Among Friends

[CelticCrafter]

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@151949 wrote:

If you took half of your husbands when you were eligible to do so , can you then turn around and - while he is still alive - start to collect your own full amount at a later date? I thought once you committed then that was a final decision.

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I don't know the answer to that, but I know once my husand starts to collect his, I can switch over and I will get an increase.

[Dawnie]

@151949

I am collecting 1/2 of my husbands SS at no reduction to him.  When I turn 70 I will switch over to collecting mine.  

[Mom2Dogs]

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@Dawnie wrote:

@151949

I am collecting 1/2 of my husbands SS at no reduction to him.  When I turn 70 I will switch over to collecting mine.  

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@151949.....is this how s.s. can typically work?  Or did you have special circumstances?

[gidgetgh]

I plan to take mine the very nano second I can. I turn 62 this October. I read that you can start the sign up process 90 days before your 62nd birthday. I have a note to start the process in mid-July so hopefully I'll get my first payment right on time. 

No waiting for me. I worked years and years and it's time for me to be paid my fair share. 

[Mom2Dogs]

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@Mom2Dogs wrote:

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@Dawnie wrote:

@151949

I am collecting 1/2 of my husbands SS at no reduction to him.  When I turn 70 I will switch over to collecting mine.  

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@151949.....is this how s.s. can typically work?  Or did you have special circumstances?

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I just looked this up....from what I understand S.S. has stopped allowing this particular benefit as of 2016.  There were also several other changes to S.S. concerning benefits...

[151949]

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@Mom2Dogs wrote:

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@Dawnie wrote:

@151949

I am collecting 1/2 of my husbands SS at no reduction to him.  When I turn 70 I will switch over to collecting mine.  

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@151949.....is this how s.s. can typically work?  Or did you have special circumstances?

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It isn't me.

[ccassaday]

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@Mom2Dogs wrote:

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@Dawnie wrote:

@151949

I am collecting 1/2 of my husbands SS at no reduction to him.  When I turn 70 I will switch over to collecting mine.  

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@151949.....is this how s.s. can typically work?  Or did you have special circumstances?

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Yes that is how it works. My mom gets half of my dads without a reduction to his. But you can't collect half until your husband retires. My mom could collect hers now but she is waiting until my dad retires at the end of the month to start collecting it. Because she was a stay at home mom most of her years and only worked part time she will be getting double what she would get on her own.

[KathyPet]

I retired at age 62 and started collecting my SS at a reduced amount since I did not wait until I was 65 to start collecting.  MY husband was Two years old than me and still working.  HE filed for a "spousal benefit" because I was collecting.  HE received 1/2 of my monthly amount.   WE did this for 4 years.  WHen he was 68 he retired and started collecting his full social security based on his work record.  HE then of course could not continue,to receive the spousal benefit since obviously you cannot collect both.

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[151949]

I know a man who was a nuclear engineer and made a lot of money. He was married & divorced 3 times. All 3 of his ex wives collect the spousal benefit from his SS. He complains about it all the time.

[LilacTree]

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@tansy wrote:

The 66 and 2 months must be your full retirement age (FRA).  

There is no guarantee that you will receive a COLA every year and keep your expectations low.

Keep a close eye on your representatives.

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@tansy

I've been collecting for 19 years now (I worked for 40 years, so I'll never get what I put in) . . . the COLAs are a laugh.  The Medicare premium payment always goes up too, so if you get more than $12 in your SS check, you will be lucky.  I wouldn't make any decision based on that, because it's far more likely it will get worse than better.