Ask Larry
Our Social Security experts have answered more than 10,000 questions about Social Security over many years. Search for your questions and answers here.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Suspending Retirement Benefits
January 28, 2023
If My Wife Suspends Her Own Benefits Now Will That Improve Her Future Spousal Amount?
January 5, 2023
Can I Suspend My Benefits Until Age 70 But Then Claim Back Pay For A Previous Year?
December 13, 2022
Can I Suspend My Social Security Retirement Benefits Without Having To Pay Back Past SSDI Benefits?
September 13, 2022
If I Suspend My Benefits In The Year I Turn Age 70 Will I Immediately Receive An Increase When I Resume My Benefits At Age 70?
August 1, 2022
Am I Correct That I Can Suspend My Benefits Between FRA And Age 70 Without Repaying Any Benefits?
July 12, 2022
Can I Delay The Automatic Conversion From Disability To Retirement Benefits That Occurs At Full Retirement Age?
April 21, 2022
Can I Suspend My Own Social Security Benefits And Collect Survivor Benefits Instead?
December 3, 2021
How Do We Get Social Security To Process My Brother's Voluntary Suspension Request?
September 10, 2021
What Advice Can You Give Me To Get Social Security To Voluntarily Suspend My Benefits?
May 25, 2021
Can My Friend Now File For A Lump Sum Of The Benefits Since He Filed And Suspended?
March 1, 2021
Can You Confirm That I Am Allowed To Suspend My Social Security Retirement Benefits?
November 7, 2020
Can My Wife Suspend Her Social Security And Then Restart Them At Age 70?
August 23, 2020
Can I Suspend My Benefits When They Convert To Retirement Benefits At My FRA?
August 8, 2020
Have The Rules Changed On Voluntarily Suspending Benefits When Disability Benefits Convert To Retirement Benefits?
March 5, 2019
Can My Husband Suspend His Benefits Now And Start Drawing Them Again At Full Retirement Age?
January 29, 2019
Does An Un-Suspension Count As An Application For Benefits That Can Be Withdrawn?
January 25, 2019
Is It True That You Can Start Drawing Benefits Before Full Retirement Age (FRA) And Still Suspend Them When You Reach FRA?
January 23, 2019
Must I Wait Until Age 70 To Resume My Benefits If I Voluntarily Suspend Them?
September 7, 2019
Do I Have To Pay Back The Benefits I've Received In Order To Suspend My Benefits?
August 30, 2019
Would The Fact That I Previously Withdrew An Application Prevent Me From Voluntarily Suspending My Benefits?
August 26, 2019
Is It Possible To Start Your Social Security Early And Then Put It On Hold?
August 6, 2019
Can A Person Who Filed And Suspended Their Benefits Before April 30 2016 Still Get An Excess Spousal Or Survivor Benefit?
June 27, 2019
Can I Suspend My Retirement Benefits At FRA To Earn DRCs But Still Receive Surivivor Benefits?
May 10, 2019
WIll Social Security Start My Husband's Benefits Automatically At Age 70, Or Does He Need To Do Something?
April 5, 2019
Does My Husband Need To File For Benefits Or Will They Start Automatically?
March 27, 2019
Am I Allowed To Suspend My Retirement Benefits If I Started Drawing Prior To My Full Retirement Age?
March 17, 2019
Is There A Deadline For Advising SSA That You Want To Suspend Your Benefits?
March 11, 2018
Should My Husband Wait Until After His 70th Birthday To Unsuspend His Benefits?
February 24, 2018
Is There A Chance That I Won't Get My Benefit Increase If I'm Getting Divorced?
February 8, 2018
How Many Times Can You Suspend Your Social Security Retirement Benefits?
March 11, 2017
Will I Still Be Allowed To Suspend My Benefits At Full Retirement Age If I Receive Disability Benefits?
December 15, 2016
Can My Husband Take Retroactive Benefits Now And Still Be Allowed To Suspend His Benefits Later?

About the Author
Laurence J. Kotlikoff
Laurence J. Kotlikoff is a William Fairfield Warren Professor and Professor of Economics at Boston University, a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, a Fellow of the Econometric Society, and a Research Associate of the National Bureau of Economic Research.
Professor Kotlikoff received his B.A. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania in 1973 and his Ph.D. in Economics from Harvard University in 1977. Kotlikoff is the Director of the Fiscal Analysis Center.
A New York Times Bestselling author, he has written nineteen books and hundreds of professional articles and op-eds. He is a frequent television and radio guest. His columns have appeared in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, London Financial Times, the Boston Globe, Bloomberg, Forbes, Yahoo.com, Fortune, and other major publications. In 2014, The Economist named him one of the world's 25 most influential economists