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Apply Only for Spousal Benefits

Spouses have “dual entitlement”. This means that a spouse who has not worked, has low earnings, or plans continue working after Full Retirement Age (FRA) can can be entitled to as much as one-half of the spouse’s retired worker’s full benefit. If you are eligible for both your own retirement benefits and for benefits as a spouse, the Social Security Administration (SSA) will always pay your own benefits first. If your benefit as a spouse is higher than your retirement benefit, you will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. For example, if your spousal benefit is $1,200 per month and the benefit on your own work record is $1,000 per month.  You will receive $1,200 per month ($1,000 per month in benefits from your own work record and $200 per month on your spouse’s work record.)

If you have reached your FRA, are eligible for a spouse’s or ex-spouse’s benefit and your own retirement benefit, you may choose to receive only spouse’s benefits and continue accruing delayed retirement credits (DRCs) on your own Social Security earnings record. You then may file for benefits later and receive a higher monthly benefit based on the effect of the DRCs. (Which are generally an 8 percent increase per year).

You should apply for Social Security retirement benefits three-months before your FRA birthday. Complete the online application form. State that you want benefits to start as soon as possible without any permanent reduction to your FRA benefit. In the section of the online application titled, “When to Start Retirement Benefits” answer Yes to this question, “If you are eligible for both retirement benefits and spouse’s benefits, you may choose to delay receiving your own retirement benefit and receive only the spouse’s benefit for now”.

If you make this selection, the SSA may contact you to verify details. You will receive a written confirmation of the SSA’s decision after your online Spousal Only Benefits application has been processed.

Note: If you are receiving a pension based on work where you did not pay Social Security taxes, your spouse’s benefit may be reduced.  For additional information on pensions from work not covered by Social Security see http://www.ssa.gov/pubs/EN-05-10035.pdf

Filing and Suspending is a New Way to Maximize Benefits for Singles

When I present ways to maximize Social Security retirement benefits, I always feel badly for singles. It seems that the only maximization strategy for singles is to determine the optimum time to retire. Thanks to Kurt Czarnowski, a former Social Security Representative, there is a new maximization strategy for singles.

Let’s say that you are single with a full-retirement-age (FRA) of 66 and you plan on working until you are 70 years old. Kurt Czarnowski suggests that when you reach FRA you file for Social Security benefits and suspend your application. This will allow you to accrue delayed-retirement-credits (DRCs) until you actually retire at 70. (DRCs are about 8 percent per year.  If you work until 70, you can increase your FRA, you will increase your benefits by 32 percent.)

The advantage of filing and suspending at FRA is this. If for some reason you need to claim Social Security before 70 you can claim benefits all the way back to your FRA. In other words, you can claim up to four years of benefits. If you do not file and suspend, and claim benefits before 70 you can only claim benefits for the previous six-months after FRA.

Thank you Kurt Czarnowski for a great claiming strategy for singles!