during those gap years instead of waiting until you're 70 with nothing. It's not ideal since $425 isn't much, but it's better than zero while you're waiting for him to file. Also, I'd definitely recommend getting a my Social Security account online if you don't have one already. You can run benefit calculators there that show you exactly what you'd get under different scenarios. It helped me visualize the trade-offs between starting early vs. waiting for maximum benefits. The timing really is frustrating when you're the older spouse! But at least you have several years to plan and decide what works best for your financial situation.

I just wanted to add another perspective as someone who went through this recently. My situation was similar - I'm 62 and my husband is 58. After agonizing over this decision for months, we decided to have me file for my own small benefit at my FRA (which was last year) and then switch to spousal when he files at his FRA in a few years. Here's what I wish I had known earlier: the SSA website has a really helpful tool called the "Retirement Estimator" that lets you model different scenarios. You can see exactly how much you'd get if you file at different ages, and it helped me realize that even getting my small benefit for 3-4 years was better than getting nothing while waiting. Also, one thing to consider - inflation! The money you get today is worth more than the same amount you'd get in several years. My financial advisor pointed out that even if the total lifetime benefits are slightly higher by waiting, the time value of money might make starting sooner the better choice. The key thing I learned is that there's no universally "right" answer - it depends on your health, other income sources, life expectancy, and how much you need the money now versus later. Don't stress too much about making the "perfect" choice because there really isn't one!

I'm in almost the exact same boat as you! I'm 60 and my husband is 57, and I've been trying to wrap my head around all this for months. Reading through everyone's responses has been so helpful - I had no idea about some of these details. One thing I wanted to add that I learned from calling SSA (after three attempts and finally getting through) is that they can actually run scenarios for you over the phone. The representative pulled up both mine and my husband's records and gave me specific dollar amounts for different filing strategies. She told me exactly what I'd get if I filed at my FRA versus waiting for spousal benefits, and what the spousal amount would be under different scenarios of when my husband files. What really opened my eyes was learning that if my husband files at 62, his benefit would be reduced to about $1,960 (from his $2,800 FRA amount), but my spousal benefit would still be calculated based on his full $2,800 PIA. So I'd still get close to that $1,400 total monthly amount even though he's getting less. I thought my spousal benefit would be reduced too if he filed early! The waiting game is so frustrating when you're the older spouse. At least we're not alone in this situation! I'm still torn between getting something sooner versus maximizing benefits, but all these perspectives are really helping me think through the decision.

Wow, reading through all these responses has been incredibly enlightening! I'm 63 and my husband is 60, so I completely understand your frustration with the timing issues. What I've learned from my own research (and a very helpful SSA representative) is that this decision really comes down to your specific financial situation and risk tolerance. One thing I'd suggest is creating a simple spreadsheet to track the cumulative benefits under different scenarios. For example, if your husband files at 62 (when you're 65), you'd start getting spousal benefits 3 years earlier than if you wait until his FRA. Even with the reduction in his benefits, those extra 3 years of payments might add up to more total money over your lifetimes, especially when you factor in inflation. Also, don't underestimate the peace of mind that comes with having SOME income rather than none. I know several couples who chose the "bird in the hand" approach rather than waiting for maximum benefits, and most don't regret it because the steady income reduced their financial stress. One last tip - if you do call SSA, ask them to mail you a written summary of the scenarios you discuss. I found having those numbers in writing really helpful when discussing options with my husband later. Good luck with whatever you decide!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm in a similar situation as a 58-year-old with a 55-year-old husband, so I'm facing the same "older spouse" dilemma in a few years. One thing I wanted to add that might be useful - I recently attended a Social Security workshop at our local library, and the presenter mentioned that you can actually create "what-if" scenarios on the SSA website using their benefit calculators. You can model different retirement ages for both spouses and see estimated monthly amounts. It's not as detailed as what you'd get from calling directly, but it's a good starting point for understanding your options before that phone call. Also, regarding the Claimyr service that was mentioned earlier - I used them last month to get through to SSA about a different issue and it really did work! Took about 20 minutes and cost $19, but saved me hours of frustration trying to get through on my own. The representative was able to access my earnings record and answer specific questions about my projected benefits. The complexity of all this is honestly ridiculous - they really should make this information clearer and more accessible. But reading everyone's experiences here has helped me understand what questions to ask when my time comes. Thanks to everyone for sharing their knowledge!

I'm 62 and my husband is 58, so I completely relate to your frustration! After going through this maze myself, here's what I learned that might help clarify things: First, yes - your husband absolutely must file for his own benefits before you can receive spousal benefits, regardless of who reaches FRA first. This is the hard rule that can't be worked around. However, you do have some flexibility in timing. At your FRA (67), you could start collecting your own $425 benefit while waiting for your husband to file. Then when he does file (whether at 62, FRA, or later), you'd automatically switch to the higher spousal benefit amount. Here's something important that several people touched on but might get lost in all the details: your spousal benefit is calculated as 50% of your husband's PIA ($2,800) minus your own PIA ($425). So you'd get $1,400 - $425 = $975 as the spousal "top-up" added to your $425, totaling $1,400 per month. This calculation uses his FULL retirement age benefit amount even if he files early and gets less himself. I ended up having my husband file at 62 so I could start getting spousal benefits at 65 rather than waiting until I was 70. Yes, we're getting less per month than if we waited, but those extra 5 years of payments will likely add up to more over our lifetimes. Sometimes "good enough" is better than "perfect" when it comes to Social Security planning! The key is running the numbers for your specific situation and deciding what works best for your financial needs and peace of mind.