Q & A
I started taking my reduced Social Security benefits based on my own earnings. My husband will most likely defer his benefits until 2017 when he will be 70. At that point, can I receive half of his benefit instead of my own or in addition to my own?
Answer: Your husband can file right now for his retirement benefit and suspend its collection. This won’t change what he’ll collect starting at 70. It will, however, let you apply for your excess spousal benefit, which will equal the difference between half of his full retirement benefit minus 100 percent of your full retirement benefit, augmented by any delayed retirement credits you may have received from waiting to collect. Read more…
Source: Laurence Kotlikoff, Forbes Contributor - 10/26/2014
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