Does ut make sense for my wife to claim spousal benefits for social security if i wait until 70

[acwgolfer]

There seems to be a lot of confusing information about when it's appropriate for my spouse to claim spousal benefits.  If I'm waiting until 70 and she claims spousal benefits now, can she then switch to her own benefits when she turns 70?   Can you help me understand this?

[KarenL4 · Accepted solution]

Hi, 

It used to be that you could increase your overall social security benefits by switching between you and your spouse's benefit.  That is no longer possible for someone starting social security, as explained in this article.

Basically, you can get 1/2 your spouse's benefit or all of your own.  Take a look at this Forbes article for a deeper dive.

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Best,

Karen