The file-and-suspend technique for Social Security has recently been done away with and that is causing people to scramble to find a new strategy. Under the previous rules married couples could take advantage of this technique. “Upon reaching full retirement age, typically 66, the beneficiary could file to claim Social Security, but then immediately suspend it, or ask to stop receiving the regular monthly income. Having filed, he made his spouse eligible for a “spousal benefit” that was half of the beneficiary’s benefit.” This article offers advice for couples who are navigating in a post file-and-suspend era. There are different Social Security options that senior citizen couples have available to them. Careful and prudent Social Security planning can help people increase their income and live a more comfortable life.
See Jeff Brown, How to Use Social Security After the File-and-Suspend Rule Ends, U.S. News & World Report, May 4, 2016.
