Social Security spousal benefits - will wife's early filing reduction affect her spousal amount when I file at 70?

The reduction for filing early DOES apply to her spousal benefit as well. When she files early at 62, she's essentially locking in a permanent reduction to both her own benefit and any future spousal benefit she might receive. When you file at 70, she'll receive the higher of: 1. Her own reduced benefit ($995) 2. Her reduced spousal benefit (which would be less than 50% of your PIA due to her early filing) She won't get both added together. Instead, she'll get her own reduced benefit plus an additional amount to bring her up to the reduced spousal rate (if that's higher). For survivor benefits, those are different - if you pass away first, her early filing won't affect survivor benefits. She would get 100% of what you were receiving at death (including your delayed retirement credits).

This early filing stuff makes my head hurt! went thru similar stuff with my husband. The way I understand it is that when u file early they calculate ur spousal benefit as if u filed for it at the SAME TIME as ur own benefit, even tho u can't actually get spousal til ur spouse files. At least thats what the lady at our local office told us. Its really confusing....

Im in a similar situation and spent HOURS on this last month. The math is super confusing, but here's what I learned (warning: Im not a professional): Your wife's spousal benefit will be permanently reduced because she's filing early. She will NOT get her own $995 + another $2,175. The SSA first pays her own benefit, then adds enough to reach the spousal amount IF the spousal amount is higher. When she turns 62, she gets: $995 (her reduced benefit) When you file at 70, she gets: Her reduced benefit ($995) + the difference between that and her reduced spousal benefit The spousal reduction is based on her age when SHE filed, not when YOU file. It's super complicated but basically she'll probably get around 35% of your PIA instead of the full 50% because she filed early. Survivor benefits are completely different! Those can be up to 100% of whatever you were getting, regardless of when she filed for her own benefits.

The SSA website explains this but its buried in confusing language! When your wife files early, her spousal benefit gets reduced by about 25/36 of 1% for each month before her FRA up to 36 months, and then 5/12 of 1% for each additional month. So filing 48 months early means a pretty big permanent reduction to both benefits!!! But survivor benefits are totally different - those are based on YOUR record when you die.

not to get off topic but has anyone actually gotten thru to an actual person at ssa lately?? i been trying for WEEKS and either get hung up on or wait 2+ hours only to have them transfer me and then get disconnected!!! its SO FRUSTRATING trying to get answers about MY OWN money!!!!!

To clarify about how the math actually works for the OP: Let's say your PIA is $4,350 and your wife's PIA is $1,425. If she claims at 62 (48 months early), her own benefit will be reduced to about $995 (70% of her PIA). For spousal benefits, the maximum she could get is 50% of your PIA, which is $2,175. However, because she filed 48 months early, her spousal benefit will be reduced to approximately 65% of that amount, or about $1,414. The SSA then compares her reduced retirement benefit ($995) to her reduced spousal benefit ($1,414) and pays the higher amount. In this case, she would receive $1,414, not $995 + $2,175. The exact formula is complex, but this gives you a rough idea. Her early filing will result in a permanent reduction to both benefits.

Just wondering, have u guys looked into file and suspend strategies? I heard that changed a few years ago but not sure if theres still ways to maximize?

This is such a complex situation! I'm actually dealing with something similar with my parents right now. One thing that might help is using the SSA's online calculators or getting a personalized statement to run different scenarios. What really struck me from everyone's responses is how much that early filing penalty adds up over time - we're talking about potentially losing hundreds of dollars per month for the rest of her life. Have you considered what would happen if she worked part-time or found other income sources to bridge the gap until her FRA? Sometimes the math works out better to wait even if it means tightening the budget for a few years. Also, since you're planning to wait until 70 anyway, you might want to factor in cost of living adjustments (COLAs) that could increase both your benefits over time. The reduction percentages stay the same, but the base amounts they're applied to will likely grow. Good luck with your decision - this stuff is way more complicated than it should be!

As someone new to understanding Social Security benefits, this thread has been incredibly eye-opening! I had no idea that filing early creates permanent reductions to BOTH your own retirement benefit AND future spousal benefits. Reading through everyone's explanations, it sounds like the key takeaway is that when your wife files at 62, she's essentially locking in reduction factors that will follow her for life (except for survivor benefits). The math showing she'd get around $1,414 instead of the full $2,175 spousal benefit really puts it in perspective - that's nearly $800 less per month! One question I have after reading all this: are there any scenarios where filing early for spousal benefits still makes sense? Like if someone has health concerns or really needs the income? Or is it almost always better to wait until FRA if you can manage it financially? Thanks to everyone who shared their knowledge here - this is exactly the kind of real-world insight that helps people make better decisions about their retirement planning!