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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Sharon H.
My husband currently is collecting SS. I fall under the WEP and his amount will be higher than mine. I know at age 66.4 I can collect 50% of his SS benefits.. What percentage can I collect at age 65 instead of 66.4. Also, if he dies before I start collecting on him, will I always only get 50% or will it revert back to his full benefit what he is currently collecting?
S.D.
Thank you for using our blog, Sharon. If you receive a pension from a government job in which you did not pay Social Security taxes, your non-covered pension based on that work may reduce the amount of your Social Security benefits. Your benefits can be affected by two provisions: the Government Pension Offset (which may reduce some or all of your Social Security benefits as a spouse and widow) and the Windfall Elimination Provision (that affects Social Security benefits on your own work record).
For details about each, check out our Information for Government Employees web page. You may want to use the GPO Online Calculator to compute your estimated benefits as a spouse or widow. You may also discuss your situation with a Social Security representative. You’ll find the phone number to your local office using our Office Locator. We hope this information helps.
Michael G.
Hello Vonda my name is Michael I recently got approved for disability in December for and I was told that I could get my deceased wife of 35 years social security so I applied and was told some different things about it but I was told that I qualify and it would be able to start receiving it in November for October but I was waiting on my disability and in December 2020 and now they say the judge that rule my decision has to approve the survivors benefits I been told many things I don’t know if you can he help me understand thank you
Mark E.
my wife (born Jan 1953) filed for retirement benefits after age 66. I received 50% spousal benefit. When I file for retirement (born in 1952), my benefit will be larger than her retirement benefit. Will she then receive 50% of my benefit?
If I receive benefit for the previous 6 months, will she receive 50% of my benefit for the last 6 months as well?
V.V.
Hi Mark, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. We will always pay your wife’s own retirement benefit first. If benefits as a spouse are higher than her own retirement benefits, she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. However, the spouse’s benefit cannot exceed one-half of your full retirement amount (not the age 70 amount). So, she can only receive additional spouse’s benefits on your record if her own full retirement benefit is less than half of your full retirement benefit.
Keith P.
Vonda- So I am totally new to this as well. We literally are just getting estimates. My wife does not qualify on her own. I just got my estimate of 708.00 a month. We are working with the Silverdale Washington office and we received her estimate claiming on myself of 196.00. So I am thankful but expected closer to half of my estimated #
V.V.
Hi Keith, thanks for using our blog. If your wife doesn’t think she’s receiving the correct amount, have her call her 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.
Dan W.
I am currently 64 and 2 months old. My wife is 63 and 10 months. She is eligible for her own benefit, which is substantially lower than what mine is/will be. I intend to claim at FRA for me which is 66 and 4 months. Can she claim her own benefit now at a reduced rate and then switch to the FULL spousal benefit (50% of mine) when she reaches her FRA at 66 and 6 months?
V.V.
Hi Dan, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. If your wife qualifies for a retirement benefit from her own work history she can file for that benefit as early as age 62. She cannot receive additional spouse’s benefits until you are receiving retirement or disability benefits (except for divorced spouses).
If your wife takes her reduced retirement first while waiting for you to apply, her own retirement portion remains reduced. When you add spouse’s benefits later, the total retirement and spouses benefit together will total less than 50 percent of your full retirement amount. You can find out more about this at our Benefits for Spouses web page.
James R.
I began drawing my SS at 64 instead of by FRA of 66. My wife turns 65 in March and will be filing for SS benefits. My retirement benefit is larger than hers. Since I did not wait to draw at my FRA I know my wife can draw on mine. Will it be at less than 50% since she is not at her FRA of 66 yrs 4 months. It so.. how much less. Also when I die, will she receive what I am receiving now or 82.5 % of my full retirement benefit since I starting drawing before my FRA ??
S.D.
Hi, James, thank you for reading our blog. Since your wife plans to begin receiving benefits before her full retirement age, her benefits will be reduced because she’s taking them early, not because you took your benefits early. Reduction factors are permanently applied to all benefits she may qualify for, including spouse’s benefits. If she is eligible for both, we will pay benefits on her record first. If her spousal benefit is higher than her own retirement benefit, she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit amount.
Check out our online Spouse Calculator to compute the effect of early benefits.
If you are receiving benefits when you die, your wife’s survivors benefits will be based on that amount. The percentage of that amount that your wife would receive depends on how old she is when she files as a widow. Typically, a widow or widower:
• at full (survivors) retirement age or older receives 100% of the deceased worker’s benefit amount;
• younger than full retirement age receives about 71-99% of the worker’s benefit amount.
We will only pay the highest benefit amount from either record – your wife won’t get both retirement and widow benefits but the higher of the two. For more information, visit our If You Are The Survivor web page. We hope this information is useful.
Ryszard P.
Please tell me where I can find spousal benefit application to fill out
V.V.
Hi Ryszard, thanks for using our blog. Check out our Apply for Social Security Benefits web page which provides the details on applying for Retirement or Spouse’s Benefits. We hope this is helpful!
Wendy D.
I’m 67 and just taking my SS. MY HUSBAND IS 66 WAITING TILL HES 70 before he takes his. Can I still collect half of his once he starts collecting his SS?
V.V.
Hi Wendy, thanks for using our blog to ask your questions. If you qualify for a retirement benefit from your own work history you can file for that benefit as early as age 62. You cannot receive additional spouse’s benefits until your spouse is receiving their retirement benefits (except for divorced spouses).
Check out our Benefits For Your Spouse web page for additional details.
Karla P.
Social security office says my husband Ryszard Panuszka can apply for spousal benifits one month after i receiver my first check. I got my first check in December 2020. Can you tell us where we can find the form to file for spousal benefits.
V.V.
Hi Karla, thanks for using our blog. Check out our Apply for Social Security Benefits web page which provides the details on applying for Retirement or Spouse’s Benefits. We hope this is helpful!
Larry G.
Hello, I am 76 and started taking benefits at 64 because of no job and the economy at that time. My spouse will be 62 in April and is retired. Can she receive up to half of my benefits until she is full retirement age?
V.V.
Hi Larry, thanks for using our blog to ask your questions. Your wife may be able to get spouse’s benefits but, under existing law, if she’s eligible for benefits both as a retired worker and as a spouse, she must apply for both benefits and she’ll receive the higher of the two benefits. This requirement is called “deemed filing” because when you apply for one benefit you are “deemed” to have also applied for the other.
Your wife’s spousal benefit cannot exceed one-half of your full retirement amount (not your reduced benefit amount). So, she can only receive additional spouse’s benefits if her own full retirement benefit (not her reduced benefit) is less than half of your full retirement benefit.
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.
James R.
I began drawing my SS at 64 instead of by FRA of 66. My wife turns 65 in March and will be filing for SS benefits. My retirement benefit is larger than hers. Since I did not wait to draw at my FRA I know my wife can draw on mine. Will it be at less than 50% since she is not at her FRA of 66 yrs 4 months. It so.. how much less. Also when I die, will she receive what I am receiving now or 82.5 % of my full retirement benefit since I starting drawing before my FRA ??