Will I qualify for Social Security spousal benefit top-up at 63 if husband claims before his FRA?

Yes, you'll be eligible for a spousal benefit top-up once your husband files for his retirement benefits, regardless of whether he files before his FRA or not. The spousal benefit would be up to 50% of his Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) - which is what he would get at his full retirement age - minus your own benefit amount. Here's how it works: If your husband files early, it doesn't reduce your spousal benefit eligibility, but your actual amount might be affected by several factors: 1. Since you're already receiving your own benefits, your spousal benefit would only be the difference between your current benefit and up to 50% of his PIA. 2. Since you filed for your own benefits before your FRA, your spousal benefits are also reduced permanently (you're locked into the early filing reduction). So while you don't have to wait for him to reach FRA to get the spousal top-up, the amount you'll receive will be affected by both of your filing ages.

My sister went thru this EXACT situation last yr!!! SSA is TERRIBLE about explaining this stuff. They'll make u wait MONTHS for answers that should be simple!!! Her husband filed b4 FRA and she still got the spousal but it was reduced alot bc they BOTH filed early. So frustrating!!!!

I get ss and wife gets 1/2 of mine. We filed when I hit FRA but she was only 62. She gets less than half cause she filed early. The ss people told me had to do with something called her PIA being reduced for early filing. But yes u can get it before his FRA but less money.

Based on the numbers you've provided, let me walk you through an approximate calculation so you can see what you might get: Your husband's PIA (full retirement age amount) = $3,100 50% of that would be $1,550 Your current benefit = $1,420 The potential spousal benefit top-up would be $1,550 - $1,420 = $130 per month BUT since you filed early (at 63), your spousal benefit is reduced by approximately 25% from what it would be at your FRA. So instead of $130, you might receive around $97-100 as a spousal top-up. And yes, you'll need to apply for spousal benefits. The SSA doesn't automatically add this when your husband files. Contact them as soon as he files for his benefits. Hope that helps clarify things!

kinda off topic but my aunt was in same boat. she started geting her ss at 62 and when uncle claimed his they did give her extra based on his. but it was way less than she expected. just dont get your hopes up for huge increase. few hundred maybe.

When I called SSA about my spousal benefits last month, I was on hold for THREE HOURS and then got disconnected! I tried again the next day, another 2+ hours on hold, just to get someone who seemed confused about my question. After 3 attempts and 8+ hours of my life wasted, I found a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an SSA rep in under 10 minutes. Seriously changed my life. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU and their website is claimyr.com. I was skeptical but completely worth it for me - got my spousal benefit questions answered and application submitted in one call.

Another thing nobody mentioned - if your husband delays filing until after his FRA, he'll get delayed retirement credits, but those DON'T increase your spousal benefit! Your spousal is still based on his PIA (the FRA amount), not his increased benefit. Social Security really should make this clearer on their website!!

One more important point: You mentioned you're 63 and already collecting. Since you're still under FRA, if your husband files for his benefits now, you'll be deemed to have filed for spousal benefits simultaneously (this is the deemed filing rule). You'll automatically receive the higher of either your own retirement benefit or your spousal benefit - not both. In your case, since your own benefit is already established and the spousal top-up would just be the difference to bring you up to the spousal rate (reduced for early filing). Make sure to contact SSA once your husband files so they can determine if you're due any additional amount as a spouse.

I'm in a similar situation as you, Abby! I'm 64 and started taking my benefits at 62, getting about $1,200/month. My husband is 66 and just filed for his benefits last month. I had to specifically apply for the spousal benefit - it definitely wasn't automatic like I thought it would be. The process was actually pretty straightforward once I got through to someone at SSA (took a few tries though). They calculated my spousal benefit based on his PIA minus what I'm already getting, then reduced it because I filed early. I ended up getting an extra $89/month, which isn't huge but every little bit helps! One tip: when you call, have your Social Security statements handy for both you and your husband. They asked for specific numbers from our earnings records to verify the calculations. Good luck!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also navigating spousal benefits and had no idea about the deemed filing rule that Sadie mentioned. One thing I'm wondering about - if your husband is still working while collecting Social Security, does that affect your spousal benefit calculation at all? I know there are earnings limits that can reduce his benefits if he's under FRA, but I'm not sure if that impacts the spousal portion. Also, for those who've actually gone through the application process - did SSA require any documentation beyond the marriage certificate? My husband and I have been married for 15 years but I want to make sure I have everything ready before I call. The horror stories about wait times are making me want to be super prepared!