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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Nitza
Questions on Restricted Qualifications & Applying.
My husband and I are interested in the Restricted Benefits (meaning he can receive half of my benefits until he reaches 70 then he’ll get his full amount).
He has not yet applied for SS benefits and he will be in FULL qualification in September.
He was born in September 1953.
I am 60 now and will be turning 62 in July 2020, next year. I was born in July 1958.
My question is since I can’t retire until July next year, do we qualify for my husband to receive the restricted benefit until he turns 70?
It’s my understanding that the Restricted Benefit will be phasing out this year. Because of my husband’s birth date he does quality. The problem is me. I’m not 62 yet so how can we do this? Can we still do it next year since he does qualify? Or is there something we need to do this year.
I would appreciate your help in this.
A.C.
Hi, Nitza. Thanks for your question. Generally, if you qualify and apply 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 will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. If you were age 62 prior to January 1, 2016, and file for benefits at full retirement age, you can choose to receive only the spouse’s benefit and delay receiving your retirement benefit until a later date. For more information about deemed filing, check out our Benefits Planner: Retirement. We hope this information helps.
Florence
What is the process for switching from spousal benefit to my social security benefit at age 70?
A.C.
Hi, Florence. Since you are receiving benefits as spouse, you can call us for an appointment to file for benefits on your own record. Please contact us up to three months in advance. You do not have to make an appointment to come in to our offices, but with an appointment, you will be helped before our walk-in customers. You can schedule an appointment with your local office by calling us at 1-800-772-1213 between 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Monday through Friday, and a representative will assist you. In most cases, you can handle your business by phone. We hope this helps.
OLATUNJI A.
The last time I received my retirement benefit was May 2016. SSA officials have just refused to pay me and have failed to let me know the reason(s) for the nonpayment. I had sent some mails literally begging to know the reason(s) for their action, but all to no avail as the action persists. I have suffered unnecessary punishment for no fault yet known to me. It appears the government gave SS too much power including garnishing retirement benefits of seniors, some over the age of 70. This, no doubt is ludicross, to say the least. Punishing people over 70 years of age, without reason, is to me, a sort of abomination .
A.C.
Hi, Olatunji. We are sorry to hear about your situation. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community to continue to work with our offices with specific questions. You can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, you will have a shorter wait if you call later in the day. You can also contact your local Social Security office. You can ask to speak to a manager on your next visit or call. We hope this is resolved soon.
Sharon
If my retired spouse dies, and I am not of retirement age, do I receive his benefits? I am a homemaker and have not earned enough for my own social security benefits.
A.C.
Hi, Sharon. You are eligible to apply for survivor benefits when you reach age 60 (age 50 or over if disabled). You can find more information on our Benefits Planner: If You Are The Survivor web page. We hope this helps.
CHRYSTINE S.
My ex-spouse died in 2009. We were married 14 years before we divorced in 2007. How do I find out how much his benefits are so that I know whether or not to file a claim for his benefits, or mine?
Thank you.
A.C.
Hi, Chrystine. If you are the divorced spouse of a worker who died and you are not married, you could get benefits just the same as a widow or widower. For more information, visit our Benefits Planner: If You Are The Survivor web page. For specific questions about potential benefit amounts, you can call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, you will have a shorter wait if you call later in the day. You can also contact your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
jean c.
can you get ss benefits from someone you haved lived with for over 20 years. he has been divorced for 2 years.i am 71 he is 76.
V.V.
Hi Jean, thank you for using our blog to ask your question. In cases where a common-law marriage may be involved, Social Security follows the state laws. So, check the laws in your state.
To inquire about potential benefits, you will need to contact your local Social Security office or call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available to help you Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
jimmy h.
can I draw at 62? and I was married 12 yrs she past away and
V.V.
Hi Jimmy, thank you for your question. You may be able to file for either retirement or widower’s benefits and switch to the other benefit later.
Typically, a widower at full (survivors) retirement age or older generally receives 100% of the deceased worker’s amount, a widower under full retirement age receives about 71 to 99 percent of the worker’s benefit amount.
For your security, we do not have access to your information in this venue and are unable to provide your options. To inquire about potential retirement benefits versus widowers benefits, you will need to contact your local Social Security office or call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available to help you Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Maria
Hello, have a question regarding spousal benefit for social security. My husband is retired, I will be 65 in June but plan to keep working and not retired until age 67, can I receive spousal benefits until that time?
Looking forward to your response.
thank you.
V.V.
Hi Maria, thank you for your question. You may be able to get spouse’s benefits but, under existing law, if you are 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.
However, if you turn 62 before January 2, 2016, deemed filing rules will not apply if you wait to file at your full retirement age or later. This means that you may file for either your spouse’s benefit or your retirement benefit without being required or “deemed” to file for the other.
See our Deemed Filing For Retirement And Spouse’s Benefits FAQs web page for details.
Jonathan D.
Hi,
My wife and I both worked and we are at retirement age. She is 66-67, I am 67-68 and I deferred mine collecting on hers till I reach 70 or when we really need it. Currently we both work. It was recommended to us to apply for hers now and we did. It’s an extra $14 thousand per year. When we did this, I stopped having access to my deferred SS account information. I think it is kind of strange that SS would do that as my SS earnings are in the order of 10 times my wife’s. We are able to “double dip” per the SS laws as we were born before 1954. How can I access my earnings and estimated SS income. We have choices to make concerning our retirement and that information is important to follow as we use it to determine our monitory profile for the coming years and will use it to determine the best course of action. Why did SS stop allowing me access to my information?
Regards,
Jonathan D. Savage
V.V.
Hi Jonathan, thanks for using our blog. You are correct, the Social Security Statement is not available to individuals that are receiving Social Security benefits.
To inquire about your Social Security retirement benefits, you may call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. or contact your local Social Security office.
MONTE J.
Jim,
This is a most confusing attempt to explain spousal benefits that you could have written.
My situation is:
I receive about $2200/mo
wife receives about $900/mo
What will she receive when I die ? (based on above approximations)
V.V.
Hi Monte, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. If you are already receiving benefits when you die, survivors benefits are 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. We are only going to pay the highest benefit amount from either record, meaning she wouldn’t get both retirement and widows benefits but the higher of the two.
Widows benefit are payable as early as age 60 (for a reduced benefit) or a full widows benefit at full retirement age or older.
Use our Survivors Planner to look at how your family members are protected if you die.