Understanding Spouse’s Benefits
Reading Time: 2 MinutesLast Updated: May 25, 2021
Marriage is a cultural institution that exists all over the world. Having a partner means sharing many things including a home and other property. Understanding how your future retirement might affect your spouse is important. When you’re planning for your fun and vibrant golden years, here are a few things to remember:
Your full spouse’s benefit could be up to 50 percent of your spouse’s full retirement age amount if you are full retirement age when you take it. If you qualify for your own retirement benefit and a spouse’s benefit, we always pay your own benefit first. You cannot receive spouse’s benefits unless your spouse is receiving his or her retirement benefits (except for divorced spouses). If you took your reduced retirement first while waiting for your spouse to reach retirement age, when you add spouse’s benefits later, your own retirement portion remains reduced which causes the total retirement and spouses benefit together to total less than 50 percent of the worker’s amount. You can find out more on our website.
On the other hand, if your spouse’s retirement benefit is higher than your retirement benefit, and he or she chooses to take reduced benefits and dies first, your survivor benefit will be reduced, but may be higher than what your spouse received.
If the deceased worker started receiving reduced retirement benefits before their full retirement age, a special rule called the retirement insurance benefit limit may apply to the surviving spouse. The retirement insurance benefit limit is the maximum survivor benefit you may receive. Generally, the limit is the higher of:
- The reduced monthly retirement benefit to which the deceased spouse would have been entitled if they had lived, or
- 82.5 percent of the unreduced deceased spouse’s monthly benefit if they had started receiving benefits at their full retirement age (rather than choosing to receive a reduced retirement benefit early).
Knowing how your finances affect your spouse’s can help both of you avoid future impacts on your incomes. When it comes to information, we have over 80 years of experience. Access a wealth of useful information by visiting our benefits planners.
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Tags: retirement, Social Security benefits
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Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
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Peggy W.
I am not yet 62, my full retirement age is 66 yrs 10 months. I work. My ex-husband is in disability. Can I receive benefits from his disability and still work and not claim my own benefits until full retirement age?
S.D.
Happy new year, Peggy, and thank you for your question. To be eligible for divorced spouse benefits, you must be at least 62, your marriage to your former spouse must have lasted at least 10 years, and you cannot be eligible for a higher benefit on your own work record. For more information about divorced spouse benefits, visit here.
Under existing law, if you’re eligible for benefits as a divorced spouse and as a retired worker, you must apply for both benefits, and you’ll receive the higher of the two. This requirement is called “deemed filing” because when you apply for one benefit you are “deemed” to have also filed for the other. For details, check out our Filing Rules for Retirement and Spouses Benefits web page. If your former husband dies and you meet the requirements for divorced widow benefits, you can take your survivors benefits as early as age 60 (or as early as 50 if disabled), then switch to your own benefit at a later date.
You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. However, there are limits. The amount you’re allowed to earn while receiving benefits depends on your age. If you’re younger than full retirement age for the entire year, we deduct $1 from benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. For 2021, that limit is $18,960. In the year you reach full retirement age, we deduct $1 in benefits for every $3 you earn above $50,520 in 2021. We only count your earnings up to the month before you reach your full retirement age, not for the entire year. Beginning with the month you reach full retirement age, earnings no longer reduce your benefits, no matter how much you earn.
We hope this helps.
Wendy G.
How do I apply for Social Security under spousal benefits? I do not have enough credits to collect Social Security but understand that there is a spousal benefits program.
S.D.
Happy new year, Wendy, and thank you for your question. If you don’t have 40 credits, you may be eligible for spouse or divorced spouse benefits and Medicare based on your spouse’s earnings history. Check out our Frequently Asked Question for more details. You can apply for spouse’s benefits using our online retirement application. If you cannot file online or prefer not to, please call your local office to schedule an appointment. Use our Office Locator to find the phone number. Our call volume and wait times are longer than normal, so please be patient. We hope this information is helpful.
Don
My wife filed at age 64 in 2016. I filed a restricted application for spousal benefit at age 66 shortly after she began receiving her benefit. I was told at the time by a tax attorney and my accountant that I could do this without penalty, with the exception that when I filed at age 70 my wife could file for spousal benefit and would receive half of my benefit calculated at age 66 (my age when I filed for spousal support). I am now preparing to file for my full benefit at age 70 and am being told that my wife cannot file for spousal support. There is a rule that applies to filers born before 1954 that should apply to this scenario. Also, since I filed for spousal support I can now longer access my estimated full retirement payment online. Please help me clear this up.
V.V.
Hi Don, thanks for using our blog. There is an exception to deemed filing for those who turn 62 before January 2, 2016. Check out our Deemed Filing For Retirement And Spouse’s Benefits web page for details. If you fall into that exception and have never filed for your own retirement benefits, you can apply for your own retirement benefits. You can apply four months before you want your Social Security retirement benefits to start. Once you’re ready to apply, the easiest way to complete your application is online.
Once you begin receiving retirement benefits, we will look into additional spouse’s benefits for your wife. If your wife’s full retirement amount (not the reduced benefit amount) is less than half of your full retirement amount (not your age 70 amount), then she may be eligible for additional benefits on your record.
If you have additional questions, you can call your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
Laurie
My husband died in 2008, I will be 60 in March, am I allowed to file for his Social Security for two years until I switch to my own? I was laid off last year and also damaged my knee, and I don’t have insurance, so I would like to work remotely from home and collect his SSI while I heal and earn more money for my own retirement.
V.V.
Hi Laurie, thanks for using our blog. It is possible for a person to be eligible for benefits from different records at the same time. However, we are only going to pay the highest benefit amount from either record – meaning that you will only be allowed to receive one payment.
If you are the widow of a person who worked long enough under Social Security, you can start receiving reduced survivor’s benefits as early as age 60 (50 if disabled). If you are also eligible for retirement benefits on your own record, you may have an additional option. You can apply for retirement or survivors benefits now and switch to the other (higher) benefit at a later date.
The earliest age you can apply for your own (reduced) retirement benefits is 62.
You can get Social Security retirement or survivors benefits and work at the same time. However, there is a limit to how much you can earn and still receive full benefits. The amount you’re allowed to earn while receiving benefits depends on your age. If you attain full retirement age in 2021, the earnings limit is $50,520 but we only count earnings before the month you reach full retirement age. Beginning with the month you reach full retirement age, earnings no longer reduce your benefits, no matter how much you earn. If you’re under full retirement age for the entire year, then we deduct $1 from benefit payments for every $2 earned above the annual limit. For 2021, that limit is $18,960.
You would need to call and make an appointment to file for widow’s benefits as you cannot apply for that online. You can call your local Social Security office. Look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal.
Tracy R.
My wife passed away at age 50 I’m also 50 can’t I still receive death benefits
V.V.
We are very sorry for your loss, Tracy. If your wife worked long enough under Social Security, there is a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 that can be paid to the surviving spouse. You would need to call and make an appointment to file for that benefit. You can call your local Social Security office. Look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal.
You may be eligible for reduced widowers benefits as early as age 60 (age 50 if disabled) and at any age if caring for the deceased’s child who is under age 16 or disabled and receiving benefits on the deceased’s record. Survivor benefit amounts are based on your wife’s earnings. The more she paid into Social Security, the higher the benefits would be. The benefits will not be established automatically, you will have to contact us.
Check out our If You Are The Survivor web page for details. We hope this helps!
Krystal G.
My husband passed away 2 weeks ago and have kids with him. A family friend told me that i would be able to collect benefits for our kids until they’re 18 is that correct?
V.V.
We are very sorry for your loss, Krystal. The children may be eligible for survivor benefits if their father earned enough Social Security credits through his work. Unmarried children who are under 18 (up to age 19 if attending elementary or secondary school full time) can be eligible to receive Social Security benefits when a parent dies. There is also a one-time lump-sum death payment of $255 that can be paid to the surviving spouse.
You would need to call and make an appointment to file for benefits. You can call your local Social Security office. Look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
Check out our If You Are The Survivor web page for details. We hope this helps!
kathy
how do i go about changing from spousal benefits to my own i will be 70 soon
kathy s.
i currently teceive spousal benefits i will be turning 70 what is the procedure for getting my own benefits
V.V.
Hi Kathy, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. You can apply four months before you want your Social Security retirement benefits to start. Once you’re ready to apply, the easiest way to complete your application is online.
If you need further assistance, call us at 1-800-772-1213 or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
Kathy h.
I am about to turn 62 on February 1,2021 and I am going to retire as a school bus driver ASAP I was hoping to draw off my husbands income as he earns so much more than I did but he isn’t ready to draw just yet can I still be considered off his income though he isn’t drawing yet or can you give me some direction
Peggy D.
My husband began receiving his benefits at regular retirement age. I began receiving mine one year early. My husband is in failing health and has asked if I would receive any of his benefits should he die. Also, at age 70 1/2 I will begin receiving non social security taxed benefits on a small retirement from Texas where I worked for 5 years and from Kentucky where I currently substitute teach. How does all this effect my benefit should my husband die first?
V.V.
Hi Peggy, thank you for your question. The amount of your widows benefit is based on several factors, including: the earnings of the person who died, when the deceased worker started receiving their benefits, your age at the time of your spouse’s death, 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 at the time of your spouse’s passing, you would be eligible for survivor benefits.
Typically, a widow or widower at full (survivors) retirement age or older generally receives 100% of the deceased worker’s amount, a widow or widower under full retirement age receives about 71 to 99 percent of the worker’s benefit amount, and a widow or widower with a child younger than age 16 receives 75 percent of the worker’s benefit amount. For more information about how much your benefit would be, visit our If You Are The Survivor web page.
If you receive a pension from a government job in which you did not pay Social Security taxes, some or all of your Social Security spouse’s, widow’s, or widower’s benefit may be offset due to receipt of that pension. This offset is referred to as the Government Pension Offset, or GPO. For additional details, check out our Government Pension Offset factsheet.