Confused about spousal excess benefits calculation - FRA amount or age 70 amount for higher earner?

The spousal benefit calculation is ALWAYS based on the higher earner's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is their benefit amount at full retirement age. The delayed retirement credits that your husband earns by waiting until 70 do NOT increase your spousal benefit. So in your case, you'd be looking at the calculation based on his FRA amount ($3,675), not his age 70 amount. Since you're entitled to your own retirement benefit, you'd only receive the difference between your own benefit and the spousal benefit (if the spousal is higher). This is called the "excess spousal benefit." In your example: 50% of $3,675 = $1,837.50 Your own benefit = $1,450 Excess spousal = $1,837.50 - $1,450 = $387.50 So you'd receive your own $1,450 plus an additional $387.50 for a total of $1,837.50.

my wife got spousal benefits last year and yeah its definitely based on FRA amount not the increased amount at 70. kinda stinks but thats how they do it

Are you SURE about this?? Because when I went in to my local SS office last month they told me it WAS based on the actual amount being received!!! Now I'm even more confused than before. Why can't they get their story straight??!! This is so infuriating!!!

Just to add some clarity, let me confirm that spousal benefits are calculated based on the higher earner's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the benefit amount payable at Full Retirement Age. This is set in stone in the Social Security regulations. The 8% per year increase for delaying benefits past FRA (called Delayed Retirement Credits) only applies to the worker's own retirement benefit and any survivor benefits after their death - not to spousal benefits while both spouses are alive. For the original poster, your spousal benefit would indeed be calculated based on the $3,675 FRA amount, not the age 70 amount. And since you're eligible for your own benefit, you would receive the higher of either: 1. Your own benefit ($1,450), or 2. The spousal benefit (50% of $3,675 = $1,837.50) So you'd receive $1,837.50 total, which is effectively your own $1,450 plus an additional $387.50 excess spousal benefit.

I had so much trouble getting accurate information when trying to sort out my spousal benefits. Called SSA multiple times and kept getting disconnected or receiving conflicting information. I finally discovered Claimyr.com which got me through to an actual SSA agent in less than 10 minutes. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. The agent I spoke with confirmed exactly what others are saying here - spousal benefits are calculated on the higher earner's FRA amount (PIA), not their age 70 amount. Getting through to someone who really knows the rules made all the difference.

Just to add another dimension to this discussion - don't forget that WHEN you claim also affects your benefit amount. If you claim your spousal benefit before your own FRA, it will be reduced. The 50% of your husband's PIA is only if you wait until your own full retirement age to claim.

this whole system is deliberately confusing i swear... my ex and i were divorced after 12 years of marriage and the amount I get is less than what they told me i would get when i called before filing... always get everything in writing!!!

btw are you sure your own benefit is only $1450? might be worth checking your earnings record on the ssa website to make sure they have all your working years correct. my wife found they were missing 3 years of her work and it bumped her benefit up almost $200

To summarize the key points about spousal benefits for anyone else reading this thread: 1. Spousal benefits are based on 50% of the higher earner's PIA (benefit at Full Retirement Age) 2. Delayed retirement credits earned by the higher earner (by waiting past FRA up to age 70) do NOT increase spousal benefits 3. The excess spousal benefit is the difference between your own benefit and the spousal benefit (if the spousal is higher) 4. Claiming before your own FRA will reduce both your own benefit and your spousal benefit 5. Survivor benefits (after a spouse dies) ARE affected by delayed retirement credits This is definitely one of the most confusing aspects of Social Security for many people.

Just wanted to add a personal perspective as someone who went through this exact situation last year. My husband delayed until 70 (his benefit went from $3,200 at FRA to about $4,000 at 70), and I was eligible for about $1,300 on my own record. I was initially disappointed to learn that my spousal benefit was calculated on his $3,200 FRA amount, not the $4,000 he actually receives. So I get 50% of $3,200 = $1,600, minus my own $1,300 = $300 excess spousal benefit for a total of $1,600. But here's what helped me feel better about it - even though his delayed credits don't help my current spousal benefit, they WILL help my survivor benefit if he passes away first. At that point, I would be eligible for his full $4,000 monthly benefit (assuming I'm past my FRA when that happens). So while the delayed filing strategy doesn't maximize both of our benefits while we're both alive, it does provide important financial protection for the surviving spouse. Just something to keep in mind when planning your strategy!

As someone new to this community, I really appreciate all the detailed explanations here! I'm in a similar situation where my spouse is planning to delay until 70, and I was also confused about how spousal benefits work. What I found particularly helpful was learning the distinction between spousal benefits (while both are alive) versus survivor benefits (after one spouse passes). I hadn't realized that the delayed retirement credits my spouse earns by waiting until 70 will eventually benefit me as a survivor, even though they don't increase my current spousal benefit. One thing I'm still wondering about - if my spouse files at 70 but I want to claim my spousal benefit earlier (say at my FRA), can I do that? Or do I have to wait until he actually starts collecting his benefits? The timing aspect seems like another layer of complexity to navigate. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and knowledge. This thread has been incredibly educational!

As a newcomer to this community, I want to thank everyone for this incredibly informative discussion! I'm facing a very similar situation - my husband is planning to delay until 70, and I was also confused about whether spousal benefits would be based on his FRA amount or his enhanced age-70 benefit. What really helped me understand was the distinction several people made between spousal benefits (based on PIA/FRA amount) and survivor benefits (which DO get the delayed retirement credits). That's such an important difference that I don't think gets explained clearly anywhere else. I also appreciated the real-world examples from people who have actually gone through this process. It's one thing to read the rules, but hearing from someone like Jacob Lee who shared his actual numbers really helps it click into place. One follow-up question - for those who have dealt with SSA directly, is there a best time of day or method to call to actually reach someone knowledgeable? I'm dreading having to navigate their phone system based on some of the experiences shared here!