Do You Qualify for Social Security Spouse’s Benefits?
Reading Time: 3 MinutesLast Updated: July 15, 2024
Social Security benefits are a crucial part of the retirement income for millions of Americans.
If you don’t have enough Social Security credits to get benefits on your own work record or your own benefit is small, you may be able to receive benefits as a spouse. Your spouse must be receiving benefits for you to get benefits on their work record. If your spouse does not receive retirement or disability, you’ll have to wait to apply on your spouse’s record.
In addition, to be eligible for spouse’s benefits, you must be one of the following:
- 62 years of age or older.
- Any age if you have a child who is younger than 16 in your care or has a disability and is entitled to benefits on your spouse’s record.
How the spouse’s benefit is determined
Your full spouse’s benefit could be up to one-half the amount your spouse is eligible to receive at their full retirement age. If you choose to receive your spouse’s benefits before you reach full retirement age, your payment will be permanently reduced.
Your spouse may have postponed or plan to postpone their retirement to increase their monthly benefit amount by earning delayed retirement credits. However, your maximum spouse’s benefit remains 50% of their full retirement age benefit, not their higher amount including delayed retirement credits. (Your benefit as a surviving spouse would be based on the higher amount.)
If you wait until you reach full retirement age to receive benefits, you’ll receive your full spouse’s benefit amount. You may also get your full spouse’s benefit if you are under full retirement age, but care for a child and one of the following applies:
- The child is younger than age 16.
- The child has a disability and is entitled to benefits on your spouse’s record.
Payments to family members do not decrease your spouse’s retirement or disability benefit.
If you get retirement and spouse’s benefits
If you’re eligible for retirement and spouse’s benefits, you must apply for both, and you’ll receive a combined benefit equaling the higher spouse’s amount.
This requirement is called “deemed filing” because when you apply for one benefit you are “deemed” to have applied for the other benefit.
If you receive retirement on your own record, we will pay that amount first. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own benefit, you will get a combination of benefits that equals the higher spouse’s benefit.
Consider this example: Sandy is eligible for a monthly retirement benefit of $1,000 and a spouse’s benefit of $1,250. If she waits for Social Security until her full retirement age, she will receive her own $1,000 retirement benefit. We will add $250 from her spouse’s benefit, for a total of $1,250 a month. Sandy only gets an additional spouse’s benefit because her own benefit is less than half her spouse’s full retirement age benefit.
How to apply online
Want to apply for your retirement or your spouse’s benefit or both? Are you at least 61 years and 9 months old? If you answered yes, visit our website to get started today. If you and your spouse both have a personal my Social Security account, you can view an estimate of the benefits you could receive based on your spouse’s record.
Divorced spouses can get benefits, too
Are you divorced from a marriage that lasted at least 10 years? You may be able to get benefits on your former spouse’s record. Our rules for divorced spouse’s benefits are slightly different. You can find out more by visiting our Family benefits page.
For more information about spouse’s benefits, please read our Retirement Benefits publication.
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Tags: General Information, retirement benefits, Social Security benefits
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Dawn Bystry, Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
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Andy G.
My wife starting collecting her SSA benefits at 65 or so . She is now working p/t and receives about $600 per month SSA. I started receiving my SSA benefits when I hit 70. I receive about $4000 per month and I’m still working. Would she be eligible to receive additional spousal SSA of $1400 per month? She is now 70.
Thanks
–AG
DanO
She could potentially be eligible for the difference between her $600 and half your Full Retirement Age benefit (not the $4000 figure you receive by waiting to age 70). If you pre-decease her, then her benefits could rise to the $4000 amount though.
S.D.
Hi, Andy. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. Your wife should contact us right away about her spouse’s benefits. She can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. It appears her benefits as a spouse will be higher than her own retirement benefits, so she may get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse’s amount. However, spouse benefits do not include any delayed retirement credits you earned. Your wife’s combined benefit will be less than half your full retirement age benefit because she started getting her own benefit before her full retirement age. If you and your wife both have a personal my Social Security account, you can view an estimate of the benefits she could receive based on your earnings history. We hope this helps.
Susan B.
My spouse is deceased at 54. I became disabled a couple years later at 53. As a disabled widow I could get my spouses social security and disability. I chose his because it was greater than mine. I’m 62 now. Will I be able to get my social security in addition to his now? If not, what happens to the money I put into social security? I really need more income.
Thanks
Paul L.
Please read the linked article from Social Security website. Have a nice day!
https://blog.ssa.gov/do-you-qualify-for-social-security-spouses-benefits-2/?utm_medium=email&utm_source=govdelivery#comments-anchor
S.D.
Hi, Susan. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. In many cases, a surviving spouse can begin receiving a survivors benefit at a reduced rate and later switch to their own retirement benefit, if it is higher. The rules are complicated and vary depending on the situation. To learn more, read our guest blog. To speak with a representative about your situation, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. We hope this helps.
LW
Consider this SSA-posted example: Sandy is eligible for a monthly retirement benefit of $1,000 and a spouse’s benefit of $1,250. If she waits for Social Security until her full retirement age, she will receive her own $1,000 retirement benefit. We will add $250 from her spouse’s benefit, for a total of $1,250 a month.
Question: When will the SSA add the $250 above? For example: What if the spouse in the example above (not Sandy) is still working, has reached their FRA but has not filed for SS benefits? Will the $250 be added anyway, & if it will, is this SPOUSAL $250 added at the spouse’s FRA, b/c the SSA, what 50% of the still working spouse’s FRA earnings are at that point (& it doesn’t matter that the non-filing working spouse is still working & hasn’t filed – the $250 is paid to Sandy)?
OR….if the $250 is NOT added to Sandy’s benefit (b/c the spouse is still working and hasn’t filed for SS yet), will Sandy still receive her $1,000 based on her earnings, & exactly when will Sandy be able to file for the SPOUSAL benefit?: 1) at the spouse’s FRA (b/c the SSA already knows what Sandy’s 50% spousal earning amount will be at that point?, or b) is the SPOUSAL benefit not able to be paid to Sandy until the spouse retires & finally files (potentially at 70). If that is the case, until that spouse retires & files, does Sandy only receive the $1,000 based on his/her own lower earnings amount? What if Sandy & his/her spouse get divorced at the still working spouse’s FRA point? Are they rewarded for getting divorced and get the extra $250, while if they had stayed married, they have to wait until the spouse retires to get the extra funds?
If this sounds sarcastic, it isn’t meant to be. I genuinely want to know these answers. Thank you.
Michelle H.
I just turned 62 July 1st . I applied for ssi they are saying I can not get ssi for my disability due to his income .
I can not work due to a cycle accident that about cut my foot off .
At 62 I would only get 250 a month retirement . Can I draw off his retirement he’s 67 what advice would you give me to get a income of my own
S.D.
Hi, Michelle. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a needs-based program for people with disabilities and people 65 and older who have limited income and resources. If you’re married and you and your husband live in the same household, the law requires that we count his income and resources when determining your SSI eligibility and payment amount.
Now that you’re 62, you can apply for early retirement benefits. The most convenient way is to use our online application. If your husband receives Social Security benefits, you may be eligible for spouse’s benefits. If your benefits as a spouse are greater than your own retirement benefits, you may get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse’s amount. However, your spouse’s benefit will be less than half your husband’s full retirement age benefit if you start receiving your own benefits at 62, before your full retirement age. If you and your husband both have a personal my Social Security account, you can view an estimate of the benefits you could receive based on his earnings history. To learn more about spouse’s benefits, check out our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
Marylou S.
I’ll be turning 62 about 7mths.,worked fulltime 18yrs. But never retired, and I’m looking into applying for my SS. When can I start to apply fir my Benefits?
T.Y.
Hi, Marylou. The earliest age you can receive retirement benefits is 62. If you choose to receive benefits before your full retirement age, they will be reduced. Your full retirement age is determined by your year of birth. Visit our retirement age calculator to determine your full retirement age. You can create a personal my Social Security account to review estimates of your retirement, disability, and survivors benefits, your earnings record, and the estimated Social Security and Medicare taxes you’ve paid. We hope this information is helpful.
Mary A.
Im 62 yrs old next year july2025. Can i apply SSI. My husband passed away and Im receiving survivor benefits can i still apply, my spouse SSI and received my survivor benefits. At the same time how that thing work. My husband we both the same age just passed. Pls give a comment
Thank you
S.D.
Hi, Mary Ann. Thanks for reading our blog and for your questions. If you have limited income and resources, you may be able to get Supplemental Security Income (SSI) in addition to your monthly survivors benefit. SSI is a needs-based program that makes payments to people with limited income and resources who are blind, have a qualifying disability, or are 65 or older. To get SSI and Social Security – commonly referred to as “concurrent” benefits – your monthly survivors benefits must be less than $963 in 2024 (the SSI monthly Federal payment amount plus $20). To learn more about SSI eligibility requirements, visit our Who can get SSI page. To schedule an appointment to apply for SSI, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. We hope this helps.
Bruce M.
My wife is 62 years old and has had her green card for two years, currently waiting for her US Customs and Immigration Interview. She is Egyptian born, retired, but has never worked in the US. Will she be eligible to receive my SS payments with the green card or with her US citizenship once she receives it?
Bill
I hope not!
S.D.
Hi, Bruce. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. If you are receiving benefits, your wife may be able to get benefits as your spouse if she is lawfully present in the United States. For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. To learn how to apply for spouse’s benefits, visit Apply for Social Security benefits. We hope this helps.
Jim S.
I’m a US citizen and I’ve been living in Colombia for the past 4 years and collecting Social Security retirement. I am in the process of permanently moving back to the United States. I’ve already changed my address on my SSA.gov account to my new US address. Is there anything else I need to notify SSA for my move?
S.D.
Hi, Jim. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. In addition to changing your address, you may need to change your bank account information. You cannot update your direct deposit using your personal my Social Security account if you do not have a U.S. mailing address. For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. You may also want to call 1-800-MEDICARE, if you are 65 or older, once you have returned to this country.
Jennifer
You have to be married to receive spouse’s benefits correct? That is virtually impossible for most of us on disability because if we marry, they will count our combined incomes and we can run the risk of losing Medicaid.
Marcie
Boo hoo. You didn’t understand the article, ma’am.
Jerry M.
Good, that would be as should be and would save us tax paying citizens a lot of money we should not be paying out for you to get benefits and free Medicaid.
Eloise P.
Hi
My husband filed for SS at 62 born 1958
I just filed at 65 born 1958 my husband made less than me over the years. Can he collect a higher benefit on my SS because I made more money over the years and worked since I was 13?
DanO
If his monthly benefit is less than half of your amount have him contact SSA and inquire. Call 1-800-772-1213.
T.Y.
Hi, Eloise. Thank you for reading our blog. If your husband is eligible on his own record, we will pay that amount first. If he is also eligible for a higher amount as a spouse, he’ll get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. Find more information here. We hope this helps.