Do You Qualify for Social Security Spouse’s Benefits?
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: August 24, 2023
Social Security benefits are a crucial part of millions of Americans’ retirement income.
If you don’t have enough Social Security credits to qualify for benefits on your own record, you may be able to receive benefits on your spouse’s record.
To qualify for spouse’s benefits, you must be one of the following:
- 62 years of age or older.
- Any age and have in your care a child younger than age 16, or who has a disability and is entitled to receive benefits on your spouse’s record.
Your full spouse’s benefit could be up to one-half the amount your spouse is entitled to receive at their full retirement age. If you choose to receive your spouse’s benefits before you reach full retirement age, you will get a permanently reduced benefit.
If you wait until you reach full retirement age to receive benefits, you’ll receive your full spouse’s benefit amount, which is up to one-half the amount your spouse can receive. You’ll 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 receive benefits on your spouse’s record.
If you’re eligible to receive retirement benefits on your own record, we will pay that amount first. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own retirement benefits, you will get a combination of benefits that equal the higher spouse benefit.
For example, Sandy qualifies for a retirement benefit of $1,000 and a spouse’s benefit of $1,250. At 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.
Want to apply for either your or your spouse’s benefits? Are you at least 61 years and nine months old? If you answered yes to both, visit our website to get started today.
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. You can find out more by visiting our Benefits For Your Family page for more information.
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Tags: Children, General Information, retirement benefits, Social Security benefits, survivors benefits
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Dawn Bystry, Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Comments
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Cal V.
My wife was married for 11 yrs to another man and got divorced both my wife and her former husband are in their 70’s can my wife draw against her first husband’s Ssi? Or can she ever draw from his Ssi?
Ann C.
Hi, Cal. Thanks for your questions. To be eligible for divorced spouse benefits, your wife had to be married to her former spouse for at least 10 years, be currently unmarried, and she cannot be eligible for a higher benefit on her own record. For more information on how to qualify for divorced spouse benefits, check out our Benefits Planner. We hope this helps.
Donna W.
My husband was receiving disability which was converted to retirement when he became full retirement age. I am still working and not at full retirement age. Can he collect from me even though I have not retired? Or does he have to wait until I retire. I am the higher wage earner.
Ann C.
Hi, Donna. Thanks for your question. In order for your husband to qualify for spouse’s benefits, you must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. Keep in mind that if he qualifies for his own benefits and for benefits as a spouse, we always pay his own benefits first. If his benefits as a spouse are higher than his own benefits, he will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. For more information, please visit our Benefits Planner. We hope this helps.
James P.
I am collecting my retirement disability and my wife is retired and gets more than i do, how does the spousal support work, do i get mine and have a my x wifes, we was married 13 years.
James P.
I collect retirement disability, my x wife of 13 years makes more on her retirement, do i get mine and 50% of her amount??
Ann C.
Hi, James. Thanks for your question. To qualify for spouse’s benefits, you must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. Keep in mind if you qualify for your own benefits and for benefits as a spouse, we always pay your own benefits first. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own benefits, you will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. Visit our Benefits Planner for more information. We hope this information is helpful.
G. R.
I have a question about disability benefits. IF one is determined to be disabled and begins receiving benefits, at what time do these benefits cease or are they paid for the remainder of one’s life?
Julianna O.
I am a caregiver to my Husband Englebert Oestereicher Iam Julianna Oestereicher,
Ann C.
Hi, G. Raehn. Thanks for your question. Generally, your disability benefits will continue as long as your medical condition has not improved and you can’t work. Benefits won’t necessarily continue indefinitely. The law requires Social Security to conduct disability reviews periodically to make sure the individuals receiving disability benefits are still eligible to get them. For more information, check out our publication, What You Need to Know When You Get Social Security Disability Benefits. We hope this helps.
Teresa P.
I will be 62 in January but I did not work enough quarters to draw ss , can I draw off my husband who won’t be 62 until November 2024
Ann C.
Hi, Susan. Thanks for your question. To qualify for spouse’s benefits, your spouse must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. Keep in mind that if you qualify for your own benefits and for benefits as a spouse, we always pay your own benefits first. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own benefits, you will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. Visit our Benefits Planner for more information. We hope this information is helpful.
G. R.
My wife and I are both retired. I retired at the age of 49 due to disability and collected SS Disability benefits. She was self employed from 1992 til 2006 and before that worked in various jobs most of the time as an Executive Secretary.
Can she apply for benefits based upon me? She also was married to another person for 16 years and then divorced and we married about six years later and this happened a number of years before either of us retired.
Ann C.
Hi, G. Raehn. Thanks for visiting our blog. If your wife qualifies for her own benefits and for benefits as a spouse, we always pay her own benefits first. If her benefits as a spouse are higher than her own benefits, she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. Visit our Benefits Planner for more information. We hope this helps.
Octavio
Hi my wife don’t have a social security yet. She in process. But she can collect social security because she is my spouse and my caregiver. O she have to wait until she receive her social security number. If is the answer is yes. She can receive back pay for the time she didn’t receive the benefits. Thanks
Bill
NO, why would you even think she should be able to?
edee
Hi Octavio, please contact your local SS office (or phone them) for an appointment, along with your wife. They will have the answers for you, as far as from now and for future…..however not for any back payment. You both will need to answer a few more questions to receive an answer directly from SS.
Ann C.
Hi, Octovio. Thanks for visiting our blog. Unfortunately, your question is a bit more complex than we can answer in this forum. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance with specific questions. You can also contact your local Social Security office. You can also find more information about benefits for your spouse here. We hope this helps.
Kimberly E.
My husband passed away in 08, can I collect his and mine? How does that work if you’re widowed?
Rick66
No, it’s one or the other, whichever is higher.
Steven O.
What usually happens is you continue receiving your money and will get a percentage of his monthly meaning your monthly amount will go up
Ann C.
Hi, Kimberly. We are sorry to hear about your loss. The amount of your widow’s benefit is based on several factors, including: the earnings of your husband, when he started receiving his benefits, your age, and the amount of your own retirement benefit. We compare your own benefit with your potential survivor benefit. If your survivor benefit would be higher than your own current retirement benefit, you would be eligible for survivor benefits. To learn how much you could be eligible for, please call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). At this time, we do not offer an online application for survivors benefits. For more information about survivors benefits, please visit our Benefits Planner. We hope this helps.
Naga K.
Can I apply for spousal benefit? My husband receives social security. I am more than 62. I do not plan to retire until 70. Will my benefit be reduced permanently – that is when I am 70 will I qualify only for the benefit that I am eligible now on my earnings?
Ann C.
Hi, Naga. Thanks for visiiting our blog. If you qualify for your own benefits and for benefits as a spouse, we always pay your own benefits first. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own benefits, you will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. Visit our Benefits Planner for more information. We hope this helps.
Ann
Can a common law wife of 23 years get benefits from a common law husband.
Ann C.
Hi, Ann. Thanks for your question. Social Security follows the state laws. So, check the laws in your state. To get benefits as a spouse, you generally must live in a state that recognizes common-law marriage. However, most states (even those that do not recognize in-state common-law marriage) will recognize a common-law marriage entered into in another state that does. We hope this helps.
Chris D.
I lost some of my SS benefit because of Windfall Profit. If my spouse applied for spousal benefit on my account would the reduction also apply to them? They never worked for the state of Alaska.
Ann C.
Hi, Chris. Thanks for your question. It sounds like you are referring to the Government Pension Offset. The Government Pension Offset only reduces a person’s Social Security spouse, widow, or widower benefits by two-thirds of the amount of their government pension if a person receives a pension from a government job but did not pay Social Security taxes while they had the job. For more information, visit here. We hope this helps.