Q & A
Can taking benefits early mean no spousal benefits?
Full Question: My wife started drawing her Social Security at age 62. I started my own Social Security at age 66. When I started drawing my benefit, my wife requested that her payment on her record be suspended so she could start drawing payment on my record as a wife. We were told it could not be done because her payment was more on her record than on my record. I have seen articles that say she can draw on my record as a spouse if she chooses to delay drawing her own retirement until age 70. Can you explain this?
Answer: While it is possible for a person to delay their own benefit in order to receive a lower benefit on their spouse’s record, it can be done only if the person delays any, and all, benefits until they are at full retirement age. Since your wife started her own retirement benefit before her full retirement age, she no longer has the option of filing on your record for the wife’s benefit while delaying her retirement as far as age 70. Read more…
Source: Oscar Garcia, Public Affairs Specialist, Social Security Administration, via mysantonio.com - 9/26/2014
This posting is presented for informational purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. Any opinions or interpretations presented are either those of the original author or, in the case of articles authored by the AMAC Foundation, are the opinions of AMAC Foundation staff, originally trained and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA) and certified via the AMAC Foundation. Any links included in the article are valid on the posted date; socialsecurityreport.org cannot guarantee the duration of the links’ validity. NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity. To submit a question, visit our website (https://amacfoundation.org/services/) or email us at ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org. Because we are a non-profit organization, there is no charge for these services.