Dear Rusty: My wife will reach her full Social Security (SS) benefit at 66.5 years of age, which is just under two years away for her now. If she were to begin to get her monthly check now (i.e. early), would that prevent her from being eligible for the spousal benefit to receive half of […]
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Dear Rusty: My wife will reach her full Social Security (SS) benefit at 66.5 years of age, which is just under two years away for her now. If she were to begin to get her monthly check now (i.e. early), would that prevent her from being eligible for the spousal benefit to receive half of what I am currently drawing?
Signed: Curious Husband
Dear Curious: If your wife claims her own SS retirement benefit now (e.g., at 64.5 years), and you are already collecting your own SS benefit, then she will be automatically deemed to be filing for her spousal benefit immediately when she claims her own benefit (she does not have the option to defer claiming her spousal benefit until later). This is a change made by the Bipartisan Budget Act of 2015, which requires all those first claiming SS to file for all benefits they are eligible for when they claim. What that would mean is that your wife’s benefit now, including her spousal boost from you, would be actuarially reduced by the number of months early she claimed. Her own SS retirement benefit would be permanently reduced by about 15 percent, and her “spousal boost” (the additional amount she would get as your spouse) would be reduced by about 19 percent, yielding a combined benefit that is roughly 42 percent of your full retirement age (FRA) SS benefit.
The only way your wife can get half (50 percent) of your FRA benefit entitlement is by waiting until her own FRA (66 years and 10 months) to claim. Note too that your wife’s spousal benefit will be based on your FRA entitlement, so if you claimed earlier or later than your own full retirement age, her spousal benefit will still be based on your FRA entitlement.
Also, your wife should be aware that anyone who claims early is subject to Social Security’s “earnings test,” which limits how much can be earned while collecting early benefits. Thus, if your wife is working, she will be restricted on how much she can earn before the Social Security Administration (SSA) takes away some of her benefits. FYI, the earnings limit changes annually, but for 2025 it is $23,420 and, if that is exceeded, the SSA will take away $1 in benefits for every $2 over the limit. And, FYI, the earnings limit goes up a lot during the year FRA is attained, and the earnings test no longer applies once full retirement age is reached.
I hope this answers your question, but if you have need additional information, please feel free to contact us directly at SSAdvisor@amacfoundation.org, or call us at (888) 750-2622.
Russell Gloor is a national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). The 2.4-million-member AMAC says it is a senior advocacy organization. Send your questions to: ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org. Author’s note: This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained, and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). The NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity.
Russell Gloor is a national Social Security advisor at the AMAC Foundation, the nonprofit arm of the Association of Mature American Citizens (AMAC). The 2.4-million-member AMAC says it is a senior advocacy organization. Send your questions to: ssadvisor@amacfoundation.org. Author’s note: This article is intended for information purposes only and does not represent legal or financial guidance. It presents the opinions and interpretations of the AMAC Foundation’s staff, trained, and accredited by the National Social Security Association (NSSA). The NSSA and the AMAC Foundation and its staff are not affiliated with or endorsed by the Social Security Administration or any other governmental entity.