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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James R.
I applied for and was approved to receive social security retirement benefits. My wife received a letter telling her to apply as well, but she stayed home to care for the children. Will she be eligible? And does she have a separate social security account from me? How would we go about applying for benefits for her?
Kasey W.
My husband is 69 years old and I am 49. We have been separated but still married about 10 years. My aunt told me that I could file for half if his social security and that I would get it. He has worked many mant years ,but I’m sure he is retired now. Will I be able to get half if his benefits?
Michael C.
My wife started receiving Social Security at age 62. She is one year older than me. I started receiving Social Security at age 66 1/2 and I was the much higher wage earner. Can she switch to a spousal benefit or is she stuck with what she has because she claimed early?
S.S.
Hi, Michael. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. If your wife’s benefits as a spouse are higher than her own retirement benefits, she may get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse’s amount. However, your wife’s combined benefit will be less than half your full retirement age benefit because she started receiving her own benefit at age 62. For more information, visit our Benefits for Spouses page. To speak with a representative about her spouse’s benefits, your wife can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. We hope this helps.
Mary K.
I’m hoping for this answer as well, I wrote in on 8/9 and although my question details were somewhat convoluted, I have not yet had a response.
I hope you get a reply! Mary
Quacy M.
my mother yvette pinkard her husband eulick pinkard was after my mother yvette pinkard benefits from social security her whole life or when she first started under disability
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LG
I started receiving reduced benefits in 2006 at age 62. My wife claimed spousal benefits at her FRA of 66 1/2.
When I die, does my wife receive 100% of my PIA amount or 100% of my reduced benefits amount?
S.S.
Thanks for your question, LG. If your wife is full retirement age or older when she starts receiving survivors benefits, she should receive 100% of your benefit amount. Because you started receiving reduced benefits at 62, we’ll base your wife’s survivor’s benefit on that amount. For more information, read our Survivors publication. We hope this helps.
Bobby S.
I retired when I was 64. My wife does not have enough credits to be eligible. She will be 62 shortly. She will be drawing off mine. What percentage of my social security benefits will she be eligible to draw?….50%?
S.S.
Hello Bobby. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. Spousal benefit can be as much as half of the worker’s “primary insurance amount,” depending on the spouse’s age at retirement. If the spouse begins receiving benefits before “normal (or full) retirement age,” the spouse will receive a reduced benefit. However, if a spouse is caring for a qualifying child, the spousal benefit is not reduced. For more information, visit our Benefits for Spouses page. To discuss your eligibility for benefits with a representative, 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.
heidi
my husand pass away i will get a penison from my job i don’t want to take any s.s till i am 67 i will only be 64 and what i get from s.s they will take from my pension but if i don’t take any can i get my late husand @ 67 where it won’t matter how much i get from my pension?
S.S.
Hello, Heide. We’re sorry for your loss. You may be eligible to apply for survivors benefits. However, other factors may affect your entitlement to these benefits. You can find more information on our Survivors benefits page. We hope this information helps.
Kathy
My husband went on Social security disability at age 61. I will be 62 in January and also work. When can I begin to collect SS for myself? My husband’s is higher so if something would happen to him I would want to be able to collect his amount.
S.S.
Hi, Kathy. Thanks for reading our blog and for your questions. 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. To learn more, visit our Benefits Planner. When you’re ready to apply, you can complete the online application in as little as 15 minutes.
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.
Regarding surviving spouse benefit, should your husband pass away, you may be eligible for benefits. For more information, visit our Benefits for Spouses page. To discuss your eligibility for benefits with a representative, 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.
Lydia
Can I apply for disability at 69, my husband already is receiving his social security already, will it interfere with his Benefits.