# Social Security benefits must have the last 35 years? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 5, 2015, 8:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592 "2015-10-05T08:44:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592/21 "2019-12-20T22:09:11Z")
> [@edwardcoast](#): > > Hey, we gotta explore all options here. Seriously, I’d think if she were charged with murder she wouldn’t get anything, except an all paid expense trip to jail. You waited over 4 years to bring that up? 😕 ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [December 20, 2019, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592/22 "2019-12-20T22:19:30Z")
> [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](#): > > You waited over 4 years to bring that up? 😕 You want it quick or you want it done right?😃 ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592/23 "2019-12-21T13:49:54Z")
> [@edwardcoast](#): > > This is just for an example: > A couple born 1958. Both have their birthday on the same day where in June 1st, 2020 they will both be 62 years of age. The husband has been employed for 40 years. The wife has not earned any social security credits. > > Their full retirement age is 66 and 7 months. The max retirement age is 70. > > The husband doesn’t plan to take social security retirement until age 70. > > Does that mean she can’t start collecting 1/2 of the social security benefit as a spouse until 70? Can she start collecting it at age 62, and does this reduce the benefit in the future? From the first para of the link: “Even if you have never worked under Social Security, you may be able to get spouse’s retirement benefits if you are at least 62 years of age and your spouse is receiving retirement or disability benefits. You can also qualify for Medicare at age 65.” [My underline.] If you are elgible for SS benefits higher than spousal benefits, then you probably do not want to apply for spousal benefits for the reasons given in the para I quoted in my previous post. But be aware I am not an expert on these matters and and mostly quoting from the SSA. Please follow the links given on that page for further information. If you cannot find the information you need, just contact SSA and get it from them. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592/24 "2019-12-21T22:06:28Z")
> [@edwardcoast](#): > > Hey, we gotta explore all options here. Seriously, I’d think if she were charged with murder she wouldn’t get anything, except an all paid expense trip to jail. Talk about your late hits! Between the time of my post and today, I got on SS. ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 21, 2019, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592/25 "2019-12-21T22:29:05Z")
> [@Bill\_Door](#): > > If you were born before the cutoff date of Jan. 2, 1954 and have reached full retirement age for your cohort you can file for spousal benefits and receive 50% of your spouse’s benefit. That’s your spouse’s benefit at full retirement age, so if your spouse filed early and took a reduction you’ll get more than 50% of their actual benefit, but if they filed after their full retirement age and receive a bonus you’ll get less. > > You could then wait to collect on your own record gaining around 8% per year until the age of 70. > > If you were born after that cutoff date and you file for benefits you would first receive your benefit, then spousal benefits if 50% of your spouses benefit at full retirement age was greater than your benefit. You’d receive the increment to bring your benefit up to 50%. Having been born before the new cutoff date, I’m doing exactly this. I believe I had to wait until my FRA at 66, but when I hit that age my wife started her benefits and I took half hers. When I hit 70 I’ll take my full benefits I’ll take mine and my wife will switch to half mine - which is greater than her full benefits would be at 70. Yes, the way it is calculated she gets her benefits first and then an additional for spousal benefits, but it comes out to the same number. I found a good site which let you enter all sorts of arcane situations and would then give you the optimal strategy, which I then checked against the SS site and a real person. ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2019, 6:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592/26 "2019-12-22T06:46:10Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Talk about your late hits! > > Between the time of my post and today, I got on SS. Cool.🆒 I can just picture you starting on your front porch shaking your fist yelling out, “You God damn kids! Get off of my lawn!”. Well, at least I picture me doing this when I retire.😃 ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2019, 8:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592/27 "2019-12-22T08:14:36Z")
> [@Voyager](#): > > Having been born before the new cutoff date, I’m doing exactly this. I believe I had to wait until my FRA at 66, but when I hit that age my wife started her benefits and I took half hers. When I hit 70 I’ll take my full benefits I’ll take mine and my wife will switch to half mine - which is greater than her full benefits would be at 70. > Yes, the way it is calculated she gets her benefits first and then an additional for spousal benefits, but it comes out to the same number. > **I found a good site which let you enter all sorts of arcane situations and would then give you the optimal strategy, which I then checked against the SS site and a real person.** You gonna let the rest of us find it on our own, or could we maybe trouble you for a link? ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2019, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592/28 "2019-12-22T15:22:53Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > You gonna let the rest of us find it on our own, or could we maybe trouble you for a link? That site vanished on me. I meant to say that. I’m typing with my 3 week old granddaughter on my shoulder so I’m a bit off. ---
**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\ **Post date:** [December 22, 2019, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592/29 "2019-12-22T21:41:18Z")
> [@edwardcoast](#): > > Hey, we gotta explore all options here. Seriously, I’d think if she were charged with murder she wouldn’t get anything, except an all paid expense trip to jail. /tangent Unless she lived in a jurisdiction where you are charged money for expenses to the state. ---
**Author:** ![edwardcoast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/cab0a1/32.png) [@edwardcoast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/edwardcoast)\ **Post date:** [December 23, 2019, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592/30 "2019-12-23T00:13:41Z")
> [@Melbourne](#): > > /tangent > > Unless she lived in a jurisdiction where you are **charged money for expenses** to the state. Really? Some places do that? Man, that makes being in jail so punishing.😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/social-security-benefits-must-have-the-last-35-years/733592.md?page=1)