Community Chat

[NYCLatinaMe]

@depglass I am guessing you are older than your spouse and qualified first?

Once he reached retirement age, if his income is higher than yours, it is likely you can get higher benefits, though not necessarily half his benefits.  Generally, If you qualify for your own retirement and spouse's benefits, SSA will always pay your own benefits first. If your benefit amount as a spouse is higher than your own retirement benefit, you will get a combination of the two benefits that equals the higher amount.  Here are some links:

https://faq.ssa.gov/en-us/Topic/article/KA-02011

https://www.ssa.gov/oact/quickcalc/spouse.html

https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/applying7.html

https://www.ssa.gov/benefits/retirement/planner/claiming.html

Good luck!

[haddon9]

I was born in 1954 and have been collecting half of what DH gets (he's still very much alive).  I don't believe that you can get retroactive benefits.

[haddon9]

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@Puppy Lips wrote:

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

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No.  You can either collect yours or half of his.  Whichever number is higher.

[NYCLatinaMe]

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@Sage04 wrote:

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.

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I knew someone who refused to retire even though she hated her job because she did not want her deadbeat husband to collect based on her job, even though it would not cost her anything.  She died suddenly of a stroke, and with her death, he can collect.

IMO, not good to do things out of spite.  She was not enjoying her life.

[haddon9]

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@Sage04 wrote:

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.

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@Sage04  Do you know why at the age of 71 he refuses to collect?  I could be wrong but I believe that once you reach 70 your benefits don't increase.  Instead he's leaving money on the table.

[Sage04]

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@haddon9 wrote:

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@Sage04 wrote:

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.

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@Sage04  Do you know why at the age of 71 he refuses to collect?  I could be wrong but I believe that once you reach 70 your benefits don't increase.  Instead he's leaving money on the table.

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@haddon9  just to spite her even though he knows if he dies before her she will get it. What gets hm upset is that she keeps talking about it and he says "let her wait"

[haddon9]

@Sage04 Wow that's a sad marriage.  

[Sage04]

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@NYCLatinaMe wrote:

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@Sage04 wrote:

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.

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I knew someone who refused to retire even though she hated her job because she did not want her deadbeat husband to collect based on her job, even though it would not cost her anything.  She died suddenly of a stroke, and with her death, he can collect.

IMO, not good to do things out of spite.  She was not enjoying her life.

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@NYCLatinaMe  it's for the same reason.

[Sage04]

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@haddon9 wrote:

@Sage04 Wow that's a sad marriage.  

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@haddon9  it's his ex wife.

[CelticCrafter]

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@kaydee50 wrote:

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@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?

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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!

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@kaydee50 wrote:

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@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?

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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!

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I applied for my SS benefits when I reached 62, my husband waited a few years but did not wait until he was at retirement age.  When he applied IO was able to have mine increased at that time.