How to switch from my smaller SS retirement benefit to spousal benefit when husband files in October?

The good news is that you don't need to reapply or go through a complicated process. When your husband files for his retirement benefits in October, SSA should automatically check if you qualify for the higher spousal benefit. That said, it's always good to be proactive - I recommend calling the SSA a month before your husband files to make sure they know your situation. What will happen is that you'll receive your own retirement benefit plus a "spousal top-up" amount to bring your total benefit to 50% of your husband's PIA (Primary Insurance Amount). The transition should be seamless, but keep an eye on your benefit amounts after he files to make sure the adjustment happens correctly.

I went through this exact situation last year. My benefit was $1,250 and my husband's was $3,100. The process was mostly automatic, BUT there was a weird 2-month delay before my benefit actually increased. When my husband filed, I called SSA to confirm they knew I should get the spousal benefit. The agent told me they would process it when his application was approved. Then I had to call AGAIN because my benefit didn't change after his first payment. Turns out there was a note in the system but it hadn't been processed. My advice: call them a few weeks after your husband files, then check your my Social Security account online regularly. Don't assume it'll happen without follow-up. They eventually paid me retroactively for the months they missed, but it was stressful.

my sister had this happen and they ended up owing her like 3 months of back pay because nobody told her she had to actually say something to them!!! the ssa doesnt know everything about ur marrage situation so call them!!

THE SSA IS COMPLETLY INCOMPETENT!!! I was in this EXACT situation and they NEVER automatically adjusted my benefit!! I had to fight for 5 MONTHS to get what I was owed after my husband filed. They kept telling me "it's in process" or "the system will update next month" but NOTHING HAPPENED until I went to my local office in person and refused to leave until they fixed it!!!! DON'T believe anyone who says it happens automatically. CALL THEM EVERY WEEK after your husband files until you see the increase. They retroactively paid me but I had to FIGHT for it. The whole system is designed to hope you'll give up!!!

Quick question - are you sure your spousal benefit will be exactly half of his? I thought there was some kind of reduction if you take your own benefit early (before your FRA). Maybe someone else here knows more about that part?

I tried for WEEKS to get through to Social Security to sort out my spousal benefits last year. Constant busy signals, disconnections after waiting an hour, and agents who gave me different answers each time. I was about to give up when a friend told me about this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to an actual SSA agent in under 20 minutes! I was skeptical, but it actually worked. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU Once I got through to a real person, they confirmed that I needed to specifically request the spousal benefit evaluation and explained exactly what would happen. Saved me months of frustration and potential lost benefits.

Just to clarify an important point about the spousal benefit: You won't receive your full benefit PLUS half of your husband's. Instead, you'll receive the greater of: 1. Your own benefit amount, OR 2. Up to 50% of your husband's benefit (reduced if you're under FRA) So if your benefit is $1,100 and half of his is $1,375, you'll receive $1,375 total, not $2,475. The increase will be $275 in this scenario. Also, make sure your husband indicates he's married when he files. This doesn't automatically trigger your spousal benefit, but it helps flag your case for review.

I remember reading somewhere that there's a limit to how much one family can receive from one worker's record... something called the "family maximum benefit." Does that apply in situations like this?

my cousins wife went thru this and she said you gotta keep ALL the letters ssa sends you cuz they might ask for them later when they do the switch!! also check your mySocialSecurity account online every week to see if anythings changed

I went through this exact process about 18 months ago. Here's what I learned: while SSA *should* automatically check for spousal benefit eligibility when your husband files, it doesn't always happen smoothly. My recommendation is to be proactive: call SSA about 2-3 weeks BEFORE your husband files in October to put them on notice about your situation. Ask them to make a note in your file that you'll be eligible for spousal benefits once your husband's claim is processed. Then, after your husband files, give it about 6-8 weeks and call again to confirm the switch happened. Check your mySocialSecurity account online regularly during this time - that's often where you'll see changes first. One thing I wish I'd known: when you call, ask specifically for a "spousal benefit evaluation" rather than just saying you want to "switch benefits." Using their terminology helps ensure you get connected to someone who knows what you're talking about. The good news is that even if there are delays, you'll get retroactive payments back to when your husband first filed. But being proactive will save you stress and potentially months of waiting!