The question is if you have one person who is eligible but not drawing benefits. And you have a spouse who is not quite eligible say 60ish. Can the eligible person draw on the other spouse's benefits at 50% and let their own benefits continue to grow at the 8% annual rate until they decide to draw on their own benefits?
If so does this have any impact on the spouse that is 60ish when they reach 62 in terms of deciding what to do when deciding when to start drawing benefits?
or if the eligible person cannot draw benefits on the other spouse because they are not 62. When they turn 62 could both draw benefits on the one highest earning spouse albeit the one would be at the 50% level while the other persons benefit continues to grow at the 8% annual rate?

Maybe I have a total mis-understanding of how this works.

Thanks in advance for you insight guys and gals.

To be eligible for Social Security spousal benefits, you must meet the following requirements:

Be married to someone who RECEIVES Social Security retirement or disability benefits and has been married for at least one year.

To answer another question you asked:

Deemed filing is a Social Security rule that requires a person to file for both their own retirement benefit and their spouse's benefit if they are eligible for both:

Explanation
The term "deemed" means that the person is considered to have filed for both benefits, even if they only applied for one.

Purpose
The rule prevents people from taking advantage of the system by receiving benefits while also earning delayed retirement credits.
Benefits
If a person is eligible for both benefits, they will receive a combined benefit that is equal to the higher of the two. For example, if a person's retirement benefit is $1,000 and their spouse's benefit is $1,250, they will receive a total of $1,250 per month.

So to answer your question directly - Can the eligible person draw on the other spouse's benefits at 50% and let their own benefits continue to grow at the 8% annual rate until they decide to draw on their own benefits? See above. The answer is no.

I hope this answers your questions. Feel free to post a follow up question if you need further clarification.

quote:

Originally posted by Fed161:
For example, if a person's retirement benefit is $1,000 and their spouse's benefit is $1,250, they will receive a total of $1,250 per month.

Great explanation. Just to avoid confusion, in this sentence I believe you meant spousal benefit, not spouse's benefit?

quote:

Originally posted by Georgeair:

quote:

Originally posted by Fed161:
For example, if a person's retirement benefit is $1,000 and their spouse's benefit is $1,250, they will receive a total of $1,250 per month.

Great explanation. Just to avoid confusion, in this sentence I believe you meant spousal benefit, not spouse's benefit?

Correct. Thanks

ok great. What I was thinking might be the case is not the case. I appreciate clearing that up for me.
In the scenario I posted there would be no benefit in drawing on spousal benefits.

Again, thanks guys

SS used to allow spousal benefits while letting the recipient’s account grow by waiting until 72, but they shut that down a few years ago. The wife and I were able to take advantage of that, but we were one of the last of the boomers to be able to do that.