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You said that "as long as he files first" ... that's the part I'm confused by.
If I file for my own benefit at FRA and start receiving that, and then 8 months later hubby files for his when he reached FRA
can I get the spousal addition bringing my benefit up to half his at that point or am I locked in to only my own benefit since that's what I first elected?
SS is so damn confusing!
***posts overlapped a little. If I can start getting my own benefits at FRA and get the spousal addition later on when hubby files for his at FRA, that would be an excellent thing. But by this logic I should probably just file now since (even though I'm a year from my own FRA) I could collect those benefits and get the spousal add-on bringing my up to half-his no matter what my own benefit started out as, even if it's somewhat reduced since I'm short FRA now.
Last edited by PNW to NEPA; 01-03-2019 at 12:06 PM..
Reason: added thought
Mathjak, Isn't it true that she being older can file for her own now or at her FRA and start collecting that and THEN when her husband files, have the spousal due her added to her's then?
That is how I understand it.
She could file for her own at any age and then later when her husband filed she would get the spousal difference added to her check
You said that "as long as he files first" ... that's the part I'm confused by.
If I file for my own benefit at FRA and start receiving that, and then 8 months later hubby files for his when he reached FRA
can I get the spousal addition bringing my benefit up to half his at that point or am I locked in to only my own benefit since that's what I first elected?
SS is so damn confusing!
That was before You sad you were not eligible to do restricted application .. if you were he files first . You would get half his and let your own grow . Then when you filed for yours you would get your own plus any spousal due you.
Okay. I think my first understanding was correct then. I also just went and tried to understand the explanation on the SS website too. It does appear that if I file for my own benefit before my husband files for his, then I will permanently exclude myself from eligibility for any spousal benefit.
I also read in another money-advice article that spousal benefits is the source of most confusion about SS. True!
As long as he files first and you reach full retirement age which is fra , you can do one of two things .
You can file for your own benefit and if half his full benefit is more than your full then they subtract your benefit from half his and add any difference to your benefit .
Or you can file restricted application . You can take half his ,let yours grow to 70 and if yours is more switch at 70 .
For restricted application you had to be at least 62 in 2015 to be grandfathered
Only if you were born before Jan 1 1954. The rules on spousal benefits were changed for those born after. From the social security website
"If you were born on or before January 1, 1954, after you reach FRA, you can choose to receive only the spousal benefit by filing a restricted application. By doing this you delay receiving your own retirement benefits based on your earnings record, until a later date. For example, at age 70 you could switch from receiving a spousal benefit to receiving your own potentially higher benefit amount.
Due to recent Social Security laws that went into effect Nov. 2, 2015, if you were born on or after Jan. 2, 1954, you will not be able to restrict your application and only receive spousal benefits. For anyone born on or after Jan. 2, 1954, when you file you will automatically be deemed to be filing for all benefits for which you are eligible. "
Okay. I think my first understanding was correct then. I also just went and tried to understand the explanation on the SS website too. It does appear that if I file for my own benefit before my husband files for his, then I will permanently exclude myself from eligibility for any spousal benefit.
I also read in another money-advice article that spousal benefits is the source of most confusion about SS. True!
Sorry; this is wrong. I know it is confusing. We have the same situation (DW is older than me by 4 months), but we were able to optimize our draw as outlined below. If we were not able to file a restricted application, only the second bullet point (below) would have been invalid.
My wife filed on her own benefit when she was at FRA.
When I reached FRA, I filed restricted, and got spousal on her benefit.
I delayed 7 months, then filed for my own Benefit.
Then my wife re-filed for spousal on MY benefit. Since she was already FRA, she received 1/2 of my Primary Insurance Amount (PIA).
She could have filed any time prior to her FRA...but that would have reduced her benefits for life.
that is just what i wrote ... you needed to be 62 or older in 2015 . i think they let you slid if you were born in january but pretty much it was at least 62 in 2015
The whole restricted application thing isn't applicable to me or my husband. We're only dealing with the new rules. Upon further reading from various sources, I'm only getting more confused. One source seems to say one thing, the next says the other thing.
Maybe I should just go the SS office and ask them... although my friends have told me they never give you the right answer the first time!
Every time I read the site I come away with a different understanding. DH is 68 and is collecting. I will be 66 later this year (so born before 1/1/54 (FRA). For example if DH collects 2500 per month- and my amount at FRA is 2000.... if I could file the restriction and collect the spousal $250 (half of the difference of$500) while my benefit could grow until I opted to collect it.
After reading it for the 29th time, it seems that I cannot file a restricted application and can either collect my retirement or put it off to grow but I cannot get any spousal.
I really am an intelligent person but I don't understand this.
Okay. I think my first understanding was correct then. I also just went and tried to understand the explanation on the SS website too. It does appear that if I file for my own benefit before my husband files for his, then I will permanently exclude myself from eligibility for any spousal benefit.
I also read in another money-advice article that spousal benefits is the source of most confusion about SS. True!
that is not what we said ... you can file for your own benefit any time you like but there is no such thing as switching to a "spousal benefit " anymore .
you never relinquish your own benefit . you always get your benefit .
but if after your husband files , they take 1/2 his fra amount , they subtract your full fra amount and if there is any difference , THEY ADD IT ON TO YOUR CHECK
lets say you took ss early and you get 800 bucks at 62 . your fra amount would have been 1200 if you waited .
they take your husbands full amount and to make up a number it is 2800 ,, cut it in half so it is 1400 .
they subtract your 1200 from the 1400 . that leaves a 200 adder that gets added to your 800 so you would get 1200 .00 . it is less than 1/2 his because you filed early in this example
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