How to calculate spouse's benefit when I took Social Security at 62 and lower-earning spouse reaches FRA
I'm in a bit of a calculation nightmare trying to figure out what my wife will receive when she hits full retirement age next year. I started taking my Social Security at 62 (probably not the smartest move in retrospect), and I was the higher earner throughout our careers. My wife turns 67 in 2025, which is her FRA according to SSA. I've been trying to understand how they calculate her spousal benefit - is it actually 50% of what my PIA would have been if I hadn't taken early retirement? Or is it 50% of what I'm actually receiving now? And then how does that compare to her own benefit? My PIA (according to my SSA statement) would have been about $2,850 if I had waited until my FRA, but I'm only getting about $2,140 now because I started at 62. My wife's estimated benefit on her own record is around $1,200 at her FRA. So would she get $1,425 (50% of my PIA) or $1,070 (50% of my current benefit)? And if her own benefit is $1,200, does she just get the higher of the two, or does she get her own $1,200 PLUS some kind of top-up difference? The SSA website explanations are making my head spin!
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Micah Franklin
You're mixing up a couple of concepts here. Your wife's spousal benefit is based on YOUR Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), not what you're actually receiving. So it would be based on the $2,850, not your reduced $2,140. BUT, the maximum she can receive as a spouse is 50% of your PIA, so that's $1,425. Since her own benefit ($1,200) is less than the spousal benefit ($1,425), Social Security will pay her own benefit first, then add enough of the spousal benefit to reach the higher amount. So she'd get her $1,200 plus an additional $225 as the spousal "top-up" for a total of $1,425. This is assuming she waits until her FRA to file. If she files for either benefit early, both her own retirement and the spousal benefit would be reduced.
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Ruby Blake
•Thank you so much for clearing that up! So she'd get a total of $1,425 - not just her own $1,200. That's a relief. Do you know if there are any gotchas I should be aware of? Will they automatically calculate this top-up amount, or does she need to specifically apply for the spousal benefit as well as her own?
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Ella Harper
My husband did the exact same thing took his at 62 and i waited til my FRA. they did all calculation automatically when i applied for mine they ask if your married and about your spouse. but the confuse thing is they dont explain how they figure it just give you a amount. Dont worry to much they'll figure it right. they did for me.
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PrinceJoe
•Actually, the SSA doesn't always get it right automatically. I've heard of numerous cases where people didn't receive the proper spousal benefits because the claims representative didn't properly identify eligibility. It's CRITICAL to specifically mention and apply for spousal benefits when your wife applies. Don't assume they'll automatically calculate everything correctly!
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Brooklyn Knight
The 50% spousal benefit is based on your PIA - what you would have received at your FRA, not what you're currently receiving because you claimed early. So yes, the calculation would be based on your $2,850 PIA, making her potential spousal benefit $1,425. When your wife applies, SSA will pay her own retirement benefit first ($1,200), and then add the extra amount from the spousal benefit ($225) to reach the higher benefit amount ($1,425). You should use the SSA's benefit calculators on their website to get more accurate estimates based on your actual earnings records. Both you and your wife should create my Social Security accounts if you haven't already to see your personalized estimates.
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Owen Devar
•Wait i'm confused... So its NOT 50% of what he gets now?? Thats way better then! My husband also took SS early and i thought i was just stuck with half of his reduced benefit. this changes everything for my planning!
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Daniel Rivera
Remember that if your wife has worked in government jobs with a pension that didn't pay into Social Security, the WEP and GPO provisions might reduce benefits. Just throwin that out there cuz it really messed up my expected amounts.
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Ruby Blake
•Thanks for mentioning this - fortunately my wife worked in the private sector her whole career and paid into Social Security the whole time, so I don't think WEP/GPO will affect us.
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Sophie Footman
I went through this EXACT situation last year with my wife. Calling Social Security was IMPOSSIBLE - 3+ hour waits, disconnects, etc. I finally used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me connected to an SSA agent in about 20 minutes. They have a demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent I spoke with explained that the spousal benefit is 50% of the higher earner's PIA regardless of when they claimed, minus the spouse's own benefit. They calculated everything correctly once I got through to them, and my wife started receiving the combined amount the next month.
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Ruby Blake
•That's really helpful - I've been trying to get through to SSA for weeks with no luck. I'll check out that service. Did they require a lot of personal information to use it?
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Sophie Footman
•Not at all - it was pretty straightforward to use. The most important thing was that when I finally spoke to the SSA agent, I specifically asked them to explain how the spousal benefit would be calculated based on my reduced benefit vs. my PIA. Getting that clarification directly from an agent made all the difference.
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Owen Devar
Does anyone know how long it takes for them to process the sposal thing? My husband has been getting SS for 5 years and im turning FRA in a few months but worried about delays in getting payments started
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Micah Franklin
•It's best to apply for retirement benefits 3-4 months before you want them to begin. When you apply, make sure to mention you're married and provide your husband's info so they can calculate any potential spousal benefits. Processing time varies, but typically takes 2-6 weeks if all your documentation is in order.
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Ruby Blake
Does it matter that I'm still working part-time? Will that affect her spousal benefit at all? I'm making about $18,000 a year from a consulting gig.
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Brooklyn Knight
•Your work and earnings won't affect your wife's spousal benefit. The only earnings that would affect her benefits would be her own if she's working before her FRA. Once she reaches FRA, her earnings won't affect her benefits either. Your earnings might affect your own benefits if you're under your FRA, but that's a separate issue from what your wife will receive as a spouse.
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PrinceJoe
MAKE SURE she files a 'restricted application' for SPOUSAL BENEFITS ONLY when she turns FRA! This way she can let her OWN benefit continue to grow by 8% per year until age 70! This is the strategy everyone overlooks and costs people THOUSANDS!
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Brooklyn Knight
•That strategy (restricted application) is no longer available for most people. The law changed with the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. Only people born on or before January 1, 1954 can file a restricted application. Based on the ages mentioned, it appears the wife was born after that cutoff date and wouldn't be eligible for this strategy. Nowadays when you file for any benefit, you're deemed to have filed for all benefits you're eligible for, and you receive the highest amount.
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Ella Harper
All this is so confusing my head hurts tryin to figure out all these rules... no wonder people hire those retirement planners. My neighbor said she paid $3000 for someone to figure all this out for her!!!
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Daniel Rivera
•Yeah its ridiculous how complicated they make everything! My sister had to file THREE TIMES because they kept messing up her application.
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Dmitry Kuznetsov
I just went through this exact situation with my mom last year! The key thing everyone's saying is correct - the spousal benefit is based on YOUR full PIA ($2,850), not what you're actually receiving. So she'd get her own $1,200 plus a $225 spousal "top-up" for $1,425 total. One thing I'd add is to definitely apply online if possible - it's much faster than trying to call. And make sure when she applies that she specifically mentions she's married and wants to be considered for spousal benefits too. The system should automatically calculate it, but it's better to be explicit. Also, don't stress too much about the timing - as long as she applies within a few months of her FRA, any back payments will be calculated correctly. The hardest part is just understanding how it all works, which sounds like you've got figured out now!
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•This is really helpful, thank you! I'm feeling much more confident about the process now. The online application tip is great - I was dreading having to call and wait on hold for hours. Quick question though - when you say "within a few months of her FRA," does that mean she can apply a few months before turning 67, or does she need to wait until after her birthday? I want to make sure we don't miss any timing windows that might affect her benefits.
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Tobias Lancaster
•She can actually apply up to 4 months before her 67th birthday! The SSA allows you to apply in advance so your benefits start the month you reach FRA. So if she turns 67 in say June 2025, she could apply as early as February 2025 and her benefits would automatically start in June. This is actually the recommended approach since it gives them time to process everything and ensures there are no delays in getting her first payment. Just make sure when she applies online that she selects the correct month she wants benefits to begin (her FRA month, not the month she's applying).
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