topic Re: Question re Social Security benefits in Community Chat

Question re Social Security benefits

depglass — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 17:22:24 GMT

I started drawing at 62, DH waited until 69, so his check is much larger than mine. I was told by a friend I could draw half his, so I called SS and this appears to be true. They will call me back in Jan. I forgot to ask them, is this retroactive?

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Katrinka23 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 17:27:19 GMT

Sorry - it is not retroactive!

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

kaydee50 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 17:31:39 GMT

@depglass wrote:
I started drawing at 62, DH waited until 69, so his check is much larger than mine. I was told by a friend I could draw half his, so I called SS and this appears to be true. They will call me back in Jan. I forgot to ask them, is this retroactive?

It is my understanding that you need to be full retirement age in order to do what you suggest. At least that was what I was told several years ago when I tried to do the same thing. So if you are full retirement age, you should be able to collect but it won't be retroactive.

BTW, both of us waited until 70 to collect and are very happy we did!

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Mom2Dogs — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 17:42:13 GMT

@depglass Has your husband passed away? If so, they you can get some of his SS Income but I was not aware that you could do that if the spouse was still living....I will be interested to see the replies.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Shelbelle — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 17:42:21 GMT

it is my understanding that your birth date has to be prior to 1954 to be able to get that offer of half of his, I get mine and enough of my DH to make mine half of his, I was born in 1952 and collected at 66.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Justholdingon — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 17:53:11 GMT

how could you draw half of his if he's collecting it?

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Sage04 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 17:58:02 GMT

@Justholdingon wrote:

how could you draw half of his if he's collecting it?

@Justholdingon it does not affect the amount he is getting.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

sandy53 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:01:51 GMT

When I reached my full retirement age (65.5) I started collecting spousal benefits (half of my DH's amount, he's still alive). I will switch to my own benefit amount this summer when I turn 70. These spousal benefits are only available to those born in 1953 and before, if I remember correctly. I just got in since I was born in 1953.

I seriously doubt you could go back and re-do things in your situation, but a call to your SS office sounds like something you should do. SS is complicated and there is a lot of misinformation or lack of information on boards like this.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Sage04 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:02:14 GMT

From what I understand once someone reaches the age of 62 she can get half of his benefits as long as he has filed.

My brother and his wife did this also. She started collection at 62. He retired at 70 and started collecting. His was larger than hers so she was given half of his without it affecting him.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Sage04 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:07:37 GMT

One thing I like about the Social Security Administration is that their Website has all the answers.

It's so much fun to read the information and there are so many things that we don't know but could read and understand.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Carmie — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:09:36 GMT

i tried to do this very same thing. I called SS and was advised that my SS was higher than half of his, so no extra money was due to me.

If I survive my spouse, I can collect the 100% total amount he receives.

So, if your SS is more than half of his....forget about it.

You can call the SS and they will check for you.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Puppy Lips — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:09:49 GMT

So then are you collecting yours AND half of your husbands?

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Sage04 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:12:30 GMT

@sandy53 wrote:
When I reached my full retirement age (65.5) I started collecting spousal benefits (half of my DH's amount, he's still alive). I will switch to my own benefit amount this summer when I turn 70. These spousal benefits are only available to those born in 1953 and before, if I remember correctly. I just got in since I was born in 1953.

I seriously doubt you could go back and re-do things in your situation, but a call to your SS office sounds like something you should do. SS is complicated and there is a lot of misinformation or lack of information on boards like this.

@sandy53 just last night I was reading about the different between spousal and surivors benefits.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

deeva — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:12:40 GMT

@Puppy Lips

No. You get one or the other.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

depglass — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:13:49 GMT

No you do give up your own, that's true in the event of his death also.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Sage04 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:15:16 GMT

@Carmie wrote:
i tried to do this very same thing. I called SS and was advised that my SS was higher than half of his, so no extra money was due to me.

If I survive my spouse, I can collect the 100% total amount he receives.

So, if your SS is more than half of his....forget about it.

You can call the SS and they will check for you.

@Carmie this is true.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

SharkE — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:18:23 GMT

my husband waited till he was 70. Then he died at 71

I'm getting it now.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Sage04 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:18:37 GMT

@Puppy Lips wrote:
So then are you collecting yours AND half of your husbands?

@Puppy Lips no, there is only one amount.

Some people have never worked but their spouse did. Once the working spouse starts collecting, then the non working spouse could collect half of his according to the age. One thing though, it won't affect the amount the working spouse gets.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Sage04 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:21:49 GMT

Someone I know is waiting patiently for her ex husband to retire so that she can collect half of his benefits. They were married for about 13 years and she does not have enough credits on her own.

He refuses to collect and is still working at 71.

Re: Question re Social Security benefits

Sage04 — Wed, 28 Dec 2022 18:24:51 GMT

@Mom2Dogs wrote:
@depglass Has your husband passed away? If so, they you can get some of his SS Income but I was not aware that you could do that if the spouse was still living....I will be interested to see the replies.

@Mom2Dogs she will be collecting spousal benefits.