Social Security spousal benefits strategy - Can wife claim her $1k benefit now then switch to 50% of my $3,800 at age 70?
Hi everyone, I'm trying to figure out the best strategy for my wife and I with our Social Security benefits. I'm currently 68 and still working (planning to continue until I'm 70 in 2027). My wife is 67, already retired, but hasn't started collecting benefits yet. According to my most recent statement on the SSA website, my benefit at 70 will be around $3,800 monthly. My wife's own benefit would only be about $1,000 if she claims now. What I'm wondering is: Can my wife start collecting her own $1,000 benefit now, and then when I file at 70, can she switch to a spousal benefit that would be 50% of mine (so about $1,900)? Would that be a smart strategy, or are we missing something important about how spousal benefits work? Really appreciate any insights from folks who've navigated this before!
20 comments
Join the conversation
Levi Parker
Yes, this is a good strategy and exactly how it works! Your wife can claim her own retirement benefit now at her full retirement age (which she's already past at 67), and then when you file at 70, she can apply for the spousal benefit. The SSA will automatically give her the higher of the two amounts - which in this case would be the spousal benefit of approximately $1,900 (50% of your $3,800). By doing this, she gets some income now while you continue to grow your benefit until 70. The technical term for this is "deemed filing," but since she's already at full retirement age, she can file for just her retirement benefit now without being forced to take spousal benefits yet (which wouldn't be available anyway until you file). This strategy maximizes your household's total lifetime benefits - you get your enhanced benefit at 70, and she gets some money flowing now plus the higher amount later.
0 coins
Savannah Weiner
•Thank you so much! That's exactly what we were hoping to hear. One more question - when I do file at 70, does my wife need to submit a new application for the spousal benefit, or will SSA automatically adjust her payment to the higher amount?
0 coins
Libby Hassan
my aunt did this exact thing!!! her ss was like $850 and her husbands was wayyy higher. she got her own for like 2 years and then switched when he finally applied. worked great for them
0 coins
Savannah Weiner
•That's reassuring to hear it worked well for your aunt! Did she have to do anything complicated to make the switch happen?
0 coins
Libby Hassan
•nope not really! think she just called ssa when he filed and they took care of it pretty quick
0 coins
Hunter Hampton
Your plan is technically correct, but I want to point out something important about the spousal benefit calculation. The spousal benefit is 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is what you would receive at your Full Retirement Age (FRA), NOT 50% of your age-70 increased benefit. So if your age-70 benefit will be $3,800, your PIA (benefit at FRA) is probably around $2,900-3,000. This means your wife's spousal benefit would be approximately $1,450-1,500, not $1,900. Still a good strategy, but I wanted to make sure you have accurate expectations about the amounts involved.
0 coins
Savannah Weiner
•Oh! That's really important information I didn't understand. So her spousal benefit won't be based on my increased amount at 70, but rather what I would have received at my FRA? That definitely changes the math a bit. Thank you for that clarification!
0 coins
Levi Parker
•The previous commenter is absolutely correct - I should have been more precise in my explanation. The spousal benefit is indeed based on your PIA (your FRA amount), not your age-70 enhanced benefit. Thanks for that important correction!
0 coins
Sofia Peña
Has anyone actually called the SS office to verify this??? I tried to do something similar with my husband's benefit and the rep told me completely different information!!!! I'm so confused by all the rules and every time I call I get different answers. I'm worried this won't work the way everyone is saying.
0 coins
Hunter Hampton
•Unfortunately, getting inconsistent information from SSA representatives is a common problem. The rules for spousal benefits did change with the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act, but what I described is accurate for people in your situation. I recommend getting the information in writing if possible when you speak with SSA, or ask to speak with a technical expert if you receive information that seems incorrect.
0 coins
Aaron Boston
I recently went through this EXACT situation with my spouse! Let me tell you, trying to get accurate information from SSA was a NIGHTMARE. Called 14 times over 3 months and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally I discovered a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to a live SSA agent in about 20 minutes instead of the usual hours-long wait. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU The agent confirmed exactly what others are saying here - yes, your wife can claim her own benefit now and then switch to the higher spousal benefit when you file. But remember she'll need to apply for the spousal benefit - it's not always automatic in every case.
0 coins
Libby Hassan
•omg thank u for sharing this!! i spent 3 hours on hold last week and got disconnected!!! gonna check this out
0 coins
Savannah Weiner
•That's exactly what I was worried about - the hassle of trying to get through to SSA. Will definitely check out that service if we run into problems. And thanks for confirming she'll need to apply for the spousal benefit - that's a key piece of info!
0 coins
Sophia Carter
I think your missing an important point. If your wife takes her SS now she CANT switch to spousal later. Thats not how it works anymore! The old rules changed years ago. Once you choose your benefit your stuck with it except for COLA increases. My brother in law made this mistake and now his wife is stuck with the lower amount!!!!!
0 coins
Levi Parker
•That's not correct. What you're referring to is the elimination of the "file and suspend" and "restricted application" strategies in the 2015 Bipartisan Budget Act. However, the basic spousal benefit provision still exists. If someone is already receiving their own retirement benefit when their spouse files for retirement, they can still get the spousal benefit if it would result in a higher payment. The SSA will pay their own benefit plus the difference to equal the higher spousal amount. What may have happened with your brother-in-law's situation is that they misunderstood the details or there were other factors involved (like the Government Pension Offset or WEP).
0 coins
Chloe Zhang
Just wanted to add that you need to fill out form SSA-2 (Application for Wife's or Husband's Insurance Benefits) when the time comes for your wife to switch to the spousal benefit. You can find this on ssa.gov and submit it online through your mySocialSecurity account. The timing is important too - she'll want to apply right when you file for your benefits to avoid missing any payments. Based on what others have shared, seems like a pretty solid plan you've got there!
0 coins
Savannah Weiner
•Thank you for the specific form information! That's incredibly helpful. I'll make a note to use form SSA-2 when the time comes. We'll definitely submit it right away when I file for my benefits.
0 coins
Sofia Peña
Will this affect either of your Medicare premiums??? I've heard that if your income is too high you pay more for Medicare!! The whole system is so complicated I'm afraid to make any decisions at all.
0 coins
Hunter Hampton
•Good question. Medicare premiums can be affected by your income through what's called IRMAA (Income-Related Monthly Adjustment Amount). This is based on your modified adjusted gross income from your tax return from 2 years prior. For 2025, the standard Part B premium is paid by individuals with income up to $97,000 (or couples up to $194,000). Beyond that, premiums increase on a sliding scale. Social Security benefits alone rarely push people into IRMAA territory, but if you have significant other income (investments, pensions, etc.), it's worth checking.
0 coins
Savannah Weiner
Thank you all for the incredible advice! To summarize what I've learned: 1. Yes, my wife can claim her own $1,000 benefit now, and later switch to the spousal benefit 2. Important correction: The spousal benefit will be 50% of my Primary Insurance Amount (my FRA benefit), not 50% of my age-70 increased amount 3. When the time comes, she'll need to file form SSA-2 to apply for the spousal benefit 4. We should consider potential IRMAA impacts on Medicare premiums This community has been amazing. I feel much more confident in our plan now, with realistic expectations about the benefit amounts!
0 coins