Social security (55, pension, 2015, husband)

[Howardgo1]

In Aarp mag Quinn says when husband takes full ss wife can’t switch to spousal benefit on his account.
Far as I know that’s incorrect as that’s exactly what I did with my wife.

[Quick Enough]

Originally Posted by Howardgo1

In Aarp mag Quinn says when husband takes full ss wife can’t switch to spousal benefit on his account.
Far as I know that’s incorrect as that’s exactly what I did with my wife.

Don't believe ANYTHING AARP tells you.


Go to the Social Security site YOURSELF and find out!

[sware2cod]

Originally Posted by Howardgo1

In Aarp mag Quinn says when husband takes full ss wife can’t switch to spousal benefit on his account.
Far as I know that’s incorrect as that’s exactly what I did with my wife.

Some SS rules recently changed.

[Floorist]

Go ask Social Security. There was a thread on here a few days ago about social security and boomers that was full of misinformation. I tried to correct it but doubt that anyone paid attention.

[mathjak107]

Originally Posted by Howardgo1

In Aarp mag Quinn says when husband takes full ss wife can’t switch to spousal benefit on his account.
Far as I know that’s incorrect as that’s exactly what I did with my wife.

this is likely true ...if you were not at least 62 in 2015 then there is no more switching ....you only get your own forever ...if there is a difference in spousal any difference gets added to your own benefit never exceeding 1/2 the fra of that higher record .

i just explained this very thing in another thread yesterday .


i posted this :

Just to clear this up here is the scoop on spousal . I say husband and wife but the roles can be revered in some cases .

File and suspend is gone .. the husband would file for ss , once he filed the wife could get up to 1/2 as spousal if 1/2 his was higher ... the husband suspends his right after ,leaves it to grow and the wife keeps the spousal..

Restricted application is where the husband at fra files for half his wife’s benefit and leaves his to grow .....there is no suspension of anyone’s benefit ... in order to keep the spousal going the wife must keep collecting..this is the opposite of what file and suspend was .

Both are out unless you were at least 62 in 2015 . while file and suspend is gone if you were at least 62 in 2015 restricted application is still an option .


So what is left is regular spousal and now what is called deeming .... no matter what age you are , if you have a work record you get your benefit ,period .....when you file you are deemed to file for your own benefit and any spousal at the same time . The spousal is calculated by taking half the husbands fra amount , regardless of when he filed and subtract your fra amount regardless of when you filed ....any difference gets added to your own benefit.....if you filed early then it gets added to your fra amount ...

The only thing is ,while you are deemed having filed for spousal when you took yours ,you can’t actually get that adder until the husband files for his ..


So you see why I keep correcting people when they say they are switching to spousal ... there is no such thing anymore ...your own benefit follows you for life ....

This is for social security retirement ...survivor benefits have their own set of rules

[Jessie Mitchell]

Originally Posted by Howardgo1

In Aarp mag Quinn says when husband takes full ss wife can’t switch to spousal benefit on his account.
Far as I know that’s incorrect as that’s exactly what I did with my wife.

The rules have changed for people born after Jan. 1954 to remove a "double dipping" loophole. But the specific confusion here is more a matter of language than anything else. The catch is in how you define "switch to spousal benefit". In some ways it's a distinction without a difference.

Old scenario:
Wife gets her own benefit of $500.
Wife later "switches" to spousal benefit of $700 (one-half of husband's benefit).

New scenario:
Wife gets her own benefit of $500.
Wife gets an extra $200 added to hers based on husband's record bringing her to $700 (one-half of his).

So, you see she's not "switching" to anything. She's getting an amount added as a spousal benefit that brings her up to half of her husband's amount.

[mathjak107]

here is a summary of the changes

[mathjak107]

Originally Posted by Quick Enough

Don't believe ANYTHING AARP tells you.


Go to the Social Security site YOURSELF and find out!

they are correct for the most part . a birthday of jan 2 1954 is the cut off for being grand fathered in for restricted application . after that you keep your own regardless if you get a spousal adder or not .

[TMSRetired]

I'm lucky..born after 1954 so there's no confusion with me. It's all "not eligilble, not eligible, not applicable, not eligible, etc. "

[mathjak107]

Originally Posted by Jessie Mitchell

The rules have changed for people born after Jan. 1954 to remove a "double dipping" loophole. But the specific confusion here is more a matter of language than anything else. The catch is in how you define "switch to spousal benefit". In some ways it's a distinction without a difference.

Old scenario:
Wife gets her own benefit of $500.
Wife later "switches" to spousal benefit of $700 (one-half of husband's benefit).

New scenario:
Wife gets her own benefit of $500.
Wife gets an extra $200 added to hers based on husband's record bringing her to $700 (one-half of his).

So, you see she's not "switching" to anything. She's getting an amount added as a spousal benefit that brings her up to half of her husband's amount.

well the new rules are different , because restricted application is gone for many so it is not just semantics . restricted application was very different than just spousal