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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R.S. S.
I am 68 and drawing my monthly social security payments. My spouse turned 66 last year and is not receiving benefits yet. If she applies, will she receive her predetermined benefits, or will she automatically receive the ‘spousal benefit” amount which, I believe, would be higher ? Also, does this benefit increase if the filing date is delayed?
Thank you
V.V.
Hi Rupert, thanks for using our blog. 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.
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 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.
theresa e.
how do i apply for dead husbands benefits , im disabled
V.V.
Hi Theresa, thanks for using our blog. Social Security has disabled widow’s benefits as early as age 50 if you are disabled and the disability started before or within seven years of the worker’s death. You cannot apply for survivors benefits online. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or 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.
Helen
i filed for ss in october 2020 I turned 62 1/21/2021.i was told what my ss payments are on my account that starts this March.I also put a application to collect on my husbands since he made more than me.I was told since he is on ss disability I would get another payment a month.i haven’t heard from them of when I get the portion of his, how long does it take to process it.
Helen
V.V.
Hi Helen, thank you for using our blog to ask your question. You can log in to or create a my Social Security account to check the status of your application online.
If you are unable to check your status online, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) or 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.
Sandy
Can my spouse file a Restricted Application for spousal benefits while my application for retirement benefits is still processing ????? (I wish to exclude retirement benefits from the scope of this application. I am filing a RESTRICTED APPLICATION for spousal benefits only. I am not applying for retirement benefits on my own work record. I wish to earn delayed retirement credits.) No need to tell me what spousal benefits are or what a Restricted Application is or what delayed retirement benefits are. JUST IF SPOUSE CAN SUBMIT BEFORE MY APPLICATION IS APPROVED??????????
V.V.
Hi Sandy, thanks for using our blog. If you are restricting your application to just spouse’s benefits, your spouse must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. You can apply onlinefor the restricted application. One question in the application path is “If you are eligible for both a retirement benefit and spouse’s benefit, do you want to delay receipt of retirement benefits?” If you were born before 1/2/1954, you can answer yes and the application will then be restricted to just spouse’s benefits.
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.
Sandy
thanks. I applied on Jan 6, but not yet approved. Can spouse go ahead and file a restricted application for spousal benefits? to take effect the same time as my retirement benefits?
V.V.
Hi Sandy, your spouse can file the restricted application the same time you file for retirement benefits.
Maria G.
My X spouse recently became deceased. I am 62 and born in 1958 and applied over the phone asking for “restricted” X spouse survivor benefits”. I explained that I want to switch to my benefits when I reach full retirement age as that amount will be higher than my current age 62 survivor benefit. The person on the phone understood and processed my claim. How can I ensure that the claim is “Restricted” so that I can switch to mine later? I ask as when I check my account online it simply states “survivor benefit” as opposed to “restricted” survivor benefit.
V.V.
Hi Maria, 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 divorced widow of a person who worked long enough under Social Security, you can start receiving reduced divorced 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. This is not restricting your application. Restricting your application is something available to those who turn 62 before January 2, 2016. Check out our Deemed Filing For Retirement And Spouse’s Benefits web page for details.
Sylvia C.
Good Evening,
My husband has been receiving Disability Social Security for about 13 yrs., I retired in mid 2019 but have not applied for SS as I just turned 62 last November, I’m wondering if I could apply for Spousal Social Security, my husband seems to think that I can. Please clarify.
Thank you.
V.V.
Hi Sylvia, thanks for using our blog. You may be eligible for spouse’s benefits if you are at least 62 years of age and your spouse is receiving retirement or disability benefits. Check out our Benefits For Your Spouse web page for additional details.
If you’re eligible for benefits both as a retired worker and as a spouse, you must apply for both benefits and you’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.
Our system is set up to take applications four months in advance, and when you’re ready, you can apply for your retirement benefits online.
If you are unable or would rather not apply online, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance 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.
Sandy R.
I have been receiving FRA S.S. retirement benefits since age 66. (about 1 year) My husband has today filed for his FRA benefits at age 67. Half his monthly benefit is substantially higher than my own FRA benefit. Will I automatically receive the increase to about 50% of his benefit or do I need to update my own s.s. account?
V.V.
Hi Sandy, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. We will always pay your own retirement benefit first. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own retirement benefits, you will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. However, the spouse’s benefit cannot exceed one-half of your husband’s full retirement amount (not his reduced benefit amount). (The full retirement age for those born in 1960 or later is 67). So, you can only receive additional spouse’s benefits if your own full retirement benefit (not your reduced benefit) is less than half of your husband’s full retirement benefit.
To find out if you are eligible for a higher benefit amount, you can 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.
Sue
This question is two part. When my husband passes, will I be eligible for part of his benefits? I am 72. He is 70. He is still working, I am not. I filed for benefits early but he waited for full retirement age. He makes more than twice what I do. Also, if I am eligible to draw part of his, do I lose my benefits or still draw them? Thank you for your time.
V.V.
Hi Sue, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. 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.
We are only going to pay the highest benefit amount from either record, meaning you don’t get both retirement and widow(er)s benefits but the higher of the two. For more information about how much your benefit would be, visit our If You Are The Survivor web page.
Linda D.
I started receiving my social security benefits at age 62. I am age 68 now. My husband, who was 67 and just passed away, has been receiving disability benefits for 7 years. How do I determine if it will be best to switch to widows benefits and when would be best to switch?
V.V.
We are very sorry for your loss, Linda. Typically, the funeral director notifies us of an individual’s passing by contacting the local Social Security office. To verify this information was reported, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance 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.
Check out our Factsheet on How Social Security Can Help When a Family Member Dies.
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. At that time, you can also inquire about potential widow’s benefits to see if it is advantageous for you to switch.
Check out our If You Are The Survivor web page for details. We hope this helps!
Pam K.
I am 57 and will be filing for disability. My husband is disabled and collects SSA, can I file on his work credits or do I have to file on mine?
V.V.
Hi Pam, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. Disability is based on your own work record. You must be at least 62 years of age for spouse’s benefits. Check out our Disability Benefits web page for more details and to apply online. We hope this helps!