Q & A
What’s the best scenario for spousal benefits?
Full question: I am 60 years old with a USPS pension (CSRS). I have earned 40 credits with side jobs to collect Social Security at age 62. My wife is 56. Can I get Social Security using her work record to increase what I get? Mine is $330/month before WEP. Please let me know the best scenario for me.
Answer: While you could, it’s likely that you would receive little or nothing. That’s because the spousal benefit of anyone receiving an annuity from a retirement system where he didn’t pay Social Security taxes will be subject to the government pension offset. The GPO would reduce that Social Security spousal benefit by $2 for every $3 you receive in your CSRS annuity.
Source: Reg Jones, FederalTimes.com, April 10, 2014
Notice: The links provided above connect readers to the full text of the posted question and its response. The URL (internet address) for any links are valid on the posted date; socialsecurityreport.org cannot guarantee the duration of the links’ validity. Also, the opinions expressed in these postings are the viewpoints of the original source and are not explicitly endorsed by AMAC, Inc. or socialsecurityreport.org.