Social Security spousal benefit calculation confusion - Can anyone verify the 50% top-off formula?

You're on the right track with your understanding! The spousal benefit calculation is indeed based on 50% of your husband's PIA at his FRA (without DRCs), plus any COLAs since then. For the early claiming reduction: When you claim before your FRA, your spousal benefit is reduced by 25/36 of 1% for each month early for the first 36 months, and 5/12 of 1% for each additional month. This is a bit different from the reduction schedule for your own retirement benefit. What complicates this further is that when you claim both benefits, SSA doesn't actually process them separately. They calculate a "deemed filing" amount that takes both into account. So you won't literally see a "top-off" calculation on your award letter. As for verifying information, I suggest asking SSA for a PEBES (earnings statement) for both you and your husband, and specifically request a breakdown of your spousal benefit calculation. A field office technical expert will be more knowledgeable than the average rep.

the ssa people messed up my wifes spousal calculation TWICE!! told her she would get $1245 but ended up only being $876. dont trust what they tell you over the phone. go to the office in person and ask for printout of the EXACT calculation.

When I was trying to figure out my spousal benefit last year, I kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours on the phone with SSA. SO frustrating! I finally discovered a service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in about 15 minutes instead of the usual 2+ hour wait. They have a demo video at https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU that shows how it works. I was skeptical but it actually worked and I finally got my questions answered by a knowledgeable agent who sent me the breakdown I needed. Saved me so much time and headache! Their website is claimyr.com if you want to check it out.

The matrix people refer to is the reduction factors table SSA uses internally. I worked for SSA for 32 years before retiring last year. Here's what I recommend: 1. Request an appointment specifically with a Technical Expert or Claims Specialist (not just any service rep) 2. Ask for a "RETRY" computation printout which shows the actual calculation 3. Bring your husband's most recent benefit verification letter showing his PIA 4. Ask them to show you the exact reduction factors being applied The deemed filing rules changed for people born after 1/1/1954, so make sure they're applying the correct rules for your birth year. And yes, if you file early, both your retirement and spousal benefits are reduced, but at different rates which is why it gets confusing.

i dont understand why this has to be SO COMPLICATED!!! why cant they just make it simple? my sister tried to get her spousal benefit and they told her 3 different amounts from 3 different people at SSA. this system is BROKEN. i'm about to hit 62 and im tempted to just take whatever i can get now because who knows if social security will even be there in 5 years!!

One thing nobody mentioned yet is that if you're still working while claiming spousal benefits before FRA, the earnings test applies too. I got hit with that surprise last year. Had to pay back some benefits because I made too much from my part-time job. So make sure you factor that in if you're still working!

I think your understanding is right. My wife and I went through this last year. The 50% spousal minus your own benefit is the simple way to think about it, but the actual formula they use is more complex. Make sure to ask about GPO (Government Pension Offset) if you ever worked for state or local government where you didn't pay into Social Security.

my friend said to just apply online its easier and u can print everything. thats what im doing next month when i turn 67.

One last tip: If you want to verify the numbers yourself, you can use the AnyPIA software that SSA uses internally. It's available for public download from the SSA website. It's not user-friendly at all, but if you're technically inclined and want to check their math, it's an option. Just search for "AnyPIA download" on SSA.gov. The other alternative is to consult with a financial advisor who specializes in Social Security claiming strategies. They typically charge $200-300 for a comprehensive analysis, but it might be worth it if you're making decisions that affect decades of benefits.