Ask Larry

I am a lawyer, age 63 and plan on working until age 70. My wife just turned 67 and is entitled to her full retirement age benefits. Can she begin receiving them if i am still working, have not filed, and will not do so until 2027. I understand that she cannot receive spousal benefits until I retire, right?

Hi,

Yes, your wife is free to apply for her own Social Security retirement benefits whenever she so chooses. Your age and how much you're earning would have no effect on your wife's ability to collect her own Social Security benefits. But, as you mentioned, she couldn't be paid any spousal benefits at least until you start drawing your benefits.

If your primary insurance amount (PIA) is significantly more than twice as much as your wife's PIA, then she would almost certainly want to claim her own benefits as soon as possible. A person's PIA is equal to the amount of their Social Security retirement benefit if they start drawing at full retirement age (FRA). You and your wife may want to strongly consider using our software (https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/purchase) to compare all of the various filing options available to you in order to determine the best possible strategy for maximizing your benefits.

Best, Jerry