Please clarify spousal social security benefits.

In my experience in Ohio, I filed at 63 and got my own S.S. plus a percentage of my husband’s. Your best bet is to call your local office and let them figure it out.

Call Social Security. They can guide you.

Please contact your local social security office. There WAS an option to defer and collect on a spouse's benefits, but it was discontinued in 2016 and is no longer available. Your local SSA office can help you or you can read about it at ssa.gov.

She should contact theSocial Security office or go online. They will give her a benefit amount estimate at 2 or 3 ages so that she can decide at what age she wants to collect her benefits.

To me, it’s a math problem. She can start taking her SS benefit at age 62 but each year she waits till 70 increases what her benefit will be till she dies. She will also get a part of your own SS, what amount depends on when she starts drawing.

For most who have worked traditional jobs, waiting till 70 or as close to 70 is the best plan. But if she’s worked sporadically, or had low pay into SS as she’s a Pass-through so had a inc or llc who made the income, or is likely to die sooner..... then waiting doesn’t make sense as the breakpoint will be like in the backside of their 70’s, so it’s better to get $ now.

Really SSA office can run #’s scenarios for you and for free!

I’m familiar with what you are asking about Tom. I have a friend who is older than her husband. He is self employed. Wife took SS benefits. When husband reached full retirement age he took SS benefits based on wife’s income. When he reaches 70 he will file on his own SS. He will be able to max his out in this manner. It’s called File and Suspend.
There is a book ‘Get what’s yours: the secrets to maxing out your social security’. In 2016 they wrote a summary to help with the book and to update it. One of the authors has written GWY on Medicare.
The updated book on SS probably explains that File and Suspend is no longer available. 
Go on Amazon and read some of the reviews and you’ll pick up more information and some alternative books on the subject. 
My friends husband will still be able to file on his own SS at 70 because he did the File and Suspend before the laws changed. 
This is not to say that there aren’t other benefits available that your SS rep won’t know to tell you. It’s worth learning more about between now and Oct. 

DON’T depend on answers to find here.  Call social security, or better yet visit a local social security office if you have one nearby.  I found that visiting in person works well and employees are good at explaining how to maximize your benefits.

File and suspend is no longer available.  See ssa.gov/planners/retire/claiming.html

Here is the situation for someone I know: The wife was the lower income spouse (worked part-time for most of her working years), husband was higher income. Wife took SS at age 62 at the reduced amount, which is about 75% of the full retirement age (FRA) benefit. When the husband reached full retirement age in 2017 (age 66), he was eligible to receive 50% of wife's FRA benefit. He will defer his own benefit until age 70 to get the higher amount. When he begins to draw his own benefit, wife will get an increase in her benefit up to 50% of the husband's FRA benefit, reduced by 25% because she took it at 62. It is complicated, so here is an example. Assume that wife's FRA benefit is $1,000 and husband's is $2,400. Wife get $750 per month at age 62. Husband starts getting $500 per month at age 66 (half of wife's FRA benefit). When husband turns 70, he gets about $3,168 (his FRA benefit increased by 32% for waiting until age 70), and the wife now gets $900 (half of husband's FRA benefit reduced by 25% for taking it at 62. This is not the file and suspend that was discontinued in 2016. Your local SS office will calculate the amounts for your own situation.

I should add that this rule I described applies to people who turned 62 before 2016, which is the case of the original poster.

Whether your wife files or not - she will ALWAYS be eligible for half of yours. In fact, you need to go to the Social Security offices today - now!

Both my sisters are already drawing half of their husbands Social Security Benefits while they are still alive - something in the rules changed.

I am unable to do this because half of my husbands is less than what I can draw on my own.

Deferring only means she will be able to draw more if she waits. Personally, I went out at 62 since I was already home and caring for my then 92 year old DH. We needed the extra $$ so I started drawing and never looked back.

My stepson's wife is deferring hers to draw more at 70. It runs in my mind that she also is drawing 1/2 of his. Like I said, go to the Social Security Office and make sure you have an appointment. Not going will cost you money.

If your wife defers then I don't think she gets anything. She is waiting because longer she waits the more she gets. My husband was collecting SS of 1500 when I applied. Mine was $750, half of his. Because I was already half I got no more. If he was getting 2000 I would have gotten a thousand to bring me to half of his. What you need to do is go to your local SS office and allow them to explain your options. Then you have to figure out if it's in your best interest to wait for her to collect. I figured I was better collecting at 62 because for the difference in money it would take me 15 years to get to the 30K I collect from 62 to 66. I could be dead in 15 yrs better I have the money now.

If you turn 62 on or before January 1, 2016, and may still be able to qualify for benefits under the previous rules.

I, also, am familiar with your question. My late cousin was eligible and did receive half of her ex husband's SS, even though he had remarried. Somehow it was legit. In your case, best to contact SSA.

TOM
Here is the answer complete with a proof source and where you can find it on the social security website.

In the current issue of the AARP Bulletin (Jan/Feb 2018) page 41, Jane Bryant Quinn answers your question.

“Help! You wrote that people my age, 66, can get spousal Social Security benefits and, later, switch to their own retirement benefit. My Social Security office says that this is no longer so. “
Jane responded.
“The rules change in 2016. The change applies to those of you who earned your own retirement benefit and can also claim a spouse (or ex-spousal) benefit on the account of the retired mate. Formerly, everyone could potentially get both benefits. You’d file a “restricted application” for a spousal benefit at your full retirement age, then switch to your personal benefit at a later time ( often at 70, to give it up to four more years to grow).
Restricted applications have now been phased out, but THOSE WHO TURNED 62 before Jan 2, 2016, can still File one. If you are not yet 62 or you turned 62 on or after Jan 2, 2016, you can claim only your personal benefit or your spousal benefit, whichever is higher. To PROVE TO A SOCIAL SECURITY REP that you’re the right age to double dip, see DEEMED FILING at ssa.gov/planners/retire/
deemedfaq.html”.

At full retirement age, your wife has the option of taking her own social security or half of yours.

At full retirement age, your wife has the option of taking her own social security or half of yours.

My case seems to be the opposite. I turned 62 in June 2017. When I went to the SSA office to apply for benefits, I got the amount that showed on my statement. My husband, who is older, came to the US while in his 40s and decided to start collecting at age 62, having worked just over 15 years. So, his SSA was less than half of mine since I'd worked 44.5 years. They increased his monthly amount by $20!

To receive from an ex-spouses SS you have to be married to them for ten years. If remarried, it may be which spouse has the most earnings. This is why going to the SS office and sitting with a rep is better than reading it. I worked with a woman who lost her husband after over 20 yrs of marriage. She remarried and divorced after years of marriage. She didn't tell the office either and SS didn't ask. Said she couldn't live on her Personal SS. We sent her back to SS to tell them about her husband's. She got $200 more.