How do i find discussions on Social Security? (SSA, year, advantage)

[mathjak107]

yep , . i screwed up the wording order , i see what you mean . but in any case everyone needs to understand unless you were born pre 1954 you never relinquish your benefit nor do you have a choice as to your own benefit or spousal .

you always get and keep your own benefit now and any adjustments for spousal are added on .

you get people arguing this all the time . they still think you trade your benefit for a spousal if it is higher and that is no longer true .

one thing i do want to add that is not clear on the ss website .

my spouse is 2 years older than me . she took her ss at 62. she was deemed at 62 to have filed for her own plus any spousal due her .

well she could not get spousal yet because i did not file until 65 when she was 67 .

if you use the ss calculator it showed her getting less because it assumed her spousal was starting at 62 . but in reality she may have been deemed filing for it but did not actually get the first adder until she was fra so she actually ended up with more .

if both file early there is a bit of a penalty on the spousal because that page with the chart i posted is what the calculator is based on ..

[MichiganGreg]

Thank you. Now we are all on the same page.

[ccarrolls]

Thanks everyone for the great answers to my question.
I have learned much from the discussion and links!

I understand it a bit better now.

[MsMaeMae]

I could not be more confused. Thank goodness I have a few years to figure it out.

[Reddog53]

How does being born in September 1953 change the equation, please? Husband was born in July 1956.
Best, Reddog53

Originally Posted by mathjak107

yep , . i screwed up the wording order , i see what you mean . but in any case everyone needs to understand unless you were born pre 1954 you never relinquish your benefit nor do you have a choice as to your own benefit or spousal .

you always get and keep your own benefit now and any adjustments for spousal are added on .

you get people arguing this all the time . they still think you trade your benefit for a spousal if it is higher and that is no longer true .

one thing i do want to add that is not clear on the ss website .

my spouse is 2 years older than me . she took her ss at 62. she was deemed at 62 to have filed for her own plus any spousal due her .

well she could not get spousal yet because i did not file until 65 when she was 67 .

if you use the ss calculator it showed her getting less because it assumed her spousal was starting at 62 . but in reality she may have been deemed filing for it but did not actually get the first adder until she was fra so she actually ended up with more .

if both file early there is a bit of a penalty on the spousal because that page with the chart i posted is what the calculator is based on ..

[mathjak107]

most of the spousal claiming techniques were done away with unless you were grandfathered in by being 62 or older in 2015.

[MichiganGreg]

Originally Posted by mathjak107

yep , . i screwed up the wording order , i see what you mean . but in any case everyone needs to understand unless you were born pre 1954 you never relinquish your benefit nor do you have a choice as to your own benefit or spousal .

you always get and keep your own benefit now and any adjustments for spousal are added on .

you get people arguing this all the time . they still think you trade your benefit for a spousal if it is higher and that is no longer true .

one thing i do want to add that is not clear on the ss website .

my spouse is 2 years older than me . she took her ss at 62. she was deemed at 62 to have filed for her own plus any spousal due her .

well she could not get spousal yet because i did not file until 65 when she was 67 .

if you use the ss calculator it showed her getting less because it assumed her spousal was starting at 62 . but in reality she may have been deemed filing for it but did not actually get the first adder until she was fra so she actually ended up with more .

if both file early there is a bit of a penalty on the spousal because that page with the chart i posted is what the calculator is based on ..

Now I have a question that will muck up this thread, but it is about spousal, so please bear with me.

I filed restricted to let my benefit grow after my wife started her SS at FRA. I just noted that if I go to the SS site, and check my Social Security statement, my benefit is now gone- replaced by the amount I get for spousal. As a result, I can't see what it currently is. I still have my 2017 statement, and can calculate what my benefit is, but it doesn't include any current adjustments to SS (COLAs, special congressional changes, etc.) that may be happening. Is that normal? Does anyone delaying for spousal benefit lose track of their own benefit once they file for spousal?

[mathjak107]

not sure but i know once i filed even befor i got my first check my amounts were no longer shown

[reed303]

Originally Posted by MichiganGreg

Now I have a question that will muck up this thread, but it is about spousal, so please bear with me.

I filed restricted to let my benefit grow after my wife started her SS at FRA. I just noted that if I go to the SS site, and check my Social Security statement, my benefit is now gone- replaced by the amount I get for spousal. As a result, I can't see what it currently is. I still have my 2017 statement, and can calculate what my benefit is, but it doesn't include any current adjustments to SS (COLAs, special congressional changes, etc.) that may be happening. Is that normal? Does anyone delaying for spousal benefit lose track of their own benefit once they file for spousal?

It appears to be standard practice by SSA. Same happened to my Earnings Statements when I was getting Survivor's benefit.

[MichiganGreg]

Thanks guys- that helps. I didn't know if it was a mistake from something I did, or normal practice.
I'll just keep figuring it out, and hope it's close.