Can I collect spousal benefits and wait until I am 70 to collect my own Social Security?

Asked by: Agustina Bergnaum  |  Last update: February 9, 2022
Score: 4.7/5 (49 votes)

You can only collect spousal benefits and wait until 70 to claim your retirement benefit if both of the following are true: You were born before Jan. ... Your spouse is collecting his or her own Social Security retirement benefit.

Can I switch from spousal benefits to my own Social Security?

You will have to file an application to switch from survivor benefits on a late spouse's work record to retirement benefits on your own record. You should apply four months before you want your retirement benefit to start.

Can you collect 1/2 of spouse's Social Security and then your full amount?

Your full spouse's benefit could be up to one-half the amount your spouse is entitled to receive at their full retirement age. If you choose to begin receiving spouse's benefits before you reach full retirement age, your benefit amount will be permanently reduced.

What are the rules for spousal benefits of Social Security?

You can receive up to 50% of your spouse's Social Security benefit. You can apply for benefits if you have been married for at least one year. If you have been divorced for at least two years, you can apply if the marriage lasted 10 or more years. Starting benefits early may lead to a reduction in payments.

Can I collect my Social Security and spousal benefits?

Can I Collect Social Security Spousal Benefits? Yes, you can collect Social Security's on a spouse's earnings record. You may be able to do this in the form of spousal benefits, or as survivor benefits if you are a widow or widower.

?Can I Take Spousal Social Security Benefits & Later Take My Own Benefit At Age 70

44 related questions found

How long do spousal benefits last?

A spousal benefit is reduced 25/36 of one percent for each month before normal retirement age, up to 36 months. If the number of months exceeds 36, then the benefit is further reduced 5/12 of one percent per month.

When can a spouse claim spousal benefits?

You can claim spousal benefits as early as age 62, but you won't receive as much as if you wait until your own full retirement age. For example, if your full retirement age is 67 and you choose to claim spousal benefits at 62, you'd receive a benefit that's equal to 32.5% of your spouse's full benefit amount.

What is the maximum Social Security benefit at age 67?

The maximum benefit — the most an individual retiree can get — is $3,345 a month for someone who files for Social Security in 2022 at full retirement age (FRA), the age at which you qualify for 100 percent of the benefit calculated from your earnings history.

Can my wife collect spousal Social Security benefits before I retire?

Can my spouse collect Social Security on my record before I retire? No. You have to be receiving your Social Security retirement or disability benefit for your husband or wife to collect spousal benefits. ... In this way, both could earn delayed retirement credits that boosted their eventual Social Security payments.

How long do you have to be married to get half of everything?

California Community Property Law: "The 10 Years Rule"

In California, a marriage that lasts under 10 years will have a set duration of alimony, which is typically half the length of the marriage. If a marriage lasted 10 years or longer, then there is no set time limit on spousal support.

Can I collect my Social Security at 62 and switch to spousal benefits later?

In this case, you can claim your own Social Security beginning at 62 and make the switch to spousal benefits when your husband or wife files. ... That includes if you file early for your retirement benefit — say, at 62, as in this scenario — and switch to spousal benefits later.

How soon before you turn 70 can you apply for Social Security?

When to apply if you're turning 70

The earliest you can file for Social Security is four months before you want your benefits to start. Regardless of when you file, make sure you specify that you want your benefit to begin the month you turn 70 to get the maximum amount.

How do I change my spousal benefit at age 70 online?

Go to www.ssa.gov. On the main page, click on “online services” and then select “apply for retirement bene its.” Since you are currently collecting benefits on your spouse's record, you should be able to start a new application for retirement benefits under your own Social Security number.

Can you draw 2 Social Security checks?

Social Security allows you to claim both a retirement and a survivor benefit at the same time, but the two won't be added together to produce a bigger payment; you will receive the higher of the two amounts. You would be, in effect, simply claiming the bigger benefit.

Is Social Security based on the last 5 years of work?

Social Security benefits are based on your lifetime earnings. Your actual earnings are adjusted or “indexed” to account for changes in average wages since the year the earnings were received. Then Social Security calculates your average indexed monthly earnings during the 35 years in which you earned the most.

What changes are coming to Social Security in 2021?

The tax rate hasn't changed. The amount of income that's subject to that tax, however, has also increased in line with the COLA. In 2021, you paid Social Security tax (called Old Age, Survivors and Disability Insurance, or OASDI) on up to $142,800 of taxable earnings. That limit will be $147,000 in 2022.

What is the difference between retiring at 65 and 67?

The full retirement age used to be 65 for those born in 1937 or earlier. Those born between 1943 and 1954 have a full retirement age of 66. ... The full retirement age for those who turn age 62 in 2022, born in 1960, is 67.

What is the maximum amount you can earn while collecting Social Security in 2021?

If you start collecting benefits before reaching full retirement age, you can earn a maximum of $18,960 in 2021 ($19,560 for 2022) and still get your full benefits. Once you earn more, Social Security deducts $1 from your benefits for every $2 earned.

What is the average Social Security check at age 65?

If you start collecting your benefits at age 65 you could receive approximately $33,773 per year or $2,814 per month. This is 44.7% of your final year's income of $75,629. This is only an estimate. Actual benefits depend on work history and the complete compensation rules used by Social Security.

Does Social Security start the month of your birthday?

Social Security benefits are not prorated. They start the month following the birthday. ... For birth dates from the 21st through the last date of the month, recipients will have to wait until the fourth Wednesday of the month that follows the birthday.

Does a spouse automatically get half?

Basically, each spouse automatically owns half of what either one earned during the marriage, unless they have a written agreement to the contrary. Each spouse can do whatever he or she likes with his or her own half-share of the community property and with his or her separate property.

Does the wife automatically get half in a divorce?

Getting a divorce is never easy, and couples who are separating may experience stress while wondering how their assets will be split. ... You're entitled to half of everything in your divorce, but it's up to you and your spouse to work together on listing out what you want to divide.

What is a wife entitled to in a divorce in Ohio?

The court presumes that the spouses contribute equally to all the marital property they acquire during the marriage. At divorce, the court divides the marital property equally between the spouses unless an unbalanced result is more equitable. The court can include either spouse's separate property, too. (Ohio Rev.

How long do you have to be married to get half of everything in Ohio?

Under equitable distribution, the court will consider a number of factors when dividing marital property: If you were married for at least 10 years. Both party's assets and liabilities. Both party's incomes and taxes.