Retirement

Understanding Spouse’s Benefits

January 24, 2019 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last 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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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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Comments

  1. Nell C.

    If your spouse passes away can the other spouse collect the other ones benefits. How does ss work when a spouse dies?

  2. Patricia M.

    My husband passed away 1/27/2017. He was 80 years old and started collecting his benefits at age 62. I am 63 and still working. Can I collect any of his benefits while I’m working. I still do work 40 hours a week. I make $15.00 an hour.
    Please let me know.

    Thank you.

    • A.C.

      Hi, Patricia. We are sorry to hear about your loss. If you are younger than full retirement age and make more than the yearly earnings limit, your earnings may reduce your benefit amount. If you are under full retirement age for the entire year, we deduct $1 from your benefit payments for every $2 you earn above the annual limit. For 2019, that limit is $17,640. For more information, check out our Benefits Planner: Getting Benefits While Working web page. Thanks!

  3. Bella N.

    A Quien Corresponda:
    me dirigo austedes por el motivo de sacar una cita para presentarme en la c d. de Guadalajara, Jalisco a nombre de la Sra. Bella Ninfa Lopez Maldonado a beneficio de mid hijos los menores Juan Antonio Arriaga Lopez y Brianna Rocio Arriaga Lopez para el seguro social que les corresponde por parte de su padre ya fallecido el Sr. Juan Antonio Arriaga Muñoz y m dijieron que e nviara un correo electronico porfavor comuniquese conmigo al atel: se los agradeceria mucho Gracias

  4. Susan F.

    I am 62, my husband 63, I am thinking of retiring by end of this year. Can I get a percentage of my husband’s SS even if he is not receiving his benefits yet. I was thinking of delaying taking my benefits so they could grow alittle more.

    • A.C.

      Hi, Susan. To qualify for spouse’s benefits, your husband must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. Also, when you qualify for Social Security benefits on your own record, we pay that amount first. But if you also qualify for a higher amount as a spouse later on, you’ll get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. Visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For You As A Spouse web page for more information. We hope this helps.

  5. henry w.

    My survivors check does not come on a regular date it varies from the 15th to the 23rd can you explain why that is

    • A.C.

      Hi, Henry. Thanks for your question. If you began receiving payments after May 1997, the payment date varies depending on your date of birth or in your case, your spouse’s date of birth. You can find the payment date on the Social Security benefit payment calendar. We hope this helps.

  6. Sheila

    Would my spouses benefit be 1/2 of my delayed social security benefit amount at age 70?

  7. Mark R.

    I’m turning 69 and what to enroll in SS benefits. My wife is getting SS benefits but from here work history. What to I have to do to get her benefits increased after I enroll from my SS Benefits

    • A.C.

      Thanks for your question, Mark. If your spouse qualifies for Social Security benefits on her own record, we pay that amount first. But if she also qualifies for a higher amount as a spouse later on, she’ll get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. She can contact us when you file for benefits to determine if she will be eligible. Visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For Your Spouse for more information. We hope this helps.

  8. WALTER M.

    IN RECEIPT OF OWN SS, UNDER WINDFALL
    AM I ELIGIBLE FOR GREATER BENEFITS UNDER SPOUSAL BENEFITS

    CAN CONTACT AT 478-595-4939
    ON PHONE FOR OVER 40 MINUTES

    • V.V.

      Hi Walter: 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.

      Visit our Information for Government Employees web page for details.

  9. Lulu

    My disabled husband died at 63. He was collecting SS Disability for 7 years. I am 54 and still working. Can I collect from his SS account? If so, when can I start? Can I delay mine and use his til I’m older, then switch to my own?

    • V.V.

      Hi Lulu. We are very sorry for your loss. You may be eligible for reduced widows benefits as early as age 60 (age 50 if you’re disabled) and at any age if you’re 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 husband’s earnings. The more he paid into Social Security, the higher the benefits would be. The benefits will not be established automatically, you will have to contact us. For additional information, visit our Survivors Planner.

      If a person receives widow’s or widower’s benefits, and will qualify for a retirement benefit that’s more than their survivors benefit, they can switch to their own retirement benefit as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. The rules are complicated and vary depending on the situation. Talk to a Social Security representative about the options available.

  10. Robert G.

    I am retired with a pension.
    I am not taking my social security.
    My spouse is sixty.
    May I claim spousal benefits?

    • V.V.

      Hi Robert, thank you for your question. We will always pay a person’s own retirement benefit first. If benefits as a spouse would be higher then the retirement benefit, you would also file for spouse’s benefits. If your own full retirement benefit is more than half of your spouse’s full retirement benefit, you would not file for spouse’s benefits. In addition, you may start receiving retirement and/or spousal benefits as early as age 62.

      The Benefits Planner: Retirement provides detailed information about Social Security retirement benefits.

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