What Are the Most Common Retirement Questions You Receive about Social Security?
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: April 6, 2017
There are two big questions I hear plenty.
- My husband wants to retire at 62 and start taking Social Security. Is that okay?
This typically comes up because husbands are often a few years older than their wives, and figure they want to “get their money’s worth” by taking Social Security as early as possible. I think that can be a bad move. Unless you have oodles of money to live on in retirement, you — as a couple — want to maximize your Social Security payout for the longest surviving spouse. It’s important to understand that when one spouse dies, the other spouse is entitled to just one Social Security payment. So you want the surviving spouse to have the biggest possible benefit. Here’s how: Whichever spouse is the higher earner (and thus eligible for a bigger Social Security benefit) should delay taking Social Security at least until their Full Retirement Age (FRA), which is between age 66 and 67, depending on the year you were born.
Your FRA benefit is 25 to 30 percent higher than the benefit you can get at age 62. Even better is to have the high earner wait all the way until age 70. The benefit if you start then is more than 65 percent higher than the benefit you are entitled to at age 62. While the high-earner should wait as long as possible, the other spouse can start earlier, but I always encourage both spouses to delay as long as possible.
- I am getting divorced and haven’t worked full time. Am I going to be able to get Social Security?
If you were married at least 10 years you will be eligible for Social Security based on your ex-spouse’s earnings record. Your receiving a benefit will have no impact on the benefit your ex is eligible for.
There are a few caveats to understand about how this works. Most important, you can’t make a claim on an ex-spouse’s record if you remarry. (It doesn’t matter if your ex remarried.) You also need to be at least 62 years old. You can learn more about that here.
SSA does not endorse any particular financial advisory product or service.
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Tags: full retirement age, retirement benefits, Social Security benefits
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Suze Orman, Personal Finance Expert
Suze Orman is an award-winning personal finance expert.
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Cam
I filed for SS last month when I turned 62. Now I am told by someone if my husband passes away, I will only be eligible for what (decreased amount) I am receiving now,and not his SS benefits. He waited until he was 70yrs old to claim his SS. Is this correct? If. Or, then what would I be eligible to receive. Thank you so much for helping me answer whether or not this is correct information. Cam
sandra k.
I AM 74, IF I GO TO WORK PART TIME WILL IT AFFECT MY SOCIAL SECURITY BENIFITS
R.F.
Thank you for your question, Sandra. If you work and are full retirement age or older, the amount you make at work will not affect your Social Security benefits, no matter how much you earn.
joe b.
My sisters husband passed away on 6/1/18. He was on both social security and disability through the system. Is she entitled to collect both his social security and disability benefits via the social security system? She is not disabled. Or just upgrade to his monthly amount and drop her benefits?
R.F.
We are sorry to hear of your loss, Joe. Generally, survivor’s benefits are paid at a higher rate. Your sister needs to contact us as soon as possible to see if she qualifies for a higher benefit amount. It is possible for a person to be eligible to more than one benefit at the same time. However, we are only going to pay the highest benefit amount from either records – meaning that your sister will only be allowed to receive one payment.
You cannot report a death or apply for survivors benefits online. We should be notified as soon as possible when a person dies.
To apply for benefits, your sister can call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. She can also contact the local Social Security office. An appointment is not required, but if she calls ahead and schedule one, it may reduce the time she spends waiting to speak to someone.
We hope this information helps!
Barbara B.
I want to get my ss at full retirement age for me 66 and still work. Will my income taxes really go? My income from work is 38,900 my ss now will be about
1500 but I want to just bank that and live like I’m living without that. Hope I make sense….Thanks
R.F.
Our Benefits Planner For Retirement will provide information about “Getting Benefits While Working” & “Income Taxes And Your Social Security Benefits” as well as other important information.
We hope this helps!
Pamela L.
I am wondering if I am collecting Social security disability and I am divorced, my ex husband retires at the end of the month, I am 59, am l able to receive his Social security payments at the time he retires?
Pamela L.
I read that the year you reach full retirement age if you make more than 45,000, in the months prior to your birth month, SSA will deduct $1 for every $3 earned after you exceed that amount. Is that correct and does it apply if you wait until full retirement age to collect Social security benefits?
R.F.
Great question, Pamela! In the year you reach full retirement age, we deduct $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above a different limit. In 2018, the limit on your earnings is $45,360 but we only count earnings before the month you reach your full retirement age. If you are eligible for retirement benefits this year and are still working, you can use our earnings test calculator to see how your earnings could affect your benefit payments. See our Retirement Planner: Getting Benefits While Working for more information. Thanks!
charles t.
i’m 65 years old and still working can i start drawing my monthly check from social securtiy say sept 1 2018, and work till march 1, 2019 than retire without any penatilys.
THANKS
R.F.
Hi Charles, you can still work and receive your Social Security retirement benefits at the same time. However, at 65, you’re still under your full retirement age. If you are younger than full retirement age and make more than the yearly earnings limit, this can reduce the number of payments you receive through the year. For 2018 that limit is $17,040.
You can use our earnings test calculator to see how your earnings could affect your benefit payments.
To learn more, please visit our Frequently Asked Questions web page or read our publication: “How Work Affects Your Benefits”. We hope this information helps!
Nhikhe N.
My wife and I are married more than 30 years. I am the higher income earner. My wife has sufficient credits but very little. Both of us are 59. I heard that my wife can receive benefits based on my earnings until I begin to claim the benefits. My questions are: 1/ Can my wife claim benefits using my earnings at 62 while I continue to work until full retirement age, 2/ If yes, how does this affect my benefits when I begin to claim it, and what would happen to her benefit when she reverted back to using her earnings, 3/ what would happen if I die? Will she continue to receive my benefits?
R.F.
Individuals turning 62 on or after January 2, 2016, and eligible for benefits both as a retired worker and as a spouse (or divorced spouse), are required to file for all retirement or spousal benefits they may be eligible for. The option to take only one benefit at full retirement age no longer exists. Neither are you able to “file and suspend” (at full retirement age) to allow your spouse to receive benefits on your record while you continue to work. See “What do the Recent Social Security Claiming Changes Mean for Me” for more information.
Also, you must be receiving retirement or disability benefits for your wife to be eligible to receive benefits on your record.
A widow can start receiving survivors benefits at age 60 (50 if disabled). We hope this information helps!
Penny G.
I am divorced from a second marriage. It is the second marriage/divorce for him too. As the second wife am I entitled to his SS benefits?
R.F.
Hello Penny, you may be able to receive benefits on your ex-spouse’s record at age 62 if:
• You were married to your ex-spouse for at least 10 years;
• You are unmarried;
• Your ex-spouse is entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits and,
• The benefit you are entitled to receive based on your own work is less than the benefit you would receive based on your ex-spouse’s work.
For more information, please visit our Retirement Planner: If You Are Divorced. Thanks!
Margaret F.
Can I draw Social Security and my Louisiana Teacher Retirement? I’ve retired from teaching and am working at a private business to complete my 40 quarters for my social security. Is this all I have to do to qualify for my social security benefits?
R.F.
Hi Margaret. Generally, a person needs 40 credits, or at least 10 years of work, paying Social Security taxes, in order to qualify for almost any type of Social Security benefits, including Medicare.
A pension based on work that is not covered by Social Security (for example, Federal civil service and some State or local government agencies) may cause the amount of your Social Security benefit to be reduced. See Windfall Elimination Provision for more information. Thanks!