Social Security and You: File and Restrict
Published in Senior Living Features
Q: I am about to turn age 66. My husband is 61, and he is on Social Security disability. I want to "file and restrict." In other words, I want to file for wife's benefits on his record and delay taking my own until age 70 to get the delayed retirement bonus of 32 percent. But does the fact that he is not getting regular Social Security prevent me from doing that?
A: OK, I think I've made the point often enough in this column that you now understand this: Your husband is indeed getting regular Social Security. And to employ the "maximizing" strategy you are talking about, it makes no difference if he is getting retirement or disability benefits. So you will be able to file for wife's benefits on his Social Security disability account, and later switch to higher benefits on your own record.
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If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has the answer. Contact him at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
(c) Houston Chronicle
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