How Spousal Benefits Social Security Work
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- čas přidán 2. 04. 2023
- How Spousal Benefits Social Security Work - Are you approaching retirement age and wondering how spousal benefits work for Social Security? In this video, we'll explain everything you need to know about Social Security spousal benefits, including strategies for maximizing your benefits.
Social Security spousal benefits can be a critical component of your retirement planning, especially if you're approaching age 62. By understanding how these benefits work, you can make informed decisions that will help you retire comfortably and secure your retirement.
We'll also cover survivor benefits and explain the survivor benefit plan in detail. With this knowledge, you'll be able to create a retirement checklist and plan for retirement with confidence.
So, whether you're approaching Social Security at age 62 or have already retired, this video will provide you with valuable insights into Social Security Spousal Benefits and help you make the most of your benefits for a comfortable retirement. Don't forget to subscribe to our channel for more valuable retirement tips and strategies.
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• How Spousal Benefits S...
Thanks for watching!! Tell us what you think about this topic and try this video also. "3 Questions About Retirement" - czcams.com/video/La6w9T9dzlo/video.html
Great job and Thank you Ms. Schreiber, great explanation. You hit all the notes and very helpful.
Thank you. Thank you. First of many videos I've watched that made it crystal clear that the amount of the spousal benefit does not depend on when the higher income spouse starts social security other than it must be applied for 1st.
Great question at 16:35 re: the scenario of the younger/older spouse -- great to confirm that the older spouse is entitled to 100% of the earner's full benefit even though the younger worker begins drawing early. Thank you for this!
Listening to this has really helped. I see now my wife’s SS will be 50% of my full retirement, not my early retirement, as she is older than me. Our funds will be 2400 more than I thought each year.. thanks!
The Host made a reference to "30 % benefits for a spouse." This was an absolute contridiction to what the expert just explained about options describing their example, she suggested, that had his widow not have already drawn her own Social Security at less than full benefit that if she waited until her full retirement age she would have qualified for the larger benefit of her deceased spouse or her own.
When we go to the social security office, will they do the analysis for us, as to what’s best? I gather the answer is “No” which is why there are specialist outside of the government.
Definitely will not do an analysis for you. In fact, as of 2008, they stopped providing beneficiaries with a "breakeven" comparison because, by their own admission, there are too many other factors to consider besides the breakeven and people are living longer and SSA's longevity assumptions have not been updated to reflect that. That is why it is critically important to work with a knowledgeable financial advisor, like Murs and Radon, who can help pull all of those considerations before you make your claim. Also, SSA reps are specifically prohibited from giving advice so you must arm yourself with the right information! I hope that helps!
My spouse has been a homemaker and has no credits now we have a idea when she can start drawing off my work credit thanks for the info
She can draw at age 62 if you are 62 or above. But if you aren't full retirement age it will be quite a bit less.
Keep in mind that you must file in order for her to claim a spousal benefit. So you must balance the desire for her to draw off your record with the notion that the longer you wait to claim means the more of your lifetime income needs will be "filled" with your social security income and the higher survivor benefit you will leave to your dependent spouse if she survives you. That's why it isn't an easy decision at all!
@@belle42 She can only draw a spousal benefit once her spouse files for his benefit. And whether her worker spouse files early doesn't dictate how much she collects in living spouse benefits. Whether or not she collects the full 50% maximum spousal benefit will be based on when she files for the benefit, not when he does. For example, if he has a FRA benefit of $3,000 and files at 62 for a $2400 benefit, she is still entitled to maximum spousal benefit of $1500, or 50% of $3,000. Whether she collects the full $1500 will depend upon whether she waits to HER FRA to claim it. This is a confusing and often misunderstood concept so I hop that helps!
Thank you for the info.I have questions on similar topic. Where can I message you guys?
You can call the office at 919-787-8866
Well explained ,but i still have a question that keep me for not being able to make a decision. So we go,once I started to take husband benefits up to 50% I understand that,but survival widow benefits will still be available or not. I still don't get those two and if can be changed. Thank you.
If you are entitled to spousal benefits while your spouse is still living (because the spousal benefit produces a greater benefit than your own retirement benefit, if you've earned one), then, once your spouse passes away, you will be entitled to step up to as much as 100% of what your spouse was collecting at the time of his/her death. I say "as much as" because, if you become entitled to the survivor benefit prior to your full retirement age, it would be reduced based upon the number of months prior to your FRA you are. Also, if you are collecting dependent spousal benefits at your spouse's death, SSA will automatically convert your benefit to the widow's benefit. However, your overall monthly income will still be short the amount you were previously collecting as a spouse while your spouse was alive. In other words, only the higher benefit remains. The smaller benefit does not.
Well there should be Simple Answers since it IS MY/OUR MONEY !
Overall a good basic explanation of SS retirement benefits for the majority of retirees. However, it completely ignores the very large amount of retirees whose benefits are reduced and/or eliminated by GPO and/or Windfall Elimination. Stayed through the whole presentation but disappointed that it was not even mentioned in passing much less explained as this affects 10s of millions of retirees and their spouses.
Agreed that it affects about 20% of claimants. You make a good point that could be a podcast topic all by itself and we will do one just on that. For the sake of time, we didn’t go into that provision of the law for those impacted by pensions based upon noncovered earnings but will definitely keep in mind as a future topic!
Helpful but difficult to hear, mostly because of the sound quality on her end. I personally need to know if being a widow would still allow me to file a restricted application even if I was not born before 1954. I heard another channel that that provision was still allowed for widows but I have not had that confirmed. I am currently on disability and at the age of 67 I will be automatically converted to straight Social Security, and I would like to delay my benefit to age 70 and take my survivors benefit for those 3 years. The complicating factor is being on disability and I was the higher wage earner just by a slight amount.
Your situation is a unique one in that you are collecting SSDI benefits currently. But before I speak to your situation specifically, ordinarily an income beneficiary can restrict his/her filing to only claim aged widow or widower benefits before filing an application for his/her own retirement benefit or vice versa. That 1/1/54 and earlier birthdate requirement to file restricted for living spousal or ex-spousal benefits prior to one's own benefit only applies while both spouses are living. However, in your case, when you reach FRA, as you indicated, your SSDI benefit will automatically reclassify from a disability benefit to a retirement benefit. The amount should not change other than by any applicable cost of living adjustments. However, if you suspended your retirement benefit at that point (which you can do once reaching FRA), you can't then request another auxiliary benefit to be payable during the interim. SSA will not allow you to suspend one type of benefit in lieu of another benefit so that you can then switch to your greater retirement benefit as late as age 70. A suspension of benefits is a suspension for all benefits unfortunately.
Can you talk more about expat's Spousal Social Security Benefits?
Expats can continue to receive Social Security benefits, even spousal benefits, if they meet the eligibility conditions. Here is a helpful screening tool to determine eligibility: www.ssa.gov/international/payments_outsideUS.html
Thank you, This really helped with my questions. My husband is 7 years older than I am. He has already retired at full retirement age. How I was reading it, I would be stuck at the lower amount if something happened to my husband. So am I getting this right I could draw my own at 63 and I could switch to survival benefits when I turn 67.
Yes, if you apply for your reduced benefit at 63, if your spouse predeceases you, you can step up to 100% of his benefit, assuming it is greater than yours, assuming you are at 67 or later when he passes away. Or, if he passed before you turned 67, you could wait until you reach 67 to switch so that you collect the full 100%, as long as you are not already collecting as a dependent spouse (meaning a portion of your benefit is being paid from his record because your retirement benefit is less).
I filed for my SS benefits when i turned 65 3 1/2 years ago but continued to work. Since I am still working and paying into SS will my benefit amount increase when i do retire?
It certainly can. Even when you are already collecting a benefit and you continue to work SSA will recompute your primary insurance amount to determine id your most recent year of recorded earnings will replace one of the highest 35 years in the calculation. If it does it will take a full year for that increase to go into affect. So earnings from 2023 that increase your PIA will go into affect in your benefit payment in Jan 2025 and will be retroactive to 2024
At my age 46 not working have my own business for over 2 years now. I was injured back last April before last. I have unfinished work available now however I'v lost a lot of my tools trailer mowers. Will I have a pension or line of credit I collect now or when?
Not unless you put money away.
When I talked to SS, I was told that the spousal benefit was figured on FRA. Delaying to 70 credits doesn’t translate to spousal benefit if I
understood the SS office.
True
That is correct. But delaying to age 70 DOES translate into a higher survivor benefit if you are the higher wage earner. Delayed retirement credits you earn during your lifetime by waiting are inherited by your spouse in the form of a higher survivor benefit!
New drinking game: every time someone says sussa curity, you take a shot of bourbon.
My wife and I are both 64 this year. I still work full time and plan on collecting SS at my RFA of 66 and 10 months. My wife worked some in the private sector and some in the public school system. She retire early to take care of our special needs daughter and collects a small pension of just under $600 per month. While she can also draw on her own SS, I think it may be better for her to simply wait until I collect at FRA and have her collect the spousal benefit. The question is how does the windfall elimination affect either scenarios? For reference, My benefit at FRA is juat about $3000 per month.
If her pension is based upon earnings that were not subject to social security taxes (and it sounds like this is the case) then the government pension offset would reduce the normal spousal benefit (in this case 50% of your PIA of $3000 or $1,500) by 2/3 of her monthly pension. So instead o collecting $1500 as a spousal benefit if she waits until FRA, the max spousal benefit would be $1,100 ($1500-400) which represents 2/3 of her monthly pension amount.
Also keep in mind that your child with special needs may also be entitled to a dependent benefit under your record when you make a claim for benefits if that disability began prior to age 22 and has been deemed a disability by SSA.
Great video. I have questions. My wife and I are planning to retire at 62. My wife is 2 years older than me. When she is applying SS at 62, can she get 50% from mine
She can only potentially collect a spousal benefit a. once you file and b. if the benefit under your record is higher than her own benefit. But keep in mind that if she files early, she won't get the full 50%, even if you file later and she is at FRA when you file. Because she filed for her retirement benefit early, the spousal portion of the benefit will be added to the reduced retirement benefit making the total less than 50%.
We really need to simplify the formula for ss benefits 😂
Question: I was married for 25 years and got divorced in 2005. In 2010 I remarried and have now been married 13 years. If something were to happen to my husband do I have a choice on who's social security I can collect on? Keep in mind my ex-husband passed away at 60 years old so he never had the opportunity to collect a cent from SS. Thank you for your time.
If you remarried before 60 years old you cannot go against your ex’s SS. If this is the case, If you divorce, you can after the ex’s.
If you remarried at or after age 60, you could file for survivor benefits from your late spouse. If not, you could not do that unless your current spouse passes. Then, since you were married to the first spouse for 10+ years and your second spouse at the time of his death, you could figure out which one had the higher survivor benefit and claim that benefit.
I never knew there was a “spousal” benefit. So, hubby is 72 and will be 66 next month. He was FRA when started soc sec., I was 62. Do I understand I can file for a “spousal benefit”? Does that impact if he passes before me a survivor benefit?
You can file for a spousal benefit but you will only receive it if 50% of his age 66 benefit is greater than what you are collecting currently. Also, keep in mind that if you were 62 when he filed, you wouldn't be entitled to the full 50%, you would be entitled to 35% of his FRA benefit amount so sometimes you might think you would be entitled to more under his record but it may not shake out that way. But if he passes before you, you would absolutely be able to step up to 100% of what he is collecting at the time of his death. No impact at all in terms of whether you claim a spousal benefit while he is living.
Please touch on..if spouse dies,married 31 years.He earned the higher income. The living spouse now turns 60 in 2023.She worked for many years in office til 2008.She worked from home since 2009.He passes in 2016. If she files for spousal benefit..is it that 50%,71%,100%.? Can be confusing. Please provide a number to ask questions.
My husband has a terminal illness and he is only 59. I have not worked except very few years. So no social security for me . We have his SS disability for the moment , of 1900$.
We are 13 years married . I am 52. What could I have from social security spose survivor benefit if I apply at 53? I am very worried how I will pay mortgage and the bills after , even if I work it will be not enough. We have not any assets. Thank you
I am so sorry to hear of your husband's illness. If he passes before you are 60, the only way you would be able to collect a survivor benefit would be if you were caring a dependent child who is under the age of 16 who is also entitled to benefits under your husband's record, or a dependent child who became disabled before the age of 22, or you are disabled or become disabled within 7 years of his death. Otherwise, you must wait until age 60 to file for survivor benefits. In that case, you would collect a reduced benefit since you would be claiming before your full retirement age of 67. There are so many complexities so I would encourage you to seek advice before you make a decision. And I wish you and your husband the very best.
So my husband received SSDI since he was late 40s, now he’s 71,(born 1952) I’m 65 (born 1958) and have work full time at a job I love for the last 25yrs and planning to delay my SSI till 70. Should I have been taking half of my husband’s FTA SSI? And if so at what age (my age)? Also how would that affect my taxes on my $80k gross income?
The option to file first for your spouse's benefit and later file for your own (called restricting your application) was grandfathered to individuals born prior to January 2, 1954. Those folks all turned 70 on January 1st of this year. So, that option isn't on the table for you. When you file, you will be filing for your own benefit. Only if the spousal benefit produces a higher benefit will it be paid to the claimant. Doesn't sound like that is the situation for you. As far as how your 80K would impact your filing, it would only impact you if you opted to claim before reaching your full retirement age of 66 and 8 months. SSA puts a limit on how much you can earn and claim benefits before FRA. That limit is $22,320 for someone under FRA the entire year and $59,520 for someone who will reach FRA in the calendar year (for just the months leading up to the FRA month).
I need help my grown daughter is filing for disability and we are told it will be coming from my husbands retirement I’ve been waiting for awhile to get the benefits was trying to wait tell I’m 66 and some months now I have to wait for full spousal benefits almost 2 years I’m very upset didn’t make enough on my own. .,,what can I do ?
What I meant was I was waiting for the money to mature my daughter had her own ssi disability check now there trying to give her the money I would of gotten what can I do ?
The ability to restrict benefits with survivor benefits is still a viable strategy regardless of age so I can confirm that. However in your case because you are on SSDI and assuming you continue to be when you reach your FRA your SSDI benefit automatically converts to a retirement benefit. If you suspended your benefit at FRA (which you could do) you can’t then apply for the widows benefit during g the period of suspension. So it’s only because you are already collecting SSDI that the strategy won’t work for you. I’m sorry
What happens if the woman/wife is disabled drawing Ssdi now and the husband still works.if she passes does ssdi payments continue to the husband with a reduction?
It depends on how old the surviving spouse is when his disabled spouse dies. If he is at or beyond his own full retirement age, he can collect 100% of what hai disabled spouse was collecting at the time of her death. And If he hasn’t yet filed for his own benefit at the point of her passing he can first claim the survivor benefit and then switch to his own retirement Benefit as late as age 70 if his own benefit will be larger than the survivor benefit. However If death occurs before he reaches his FRA then the survivor benefit would be reduced based upon the reduction factor used per the number of months he is before his FRA. And If he also plans to continue to work and claim the benefit early, his earnings must stay below an earnings exempt amount to avoid having any of the survivor benefits withheld. Complex area of planning that requires the help of a good financial advisor!
I filed early at the age of 66. I am still working at present and making more now than when I applied. What can I do to increase my benefit?
First, make sure you report earnings to SSA because there is a limit to how much you can earn when you are collecting before your full retirement age. Once you reach your FRA, if you no longer need the monthly income, you could suspend your benefits by contacting SSA up until no later than age 70. During the period of suspension, your benefit would accrue a monthly delayed retirement credit of 2/3 of 1% or 8% per 12 months so that when you restart the benefit, it will be larger. Keep in mind, however, that any benefits payable under your record, such as a spouse's, will also be suspended. And you will also need to pay Medicare premiums another way.
I started collecting SS at 62 years old. (My FRA is 66 and 6 months, I'll be 66 this Sept.) My husband of 39 years started collecting SS at 62 years old. (His FRA is 66 and 10 months) He is 18 months younger than me. His SS amount is $425 more than mine. Am I entitled to collect this additional $425 as a "spousal benefit" (added to mine)? Or even better, can I collect his FRA amount difference? (added to mine). I know this potential scenario sounds too good to be true, but I don't want to miss out if I don't have to....
I'm not an expert, but I think you can only have one or the other. Pretty sure about that because I would love to get my late husband's benefit in addition to mine, but that's a pipe dream.
@@Savannah-ed4rv I may have found my answer since I posted the question. If I make less than 1/2 of his (amount) I qualify for the difference. For example - he gets $2000. Half of that is $1000. If I made $800, I would get $200 (bringing it up to $1000) from SS department. I don't fall into that category. It took watching many videos to find this elusive, confusing answer. And it may not even be right, lol. Thank you for your response.
@@ingridrinaudo3215 you are exactly right! I'm sorry I didn't see your question sooner to solve the mystery for you. But correct, the maximum you are entitled to while your spouse is living is the greater of your own retirement benefit or 50% of your spouse's primary insurance amount (the amount of his benefit at his full retirement age).
Thank you! @@HLSRetire
What if your spouce had to go out on disability. Is the spouse able to then be able to file early at 62 & get half of what the high earning spouse is receivingon disability??
If the lower earning spouse in this example is the one not on disability, yes the lower earning spouse can file for benefits as early as age 62, assuming that the lower earner isn't working and earning too much over the annual earnings limit to collect the benefit and the lower earning spouse's own benefit isn't greater than what he/she could collect as a spouse. But, if the lower earning spouse claims the benefit prior to his/her FRA, the benefit will be reduced so it wouldn't be the full 50%.
I worked for over ten years before children and stopped to raise them. I filed for SS at 62. My spouse went to full retirement age before filing for retirement, can he file for me to receive half his benefit now, and should he die would I be able to receive 100% on his record. He always earned about twice as much as I did.
You can absolutely contact SSA to determine whether the benefit under your higher earning spouse's record will produce a higher benefit to you than your own retirement benefit. However, because you filed for your own benefit prior to your full retirement age, you won't be eligible for the full 50% maximum spousal benefit as any spousal amount that is added to your lower benefit will be added to your reduced benefit. But, if you spouse predeceases you and you are at at least at your full retirement age when that occurs, you would step up to 100% of what your higher earning spouse was collecting at the time of his death and your lower benefit would be the one that is no longer paid.
Can I collect my SS benefits plus 50% of my ex benefits? Or I will get whichever greater?
Greater of the two
Greater of the two
Question.....my husband and I had been common law married in oklahoma since May 2006. My husband died at age 52 in Feb 2020. We have a child together and my child and I are collecting survivors benefits since may 2020.
Question is.....I've never worked. I am 54 now. When I am 60 can I collect survivor benefits again and how much? Since mine will be ending in 3 years when our child turns 16. Thank you....kristin
Currently, you and your child are collecting 75% of your late husband's Primary Insurance Amount. Once you age out of the mother's benefit when your child reaches age 16, your benefit will then become a widow's benefit at age 60 and your benefit will be based on 100% of his recalculated Primary Insurance Amount calculated the year you turn age 60, which will make the benefit higher. If you collect it at age 60, the widow benefit will be reduced by 28.5% because you will collect it 7 years early. If you decide to wait until 67, you will collect 100% of it. Keep in mind that if you remarry before age 60, you will not be entitled to claim widow's benefits under your late spouse's record unless that marriage later ends in divorce, annulment or death.
Can I pay for spouse Part B with my social security ?
No you can’t pay it directly out of your monthly income benefit is that is what you’re asking. It must come out of your spouse’s monthly income benefit
Could I draw widow benefits from previous husband even though I have remarried
Yes. If you divorce.
I was widowed but he had remarried and I don't think he ever got a divorce from me I didn't marry until recently and I found out he had passed away in 2019 and he was living in Florida and I live in SC could I file for widow benefits in SC
@@belle42 can I draw benefits from previous husband married in 1998 and he died in Florida in 2019 I am in SC I just remarried 2 wks ago I don't think he ever got a divorce but I know he had remarried only proof I have is his obituary it can be looked up we were married in Knoxville TN I can't find marriage license and don't remember his SS number how can I proceed to find out if I can draw benefits from him
@@sherryreynolds6132 If your current remarriage occurred at your age 60 or later, and you were married to your previous spouse for 10 or more years (only applies if you divorced the deceased spouse) or 9 months (if you were married to him at the time he passed), then you can contact SSA and claim benefits under your deceased spouse if you are age 60 or older. Some other conditions apply if you claim prior to FRA like whether you are working and how much you earn.
I'm on disability and my husband was on disability, we are both under 60yrs - married 30yrs. His payments were higher than mine so what amount should I get for spousal benefits?
If 50% of what he is collecting under SSDI is higher than what you are collecting under SSDI (or vice versa) you can step up to the higher spousal benefit now.
@HLSRetire He passed away Feb 28th this year and I was denied at first because I'm 52. Now they're saying I've got to wait until September because I informed them about SSDI. I know I'll get it and backpay but they are just taking their time
@HLSRetire I was also told I should of kept him alive for another 16hrs then he would of been on full disability and I would of got the pay for that month. I didn't care about any of that, I just knew I had to fill out a lot of forms. He was my payee and they froze my bank account and my checks until I got another payee (our son). Which I now know I never needed in the first place
@@lissabaker7414 I'm sorry to hear of your loss. First of all, you can step you to his higher benefit, even though you are only 52 but only because you are disabled. And unfortunately, an individual is not entitled to a benefit for the month in which they pass so generally SSA will pull that deposit back out of the bank account once they are notified of the death, generally by the funeral home. However, as his survivor, you are entitled to the higher benefit for the month of his death. It just takes generally 2-3 months for it all to get sorted out by SSA. They should pay you back the difference between your SSDI benefit and the higher benefit under his record dating back to his death. Good luck.
If you are divorced and not re-married, how can you find out if your ex-spouse has filed yet and whether or not 1/2 of their benefit is higher than your whole benefit? I know I could just ask him but that would be awkward for various reasons (he IS remarried). I think my whole benefit is greater than half of his, but not 100% sure. We were married a long time.
I have a friend in that same situation & she called her ex & asked him if he would mind telling her what his SS amt. is. He didn't mind telling her. I don't know of any other way you are going to find out. SS isn't going to tell you. Btw, he does not have to have filed for you to be elig. to draw.
SSA can provide you that information if you furnish a copy of your marriage certificate and divorce decree to them.
@@HLSRetire Awesome, thank you!
@@penelope5500 if he is not collecting but is at least age 62 and the divorce occurred at least 2 years prior to the former spouse’s claim, then he doesn’t have to have filed. This is called an independently entitled ex spouse. And SSA will provide info to a former spouse if the former spouse furnished proof of the marriage and subsequent divorce.
If I retired at 62 and my husband was collecting full social security what would happen with my social security?
If you have your own retirement benefit, you would collect your retirement benefit, reduced by 30% if you claim it at age 62 and assuming you have an FRA of age 67. If the spousal benefit under your husbands record produces a higher benefit than your own retirement benefit SSA will pay you the difference between your lower retirement benefit and the higher spousal benefit so that you are collecting the higher of the two. This is assuming you have been married for at least a year and your earnings don’t exceed the earnings exempt amount ($21,240 in 2023). Whether you collect your own or the spousal benefit, your spouses benefits are not affected.
I am planning to continue working after my full retirement age. I know that my benefit will be recomputed every year. Will my husband's spousal benefits be recomputed as well? Thank you.
No. The spousal benefit stays at 50% of full retirement age benefit. However, the surviving spouse benefit will increase since it is 100% of husband’s final benefit.
@@florencet2742 Let me clarify my question. I will claim my benefits at my full retirement age. My benefits will be recomputed because of the "highest 35 yearly earnings" rule. Will this affect my husband spousal benefits? Thank you.
@@irinakrasik6696 Any time a claimant continues to work, even if he/she is collecting their retirement benefit, SSA will recompute their PIA to determine if the most recent year of earnings will replace one of the highest 35 in the benefit computation formula. If it does, in fact, increase the PIA, yes the spousal benefit would also see a jump in his/her benefit as well. It doesn't occur right away, however. It generally doesn't happen until the following January and may be negligible, particularly if the earning spouse has all 35 years in the benefit formula already.
I was with him for over 50 years and they stopped common law marriage when I file for mine he was not disable now can I apply for his benefits I am 62 now and don't know what to do because they will make me pay for mistakes I'm in Ohio please help
question,.my wife died in 2017,she was on ssdi,i applied for ssdi in 2021 and is currently waiting on a decision, we were married 17 years,can i collect her benefit while i wait on mine,i know i can collect the higher of the two benefits
The earliest age you can claim a widower benefit is age 60, at least until you get a favorable disability determination. If you do, then you can collect a widower benefit as early as age 50, if that determination occurs within 7 years of your spouse's death. The short answer is if you are over age 60 and not currently remarried or remarried after the age of 60, you could claim a widower's benefit while you wait for the SSDI determination.
@HLSRetire thank u so much,u guys are heros to the people who really are suffering from a disability😊
@@eladmitchell752 you are very welcome! Good luck to you!
I have taken my benefits at 62. My husband passed away at 62 but was on disability due to kidney disease. What am I entitled to? Currently just receiving my small benefit.
If what he was collecting under SSDI is greater than your retirement benefit, you can switch to his higher benefit now or wait until you reach your full retirement age to collect 100% of the survivor benefit. If you switch to his benefit now (assuming it is larger), it will be reduced based on the number of months before your full retirement age you are.
So my husband who is much older than I started collecting SS at 62, and I am 59,and we have been married 5 years, if I wanted to claim at 62, I would not even get half of his? He was the higher earner.
You would still get 50% of what he is receiving.
You need to be married at least 10 years to get up to half his social security
Both replies below are not exactly accurate. First of all, let's say your spouse's benefit at FRA (assume age 66) is $2,000. That means that the maximum spousal benefit is $1,000. The fact that HE filed at age 62 has no bearing on the fact that you are still entitled to a maximum of 50% of his PIA of $2,000. You do not get penalized because he filed early. However, in order for you to get the full $1,000 in my example, you must wait until your FRA of 67 to collect. If you don't then your spousal benefit could be reduced by as much as 35% if you file for it at age 62. Also you only need to be married to him for 1 year to be eligible for spousal benefits at your earliest eligibility age of 62, not 10 years. That applies only in the case of benefits under a former spouse's record.
That's exactly right and glad I saw this reply. I plan on claiming at 62 but my wife can wait until she is 67 and get half of my fra.
I have a scenario: a person is in full retirement age and got retirement benefits. The spouse did not have full 10 year contributions. If the spouse applies for spousal benefits who is not yet in FRA still gets 50% of the retiree?
The spouse gets up to 38% of the spouse's benefit at age 62. The benefit increases every year he/she waits to apply. Up to 50% at age 67.
@@belle42 thanks a lot.
My husband died at the age of 50. Most of our 30 years together I was a stay at home mom. I'm a few months away from turning 62. If I file for SS at 62, will I be able to get the 50% of his SS?
I think you can start getting survivor benefits at age 60-100% of his SS. Please call and ask…they should pay you back pay…not sure how much.
The earliest you can claim aged widow benefits is generally age 60, or age 50 if you were disabled at the time of his death or became disabled within 7 years of his death. In your scenario, if you have also earned a retirement benefit of your own based upon your limited work history, you have two choices. First, you could simply file for the higher of your own retirement benefit and the survivor benefit now, reduced for taking the benefit early. Or, you could file first for the smaller benefit (either your retirement benefit or your husband's survivor benefit) and file for the other benefit later. So, say your retirement benefit is smaller than your late husband's benefit. You could claim your smaller benefit first, reduced for your age. And wait until your full retirement age to claim 100% of your late husband's benefit for the rest of your life, assuming you are not married or did not remarry before the age of 60. Also keep in mind that if you are working and earn more than $21,240, your income benefits will be reduced by 50% of the income over that threshold in 2023.
Full retirement age for survivors benefits is 66.5
Not necessarily. Survivor FRA also depends upon year of birth just like retirement FRA does and can vary from retirement FRA see the chart here www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/survivorchartred.html
Not always. It depends on your year of birth. SSA decided to confuse everyone by making those born between 1955-1961 have odd survivor full retirement ages www.ssa.gov/benefits/survivors/survivorchartred.html
I'm still a bit confused. So if my spouse's full retirement benefit is $3000, but he kept working to build it up to $3500....if I file for spousal, I"m going to only get 50% of $3000?? (Let's assume we are both at FTA.)
Correct but if your spouse's benefit increases, so will your spousal benefit.
my wife has passed away in 2020. her ss benefit's stopped just after her passing. i am going to be 75 this year. i am receiving my own. am i entitled to receive part of hers?
Not in this case
If yours is lower than hers was you should be able to. If not then no.
Only if what she was collecting was higher than your own retirement benefit.
So if my wife starts taking benefits at age 62 of $700 a month and I wait until 65 and get $1900, we were both born in 1963, how much will she get then if she switched to spousal benefits?
Let's suppose your benefit at your FRA of 67 is $2200, making the maximum spousal benefit 50% of that or $1,100. And let's suppose your wife's benefit at her FRA is $1,000. That means that the difference she could collect is a maximum of $100 added to the $700 she is already collecting once you file for benefits. If she is under her FRA when you file, then that $100 would be reduced by the spousal reduction formula based on the number of months she is before her FRA.
@@HLSRetire Ah, very good. Thank you
the sound on her microphone is messed up.
I turned 65 May 2023, I did not retire, I hope I can next year. My husband is deceased. Am I able to collect his SS, while I am still working?
Survivor benefits are generally payable as early as age 60 (age 50, if you are disabled) BUT you are correct in that working can limit or prevent you from collecting any benefit (retirement, spousal or survivor) if you are under your FRA while trying to collect them. So, for example, this year if you earn more than $21,240, excess earnings over that amount will reduce the benefits payable to you by 50% of the excess income. But that limit disappears entirely at FRA and goes up in the year you reach FRA (the months leading up to your FRA month) so I would encourage you to contact SSA to see if you can at least collect some of the widow's benefits if your earnings don't prevent it and especially if your own retirement benefit will be greater at your age 70. At that point, you can switch to your higher retirement benefit.
@@HLSRetire Thank you so much. I will be speaking with SSA next Wednesday.
@@patriciaboer4648 good luck!
Can the higher earner file at full retirement age and then suspend taking the benefit so the spouse can then start getting a higher spousal benefit, even if the lower earner claims at age 62?
The former file and suspend method, which was made obsolete as of April 29, 2016 would have allowed this strategy for you to file and suspend for purposes of allowing your lower earning spouse to reap the reward of the spousal benefit. This is no longer an option. While you can still suspend benefits at or beyond FRA, during the period of suspension your lower earning spouse would not be entitled to benefits under your record.
Filing a voluntary suspension might be a viable solution for someone looking to boost the monthly income benefit after making an early claim, particularly if they don’t have someone also collecting benefits under their record that would be affected adversely by the voluntary suspension. Perhaps the suitable candidate for such a strategy either re-entered the workforce and no longer needs the income from social security and can therefore afford to do without the monthly benefit for awhile to allow the delayed retirement credits to boost the eventual benefit when it is reinstated.
Thanks Lord for your peace
Thanks Lord for your salvation
Psalm 91
I live in SC and lived with a man for 10 years if I should die would he be able to draw my SS
If you are not married, no.
We got married on Tuesday June 13 now will he be able to draw my SS if I should die before him
@@sherryreynolds6132hi
@@sherryreynolds6132 Yes, marriage for 9 months or longer is required for survivor benefits.
husband’s full retirement on Oct 2024 (1,000) wife will be 62 Years in 2025 June (200) . Can wife take her own lowered ss from age 62-66 (200) then wife can take spousal benifit wife age of 67 which is higher then her husband 50% (500 totals ( 200 +300=500 totals) can wife file ss age of 62 Years ?
It isn't quite that simple. Is her benefit that low because she hardly worked or is there something else going on like she is a teacher and eligible for a pension under a non-covered system? If not and she just has a very low benefit, suppose her benefit at FRA is $290. The max spousal benefit is $500. The difference between the two is $500 - $290 = $210. This is called the spousal excess, If her spouse files when she is at FRA, her new benefit will be $200 + $210 = $410. However, if her benefit is that low because she is entitled to a TRS pension or another government pension in which she did not pay social security taxes on those earnings, then she is subject to the Government Pension Offset and that would likely not permit her to collect a spousal benefit.
NO One IS AFRAID.
America is The Name Of The Difficulty
If your husband die and now you turning 62 can you also get 50% off his ?
Survivor benefits pay a maximum of 100% of what the deceased spouse was collecting at death or entitled to collect. The 50% max only applies to spousal benefits payable while the higher earning spouse is still living. But if you elected to claim the widows benefit at age 62 it would be reduced based on the number of months you claim it prior to your FRA.
In your first scenario, let’s say he dies at 65, she gets his benefits, because they are larger than hers. My question is what happens if she remarries, does she lose all of all of those benefits?
I think I read if your over 60 years of age. No penalty. Search for this info
Remarriage at or after age 60 does not disqualify a surviving spouse from collecting widow's benefits from a late spouse.
Wow. You’re the first to explain the bit about turning 70 before 2024. So, don’t file for spousal benefits if you’re not turning 70 before 2024 and you have the greater of benefits that you want to continue to grow until you’re 70. Wo. What about if your spouse is receiving disability benefits? Same rules?
Well on January 1, 2024, those who were grandfathered into the ability to file FIRST for spousal benefits so that their own retirement benefit could grow up to age 70 and then switching from spousal to retirement benefits goes away on that date. Now, for anyone else who was born after 1/1/54, spousal benefits are only payable if that amount produces a higher benefit than the claimant's own retirement benefit AND, if the spousal benefit is higher, the higher earner must file in order for the lower earner to grab the higher spousal benefit. SSDI benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits with no change in amount (other than COLAs) once the disabled person turns FRA. But if the lower earner is the one on SSDI, once his/her spouse files if 50% of the higher earning spouse's benefit is greater than what the lower earning disabled spouse is collecting under SSDI, they can switch to the higher spousal benefit without any reductions for age.
The other scenario is you could die tomorrow and never get to collect after working all those years.
And that is certainly a risk but, if you are married, your spouse will inherit your benefit if it is higher. Lots of factors to consider and certainly there is no one size fits all approach. Ultimately you must be comfortable with YOUR decision that makes the most sense for you.
That sadly happened to my cousin and his wife during the last two years. My cousin died at age 59, and his wife died at the age of 62, and I don't think they got Social Security except they possibly did get disability.
So Different In Many Ways, WHY ??
Alarming...
You left out two big gotcha; my wife's benifit was cut by almost 30% for two reasons. One, she was a teacher and that retirement benefit was partially deducted from her SS. Two, our joint income was too high in retirement so her benefit was reduced more. SS IS A JOKE FOR PEOPLE WHO TRY TO SAVE FOR THEIR RETIREMENT
i dont understand this. I didnt think how much you make had any bearing on what your benefits are. If you reach full retirement age you collect that amount and can still have income? Im trying to figure out when i can draw off my husband. I didnt make enough to draw SS as i was a stay at home mom/wife. my husband is 74 drawing SS and still works but im only 57. I have no idea when i can draw and how much.
You are likely referring to a pension your wife earned through non-covered earnings (i.e. earnings that weren't subject to FICA taxes). In those cases, special rules apply under the Windfall Elimination Provision (which would reduce her own social security benefit she earned through covered employment) or the Government Pension Offset (which would reduce any spousal benefits under your record by 2/3 of the monthly government pension). As far as your joint income being too high, that might cause a portion of your benefits to be taxable but wouldn't reduce her benefit on the front end unless she claimed the benefit prior to her FRA and she continued to work above the earnings exempt amounts. www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10069.pdf
It sounds like your wife's benefit was reduced under the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP). For those that it affects, it is for sure frustrating. I don't know that it will give you much solace but the reason that it exists is because the way benefits are calculated is by using the highest 35 years of indexed earnings. Individuals who have less than 35 years of earnings history will show zeros for those missing years. Individuals with lower average monthly earnings receive a higher replacement ratio (90%) of their pre-retirement earnings than those with higher average lifetime earnings. Those who are covered under a TRS show many years of zeros for SS purposes because they are covered under an alternate TRS system. So they appear to be individuals with no earnings for those years and therefore their benefit computation replaces their earnings at a higher rate. So the WEP adjusts that first band of earnings in the formula down to as low as 40% to as high as 90% depending on how many years they work and pay Social Security taxes. And yes, as far as the joint income is concerned, more and more people are being taxed on a portion of their Social Security benefits because the thresholds for taxing benefits hasn't changed since enacted in 1983 and 1993, another reason that you should really work with a financial professional who is knowledgeable in ways to mitigate the risk if income taxes eroding your retirement income! We understand that frustration completely! You can call the office at 919-787-8866
Hard to hear her and the breaking up over and over makes it harder
Should be no spousal benefits. You contribute as an individual, you collect as an individual. (I’m not referring to survivors benefits)
David, you are stoned. What should means nothing. This is not a political show. this is a information show
This woman gives the worst most confusing explanation I’ve ever heard on SS benefits..!
Get it from the source. They have a calculator.
www.ssa.gov/OACT/quickcalc/spouse.html
Sorry you felt that way.
I’m done watching with all this confusing discussions, it doesn’t target one specific group but the scenarios are too much not studied well. I’m going 64 been watching all f you on you tube,too much headache! Bye!
Lots of irrelevant dialogue, rapid dialogue, misplaced examples, unneeded opinion-just comes across as poorly chopped word salad.
@Criticalthink21st😂I think that’s what the system wants…to keep us confused about the SS system!🫨😣😵💫💸💸💸
www.ssa.gov Lots of relevant info here.
I am collecting under the WEP do I get my spouses higher SS if my spouse passes
If you are the recipient of a pension based on non-social security taxed earnings, which is what it sounds like, if your spouse predeceases you, you can collect the higher of your own WEP-adjusted benefit or the survivor benefit under your spouse's record. But, unless the pension you are collecting is a foreign pension, the survivor benefit would be reduced by 2/3 of your monthly pension under the Government Pension Offset rules. www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10007.pdf
It depends. That's where the government pension offset (GPO) comes in. The GPO reduces the widow's benefit by 2/3 of your monthly pension amount, unless you are receiving a foreign pension, as those do not count for GPO purposes.
"a little bit younger..." my wife is 23 years younger....