5 Social Security Spousal Benefits and Loopholes You Need to Know Now

3. Deemed Filing

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Deemed filing mandates that when applying for either your retirement or your spouse’s benefit, you are automatically considered to be applying for both. The Bipartisan Budget Act extends these rules to encompass full retirement age and beyond. The change aims to maintain fairness in benefit incentives. Deemed filing rules specifically impact retirement benefits only, and survivor’s benefits remain unaffected. For widows or widowers, there’s autonomy to commence survivor benefits independently, distinct from the retirement benefit. Exceptions to deemed filing exist in certain scenarios. For instance, it doesn’t apply if you’re receiving spouse’s benefits and are also eligible for disability benefits. Additionally, the rule doesn’t come into play if you’re receiving spousal benefits due to your role as the caregiver for the child of the retired worker.