Will my reduced Social Security benefits increase at FRA (born 12/1959) or qualify for spousal benefits?

Your reduced benefit amount is permanent. When you take benefits before your FRA, the reduction stays with you for life (except for COLA increases). The reduction was calculated based on how many months before your FRA you claimed. Regarding spousal benefits - yes, you may be eligible for what's called the "excess spousal benefit" if 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) is greater than your own benefit amount. This would give you a combination of your own benefit plus a spousal top-up to reach that 50% mark. You should contact SSA directly to apply for this as it's not always automatic, especially if your husband was already collecting when you filed for your own benefits.

no ur benefit wont go up at FRA. thats the trade-off for taking it early. you get less but for longer time. my sister did same thing and was suprised when nothing changed at her FRA lol

When I reached my FRA last year, my benefit amount stayed EXACTLY the same except for the COLA adjustment they gave everyone. The SSA rep told me this is because once you choose early retirement, that reduction is PERMANENT!!! I was so upset because I thought it would go back up. The whole system is designed to PUNISH people who need their money early. It's really unfair! As for the spousal benefit - YES you can probably get some extra money if half of your husband's benefit is more than what you're getting now. But good luck trying to talk to anyone at Social Security to make it happen!!!!

My situation was exactly like yours! I was born in 1958 and took SS at 63. When I hit my FRA nothing changed except the normal COLA. For the spousal benefit, I called SSA like 8 times before finally getting through to someone. They did give me the extra amount because my husband's benefit was more than double mine, so I got what they call the "excess spousal" amount added to my check. It wasn't backdated though - only started when I applied for it at 65.

To answer your questions clearly: 1) Your benefit amount will NOT increase when you reach your FRA of 66 and 10 months. The reduction for claiming at 63 is permanent. You'll continue to receive the same amount (approximately 80% of your full benefit) plus any cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) for life. 2) Yes, you may qualify for spousal benefits if your current benefit is less than 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (what he would receive at his FRA). This is called the "excess spousal benefit." 3) It is NOT automatic. You need to apply for spousal benefits, and I strongly recommend doing this as soon as possible since it's not typically retroactive beyond 6 months. Call the SSA at 1-800-772-1213 to schedule an appointment to apply for spousal benefits. Make sure to have both your and your husband's Social Security numbers ready.

I spent 3 hours on hold with SSA last week trying to sort out a similar spousal benefit situation and finally got disconnected. So frustrating! Then I found this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/Z-BRbJw3puU. Saved me so much time and stress! The agent helped me figure out I was eligible for about $270 more per month with the spousal benefit.

A few important clarifications on your situation: 1. The reduction in benefits from claiming at 63 is indeed permanent. For someone born in 1959 with an FRA of 66 and 10 months, claiming at exactly 63 would result in approximately a 21-22% permanent reduction. 2. For spousal benefits, the calculation is a bit complex. If 50% of your husband's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) exceeds your own PIA, you may receive a combination of your own reduced retirement benefit plus a partial spousal benefit to bring you up to the maximum you're entitled to. 3. If your husband was already receiving benefits when you filed for your own, SSA should have automatically processed your spousal benefits if you were eligible. If he filed after you, you need to apply. 4. The spousal benefit may also be reduced because you're taking it before your FRA. I'd recommend scheduling an appointment with SSA to review your specific situation as these calculations can get quite complex with early filing.

my aunt went thru this last year. she got the spousal increase but had to fight for backpay. they only gave her 6 months backpay even tho she shoulda been getting it for 2+ years! make sure u ask about retroactive benefits when u apply