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My spouse is still alive, which is good because I still like him. He started collecting SS at his FRA.
I can collect my own SS benefits as early as age 62, right? We can get both at the same time.
Then I can switch to Spousal Benefit at age 66 (my FRA) assuming my old man is still kicking, which would be good because I will probably still like him. The SB would be half of what he is receiving and we can receive both at the same time.
When the sad time arrives and he passes away, I can then file for the amount he was getting and my spousal benefit will be discontinued. If he passes away before my FRA, I can keep my own SS until reaching my FRA and apply for widow's benefits, which would be the full amount he was receiving.
Right?
At present, he is 73 and I am 60. His health isn't great and we both assume he will 'go' before I do. If I should happen to die first, nothing for him changes. He collects the same benefits he has been collecting all along.
Right?
Well, yes, to some and no to others.
Here is part of what I wrote to you previously:
Now, if you decide to collect when you are 62, you not only are due your own, but you are due benefits as his spouse. He filed first. I am going to assume the $1800.00 is after Medicare is deducted, so I will make his "gross SS" $105.00 more, or $1905.00.
If you do decide to collect your own at 62, you get a combined retirement/spousal at age 62 of $749.00.
That is the way SSA pays when he files first, and you are due some more on his, and you are filing for retirement on your own.
Now, the only way you can get the true 1/2 of your husbands or $952.00 is to not take your retirement at 62, but at 66, your full retirement age. Then you would get $825.00 of your own plus the $127.00, which is $952.00.
But, you also have another option. At 66, you can still not take your own retirement, but let it ride until age 70. You can still start at 66 to get the 1/2 of your husbands, the spousal only, the $952.00.
Then, here's what happens at 70: You get your full retirement, the $825.00, plus another 32%, with delayed retirement credits, ($264.00) plus the spousal of $127.00, for a combined benefit of $1216.00.
If your husband dies before your full retirement age, the amount he was getting is reduced for your age at the time of death. If at time of death you are full retirement age or older, you go up to 100% of what he was getting. You always keep your own, but get paid the difference from your husband's benefits.
At age 62 I can file for my own SS and a percentage of my spouse's SS. He began collecting at his FRA.
When he passes away, I can file for his full amount provided I reach my FRA.
Right?
This is still wrong isn't it? If she files at 62 she is deemed to have filed for Spousal Benefits early, and therefore when her husband passes away the amount she gets will still be reduced. Like 75%?
This is still wrong isn't it? If she files at 62 she is deemed to have filed for Spousal Benefits early, and therefore when her husband passes away the amount she gets will still be reduced. Like 75%?
No, a widow, who becomes a widow, past her own FRA, is due 100% of what her husband was receiving, if it is more than her own. If the husband took a reduced benefit, she is due his reduced benefit, or 82.5% of his full amount, whichever is greater.
Let's say the worker born 1938 or earlier began collecting at 62 and dies at age 82. His widow is 78. She would get 2.5% more than the benefit he was receiving, because he was only getting 80%.
It comes into play the other way as well. If the worker delayed past FRA, and is getting delayed retirement credits, his wife, does not get the benefit of those while collecting a spousal benefit.
But, when the worker dies, his widow, if past her own FRA, goes up to 100% of what her husband was receiving, which includes his delayed retirement credits.
So, don't confuse spousal (life) benefits with survivors, (death) benefits.
In the original ExNewYorker's post, her husband is much older and already receiving his own full amount. If his wife applies for her own benefits at 62, or thereafter, but before her FRA, she is deemed to also be filing as his wife, and yes, her own retirement is reduced, and the spousal portion is reduced. But, if he passes, and she is over her FRA, she will go to 100% of his amount.
However, they have a big age difference, so in their case, she may not be over FRA when he dies. If she is not, his full amount is reduced for her age at the time of his death. It is a different reduction factor than a worker or a spouse.
Hijack for another quick question......My FRA is 67.....if I collect at 62, and my Wife at the time is 59, can she start collecting on half of my benefit....we are considering getting out early. If she cannot collect anything at 59, then I guess we'll wait till I'm 65, and then she'll be 62.
No. She cant collect anything until she is 62. Then it will be more like 75% of 1/2 of your FRA, assuming she has none of her own. She has to wait until 67 to get fully 1/2 of your FRA.
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