Social Security spousal benefits at FRA when husband claims early at 62 - will I get reduced amount?
Hi everyone, I'm trying to plan our retirement strategy and I'm confused about spousal benefits. My husband is planning to file for his Social Security at 62 (next year) because of some health concerns. I'm 3 years younger than him and was hoping to wait until my Full Retirement Age (67) to claim. I've been researching online and getting conflicting information. Some websites say that when I claim at my FRA, I should get 50% of his 'full' benefit amount (what he would have gotten at his FRA), while others suggest I'll only get 50% of his reduced benefit (what he actually receives after claiming early). This makes a huge difference in our planning! His estimated full benefit at FRA would have been around $2,900, but taking it at 62 reduces it to about $2,030. So am I looking at potentially $1,450 (half his FRA amount) or only $1,015 (half what he actually gets) when I claim? Can someone who understands these spousal benefit rules please clarify? Would I be better off taking my own benefit instead? Mine would be about $1,320 at my FRA based on my work history.
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StarStrider
You'll get 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is what he would have received at his FRA, NOT 50% of his reduced benefit. His decision to take benefits early doesn't reduce your spousal benefit amount as long as YOU wait until your FRA to claim. This is one of the most misunderstood aspects of Social Security! If you claim YOUR spousal benefits early, however, then YOUR amount would be permanently reduced.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•Oh thank goodness! That's a relief to hear. So even though he'll get less by claiming at 62, I can still get the full 50% of what would have been his FRA benefit when I reach my FRA? That's much better than I feared!
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Dylan Campbell
Are you absolutely SURE about this?? When my sister's husband took his SS early, she only got half of his ACTUAL payment, not his full retirement age amount! The SSA office told her this directly when she went in last year! This system is SO FRUSTRATING with all the different rules!
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StarStrider
•Yes, I'm certain. Your sister's situation might be different - perhaps she claimed her spousal benefits before reaching her own FRA, which would reduce them. Or the SSA representative might have misunderstood her question. The official rule is clear: spousal benefits at FRA equal 50% of the worker's PIA regardless of when the worker claimed.
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Sofia Torres
just wanted to say thanks for asking this...i was wondering the same thing for me and my wife. she worked for the gov so has pension offset stuff going on and I'm trying to figure out what she can get from my record.
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StarStrider
•If your wife worked for a government job where she didn't pay into Social Security, the Government Pension Offset (GPO) will likely reduce her spousal benefits. Generally, her spousal benefit would be reduced by 2/3 of her government pension amount. This is separate from the issue of early claiming.
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Dmitry Sokolov
One thing to consider though - you mentioned your own benefit would be $1,320 at your FRA. If half of your husband's PIA is $1,450, you'd only get the higher of the two amounts, not both. So in your case, you'd receive the $1,450 spousal benefit. But it's worth comparing these numbers carefully as your own benefit might grow with delayed retirement credits if you wait past FRA, while spousal benefits don't grow after FRA. I had to call the SSA about 20 times before I finally got someone who could explain all this clearly to me when I was figuring out my claiming strategy. The wait times were horrible - I'd get disconnected after waiting for hours. I finally used this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in about 15 minutes instead of hours. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU - totally worth it for getting these questions answered from an actual SSA agent.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•Thank you for that detailed explanation about comparing my own benefit vs. spousal benefit. You're right that I should only count on getting the higher amount, not both. And thanks for the tip about reaching SSA - those wait times are exactly why I came here first! I might check out that service if I need official confirmation.
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Ava Martinez
my friend told me u can get ur own ss first and then switch to spousal later is that right???
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Miguel Ramos
•This used to be possible with a strategy called "restricted application" but the rules changed with the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015. Now, when you file for benefits, you're effectively filing for all benefits you're eligible for (own and spousal), and you'll receive whichever is higher. There are a few exceptions for people born before January 2, 1954, but most people now can't use the switching strategy your friend mentioned.
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QuantumQuasar
I went through EXACTLY what you're describing 2 years ago. My husband claimed at 62 due to health problems, and I worried about the same thing. But when I reached my Full Retirement Age last year, I got the full 50% of what would have been his full benefit amount, NOT his reduced amount. So I can confirm from personal experience what others are saying is correct! However, make sure you apply for spousal benefits properly. The online application confused me, and I initially got a lower amount until I called and had them correct it. Don't assume the system will automatically give you the highest amount you're entitled to.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•Thank you so much for sharing your real experience with this! It's so reassuring to hear from someone who's actually gone through the same situation. I appreciate the tip about the application process too - I'll definitely call to confirm everything when it's time to apply.
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Dylan Campbell
Has anyone actually calculated if it's better for BOTH spouses to claim early?? Sometimes I think waiting is just a way for the government to avoid paying what we're owed!! If we both claim at 62, we get money for those extra 5 years that we'd otherwise lose forever if we waited!!!
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Miguel Ramos
•This is actually a common question that deserves a thoughtful answer. For couples with average life expectancies, having the higher earner delay and the lower earner claim early often produces the best lifetime outcome. This is because the survivor benefit will be based on the higher earner's amount. However, if both spouses have serious health conditions or need the money immediately, claiming early might make sense. It's not about the government keeping your money - it's about actuarial calculations and longevity insurance.
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Sofia Torres
my head hurts trying 2 understand all this lol
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QuantumQuasar
•I know, right? Social Security rules can be so confusing! It took me months of research to figure out our strategy. The most important thing is to understand that your spouse claiming early doesn't reduce YOUR spousal benefit as long as you wait until your own Full Retirement Age to claim.
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Miguel Ramos
To summarize the accurate information in this thread: 1. When you claim spousal benefits at your Full Retirement Age, you'll receive 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the benefit he would receive at his FRA regardless of when he actually claimed. 2. Your husband's decision to claim early at 62 reduces HIS benefit by approximately 30%, but it does NOT affect the calculation of YOUR spousal benefit (as long as you wait until your FRA). 3. If YOU claim spousal benefits before YOUR FRA, then YOUR spousal benefit would be permanently reduced. 4. You'll receive either your own retirement benefit or your spousal benefit, whichever is higher - not both. 5. Your own retirement benefit can increase with delayed retirement credits if you wait past FRA, but spousal benefits do not increase after FRA. This is a perfect example of why personalized planning is so important with Social Security - the rules can be complex but understanding them can significantly impact your lifetime benefits.
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Fatima Al-Qasimi
•Thank you so much for this clear summary! It really helps to see all the key points laid out like this. Based on everyone's helpful responses, I'm feeling much more confident about our plan. I'll wait until my FRA to claim the spousal benefit since it will be higher than my own benefit.
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