Ask Larry: Shouldn’t I Be Able To Get Social Security Spousal Benefits?

Social Security may be one of your largest assets. What and when you collect will make a huge difference to your lifetime benefits.

Today’s column addresses the availability of spousal benefits after filing and suspending, the ability of first one spouse and then the other to draw spousal benefits, retirement benefits before spousal benefits and divorced spousal benefits before retirement benefit. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic Security Planning, a company that markets Maximize My Social Security and MaxiFi Planner. Both tools maximize lifetime Social Security benefits. MaxiFi also finds retirement account withdrawal strategies and other ways to lower your lifetime taxes and raise your lifetime spending. Most important, it suggests how much to spend and save each year to enjoy a stable living standard through time.

See more Ask Larry answers here.

Ask Larry about Social Security:

Shouldn’t I Be Able To Get Social Security Spousal Benefits?​​

Hi Larry, My husband filed and suspended in 4/2016 prior to the law change. He was a little past his FRA so there’s no issue there. He did this so I could claim a spousal benefit at my full retirement age while he is continuing to work and not drawing his retirement benefit. I just reached FRA this month and went to the Social Security office to file for spousal benefits. I was only given the option of filing on my record for my own retirement benefit, which is minimal as I only worked enough to receive minimum benefits. SSA told me that I could only get a spousal benefit when mt husband begins to collect his benefit. We don’t understand why I was not eligible to receive my spousal benefit. Thanks, Annette

Hi Annette, If your husband filed for and suspended his benefits prior to 4/30/2016 and hasn’t reinstated them since that time, then you could draw your spousal benefits based on his suspended record. If you were told differently by a Social Security representative, they were misinformed.

It sounds like you should contact Social Security again to apply for spousal benefits if you haven’t already done so. Also, if your own retirement benefit rate would amount to more than 50% of your husband’s full retirement age rate if you waited until 70 to apply for your retirement benefits, and if you applied for your retirement benefits at the time of your appointment, then you should probably withdraw that application. You could then file just for spousal benefits only at your full retirement age (FRA) and re-apply for your larger retirement benefits at 70. You may want to use one of my company’s two tools — Maximize My Social Security and MaxiFi Planner — to help maximize your lifetime Social Security benefits. Social Security calculators provided by other companies or non-profits may provide proper suggestions if they were built with extreme care. Best, Larry

Will Pursuing My Plan Prevent My Wife From Switching To Spousal Benefits When I File?​​

Hi Larry, My wife filed for Social Security retirement benefits when she turned 66 last year. I will be turning 66 in August. I am hoping to file a restricted application, collect spousal benefits for the next four years, then begin collecting Social Security retirement benefits on my own work record when I turn 70. Will doing do prevent my wife from switching to spousal benefits at that time since my FRA is more than twice hers? Thanks, Jordan

Hi Jordan, Your wife couldn’t “switch” from her own account to just spousal benefits when you file on your record, but what she could do at that time is file for an excess spousal benefit. Your wife’s excess spousal benefit would be equal to the difference between a) 50% of your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is equal to your full retirement age (FRA) retirement benefit amount, and b) her own full retirement age rate (inclusive of delayed retirement credits, if any). The excess spousal benefit (if any) would then be paid in addition to your wife’s own retirement benefits. So, if she qualifies for an excess spousal benefit and as long as she didn’t start drawing her benefits prior to full retirement age (FRA), her combined benefit rate should then add up to 50% of your FRA rate. Best, Larry

Can My Wife Collect Her Retirement Benefits Now And Switch To Receiving Spousal Benefits When I File For My Benefits?​​

Hi Larry, My wife is 66. Her Social Security retirement benefit is $1,100. I will turn 66 in a few months and intend to retire and collect my benefit retirement in December. My benefit amount is $2,700. Can my wife retire now, collect her retirement benefit and then switch to receiving her spousal benefit in December? Thanks, Nick

Hi Nick, Yes she could, but a better plan might be for you to file a restricted application for spousal benefits only when you reach age 66 and allow your own benefit rate to grow until age 70. You could then switch to your own retirement benefits at age 70, which would have grown by 32% by that time, and your wife could then file for spousal benefits on your record. That would also provide your wife with her highest possible widow’s rate if you die before her. Best, Larry

Should I Be Eligible For Benefits On My Husband’s Record?​​

Hi Larry, I am 77 and I claimed my Social Security retirement at 62. My husband claimed his at 66 he is now 83. When I applied they told me I could only claim my own retirement benefit which at that time was approximately $650, When my husband claimed his it was about $2,000. I went to the Social Security and they told me I could not claim any part of his. It has stayed this way. But am I actually eligible to get a benefit based on his record? Thanks, Marianne

Hi Marianne, Whether or not you could be eligible for additional spousal benefits depends on your Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is equal to your full retirement age (FRA) retirement benefit amount, as compared with your husband’s PIA. If your PIA is less than half as much as your husband’s PIA, then you should be eligible for a spousal benefit equal to 50% of your husband’s PIA minus your PIA.

You may want to try recontacting Social Security to see if you’d qualify for spousal benefits. If they say no and you aren’t satisfied with their explanation, you could insist on filing for spousal benefits anyway. The worst thing that could happen is that they would disallow your claim and continue paying you your current retirement benefits. Best, Larry

Can I Collect Divorced Spousal Benefits When I Turn Age 66 And Still Work Full Time?​​

Hi Larry, I was born in 1952. I am currently working full time and plan to continue so for another year. I make approximately $94,000 per year. Can I collect divorced spousal benefits when I turn 66 and still work full time? I was married more than 10 years, and divorced more than two. My ex is currently collecting retirement benefits on his record. Thanks, Lucy

Hi Lucy, Yes, since you were born prior to 1/2/1954, you could file just for divorced spousal benefits only once you turn 66. Your earnings won’t affect your ability to receive benefits at that time because you will then be full retirement age and no longer subject to the earnings test. You could potentially draw divorced spousal benefits for 4 years while allowing your own retirement rate to grow, and then switch to your own retirement benefits at 70 assuming that rate is higher than your divorced spousal rate. Best, Larry

To learn more about your Social Security options, visit Economic Security Planning, Inc.