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
See CommentsAbout the Author
Dawn Bystry, Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Deputy Associate Commissioner, Office of Strategic and Digital Communications
Comments
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Diane P.
I recently learned that two of my siblings will be receiving spousal benefits. My spouse collected his SS at 62 in 2002. I finally collected mine at 66.2 – full retirement age in 2017. (I worked until 2021.) Would I qualify for any spousal benefits? Thank you
Sue
Hi, Diane. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. To learn more about spouse’s benefits, check out our Frequently Asked Questions. If your benefits as a spouse are greater than your own retirement benefits, you’ll get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse amount. If you have questions about your eligibility for spouse’s benefits, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., or contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
Sante G.
I am a retired state worker currently receiving a monthly pension. I do not qualify for SSI. However, my spouse will qualify for social security benefits when she reaches the appropriate age.
Will I be eligible for a SSI spousal benefit?
Sue
Hi, Sante. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. Your spouse’s benefits may be reduced by the Government Pension Offset (GPO) if you also get a state pension for work not covered by Social Security. To learn more about how GPO may affect your spouse’s benefits, visit our Benefits Planner. We hope this helps.
Ben H.
I’m 80 and receive $2,800 a month in SSI. My wife just turned 63 and is ready to apply for her own and we figure it’ll be around $700 per month. It appears that her amount will be higher due to my SSI. Can you approximate what hers will be so we can decide. Won’t hold you to it. Just planning. THANKS!!
Sue
Hi, Ben. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. 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. If your wife’s benefits as a spouse are greater than her own retirement benefits, she may be eligible for a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse amount. Her spouse benefit can be as much as half your full retirement age benefit – if she waits until her full retirement age to start receiving benefits. For more information, visit our Benefits Planner. When your wife is ready, the most convenient way to apply for benefits is online. We hope this helps.
Lori
I am receiving SS benefits since 2018. When can I apply for survival benefits. I received the benefits in 1999 and my son’s both got survival benefits because of the death of their dad. They were 16 and 18 years old. Once they turned 18 and graduated from highschool then the benefits ended. I received it until my last son graduated from highschool in August 2002 or 2003. My oldest son passed away in 2001 so my other son received a little more. We each got $154 a month as their dad had not put much in to SS. But It helps. We were not married but had been together for over 21 years, the boys were his, we lived together the whole time and I filed fed and state taxes each year with him on the taxes. So now that I am 65 and on SS for 7 years now can I start going about getting widow benefits from my husband. How do I start that going or asking about information on doing this. Thank you
Sue
Thanks for reading our blog and for your question, Lori. To speak with a representative about your eligibility for surviving spouse benefits, please call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Or you can contact your local Social Security office. For more information about surviving spouse benefits, check out our Survivors Planner. We hope this helps.
Ann
I started taking my Social Security benefits when I turned 62 of about $450 per month. Now that my spouse has started taking his Social Security benefits of about $2,800 per month, am I able to collect Spousal Benefits? If so, how do I do so, there is no option on the My Social Security website when I sign into my account?
Murrell H.
my situation is similar in that I applied at age 62 & I am receiving $750 for 2024…my spouse is receiving at least $2200 from social security…
can I increase my social security based on spouse record…thank you…
Sue
Hi, Murrell. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. If you’re eligible for your own retirement 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 retirement benefits, you’ll get a combination of benefits equaling the higher amount. However, your benefit amount will not be 50% of your spouse’s benefit amount because you took your own benefits before your full retirement age. If you have questions about your eligibility for spouse benefits, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. You can also contact your local Social Security office. To learn more about spouse benefits, check out our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
Sue
Hi, Ann. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. If your benefits as a spouse are greater than your own retirement benefits, you’ll get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse’s amount. If you have questions about your spouse’s benefits, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. You can also contact your local Social Security office. To learn more about spouse’s benefits, check out our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
David B.
I am thinking about filing for SS benefits at age 62. I understand my benefits will be permanently reduced than if I wait until my full retirement age at 67. If my wife waits to collect spousal benefits until she is full retirement age, will she get 50% of the my full retirement age amount or 50% of the reduced amount I would receive at 62? She does qualify to receive her own SS benefits, but it may benefit her to take spousal instead of individual based on information regarding this question. Thank you!
Sue
Hi, David. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. If your wife waits until her full retirement age to start receiving benefits, her spouse benefit amount should be one half of your full retirement age benefit, even if you start your benefits early. If your wife is eligible for retirement benefits on her own record, we’ll pay that amount first. If she’s eligible for a higher amount as a spouse, she’ll get a combination of benefits equaling that higher amount. To learn more, visit our Retirement Planner. When you and your wife are ready to apply for benefits, the most convenient way is online. We hope this helps.
Ronald N.
My wife is 70 and 1/2 and collecting SSI beginning on her 70th birthday. I will be at full retirement age 66 and 8 months in Oct 2024. Will I qualify to collect spousal benefits under the “deemed filing” rule when I apply for my benefits?
Sue
Hi, Ronald. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. Deemed filing means that when you file for your retirement or your spouse’s benefit, you’re required or “deemed” to file for the other benefit. If you wait to start your retirement benefit until your full retirement age, your spouse’s benefit amount is one half of your wife’s full retirement age benefit. If your benefits as a spouse are greater than your own benefit, you may be able to get a combination of benefits equaling the higher amount. To learn more about spouse’s benefits and how they’re figured, visit our Benefits Planner. When you’re ready, the most convenient way to apply is online. We hope this helps.
RL
My husband and I became aware of an opportunity we were unaware of, Spousal Benefits.
I took my benefits at age 70. As he turned 70 we learned that he could have been collecting half of my benefits during the last approximately 1 year 11 months.
We got no notification of this option.
When I spoke to a representative she said a letter was sent to an address we had vacated. We never received this letter or any follow up to it.
What recourse do we have to get this spousal benefit retroactively.
Sue
Hi, RL. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. For your security, we don’t have access to private information in this venue. For more information about spouse benefits, please visit our Benefits Planner. If your husband’s benefits as a spouse are greater than his own, he may be eligible for a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse amount. His spouse benefit can be as much as half your full retirement age benefit – if he waited to take his own benefit until his full retirement age. The spouse benefit amount does not include any delayed retirement credits you receive. If your husband has additional questions, he can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., or contact his local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
Sonia M.
I was 61 when I became fully disabled and started collecting SSDI on my own work credits. Currently my SSDI is much less “dollar-wise” than what my husband is currently collecting with his SS retirement.
My husband could have retired at his established retirement age but decided to continue to work and extend his time in the work force and did not collect his Social Security for those few extra years until he fully retired ,which gave him a few extra dollars added to his SS retirement income when he finally did retire.
I will be turning 66/8 months old , in a few months and my SSDI will automatically convert to regular social security benefits.
Am I eligible at that time of my conversion of 66/8 months of age , to file & receive 1/2 of husband’s SS income that he is currently receiving?
Sue
Hi, Sonia. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. When your disability benefits automatically convert to retirement benefits, the amount will likely remain the same. Your spouse’s benefit can be up to one half of your husband’s full retirement age benefit. Your spouse’s benefit amount does not include any delayed retirement credits he may have earned. If your benefits as a spouse are greater than your own benefit, you may be able to get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse amount. To speak with a representative about your eligibility for spouse’a benefits, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. You can also contact your local Social Security office. To learn more about spouse’s benefits and how they’re figured, please visit our Retirement Benefits Planner. We hope this helps.
Sonia M.
If that is the case, then what happens if my husband passes before I do? Am l entitled to collect his Social Security as a widow as well as those “earned delayed retirement credits”? Or am I NOT eligible to receive any of his delayed retirement credits as well ? Do those “credits” ever benefit the surviving spouse at all?
Sue
Thanks for your question, Sonia. If you are full retirement age or older when you start receiving survivors benefits, you should receive 100% of your deceased husband’s benefit. That amount includes his delayed retirement credits. For more information, visit our Survivors Planner. If you have questions, 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.
Eddie P.
I am 67 and have chosen to continue working until I am 70 or older. My wife is also 67 and has retired but her benefits are small. Can she begin getting benefits from me before I retire or does she have to wait until I retire to get spousal benefits?
Sue
Hi, Eddie. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. Your wife must wait to receive spouse benefits on your record until you start receiving your retirement benefits. If your wife’s benefits as a spouse are greater than her own, she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse amount. For more, check out our online Retirement Planner and Spouse Benefits calculator. Please note that you will stop earning delayed retirement credits at age 70, even if you continue to work. We hope this helps.
Jeff H.
Hello Sue, Can Eddies wife start drawing benefits on her own record, and then upgrade to the spousal benefit when Eddie retires and starts receiving benefits?
Sue
Hi, Jeff. Thanks for reading our blog and for your question. Eddie’s wife can apply for retirement benefits on her own record as early as age 62, but they will be reduced. When Eddie applies for his Social Security, his wife can apply for her spouse benefits on his record. We will continue to pay Eddie’s wife her own benefits. If her benefits as a spouse are greater than her own, she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse amount. For more information, see our Benefits Planner. We hope this helps.