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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John M.
I have a question. A very simple question. I either find No answer or conflicting information.
When I die does my wife get all of my benefit ?
Does she get it as well as her own ?
If not can she opt to take mine since it is larger??
A.C.
Hi, John. Thank you for your questions. Your wife could be eligible for reduced widow’s benefits as early as age 60 (age 50 if disabled). For more information, please go to our Survivors Planners page and read our publication: How Social Security Can Help – When A Family Member Dies. We hope this helps.
Terry L.
My first husband died at a young age. I am getting close to retirement age and would like to know if I would be able to claim his SS benefits and my?
What is the process he would have been a retirement age at this time?
V.V.
Hi Terry, thank you for your question. Your widow’s benefit amount is based on your deceased spouse’s earnings. The more he paid into Social Security, the higher your benefit will be. Widows benefit are payable as early as age 60 (for a reduced benefit) or a full widows benefit at full retirement age or older.
If you file for a widow’s benefit early, you can switch to your own retirement benefit as early as age 62 or as late as age 70. This would be advantageous if your own retirement benefit is higher than the widow’s benefit. In many cases, a widow can begin receiving one benefit at a reduced rate and then, at full retirement age, switch to the other benefit at an unreduced rate.
Check out the Survivors Benefit Planner for additional details.
Wes J.
I have not been able to locate spouse social security application form for my wife as she just turned 62. I was told it was available online but it is not easy to locate?
V.V.
Hello Wes. The spouse’s application is available online. Thank you for checking.
Roz P.
Do I need an appointment to chat with someone about spousal benefits. I was 66 in January 2019 and my spouse died last year. THANKS
V.V.
Hi Roz, we are very sorry for your loss. If you already receive benefits as a spouse on the deceased’s record, your benefit will automatically convert to widow(er)’s benefits after we receive the report of death. Typically, the funeral director notifies us of an individual’s passing by contacting the local Social Security office.
If you are receiving retirement benefits on your own record, you can only apply for benefits as a widow(er) if your retirement benefit amount is less than the benefits you would receive as a survivor.
If you need to apply for benefits, call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). You can speak to a Social Security representative between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also visit your local Social Security office. An appointment is not required, but if you call ahead and schedule one, it may reduce the time you spend waiting to speak to someone.
Robert H.
My wife is 63 born 1955 can she take her social security now & @ 66 switch to half of my social security which I am receiving.
V.V.
Hi Albert. For your wife to qualify for spouse’s benefits on your record, you must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. Also, if your wife is receiving Social Security benefits on her own record, we pay that amount first. But, if she also qualifies for a higher amount on your record as a spouse, she may be able to get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. Visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For Your Spouse for more information.
Stephen
I have a question about claiming the spousal benefits. I was born in 1953 and has reached my FRA now, but not claiming the benefits yet as I am still working. My spouse was also born in 1953 and plan to claim her benefits when she reached her FRA later in 2019. My question is: when she claim her benefits later this year, can I claim 1/2 of her benefits as spouse. Since I plan to continuing working and defer claiming my own benefits until I reached 70, is there a downside of claiming spousal benefits before claiming my own when I reached 70. Thank you in advance for your reply.
V.V.
Hi Stephen, 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.
MONICA R.
Can I apply for Social Security benefits from my ex-husband if he is dead and I am under 62 years of age.
V.V.
Hi Monica. If you are the divorced spouse of a worker who died, you could get benefits just the same as a widow or widower, provided that your marriage lasted 10 years or more. For more information, please visit our Surviving Divorced Spouse webpage.
Greg
50% of my FRA benefit is more than my spouses benefit if she waits until 70. So she will apply for benefits at her FRA of 66. But I’ll only be 68 when she files and I’m waiting for 70 to file for my max benefit. Will she receive her own benefit until I turn 70 and then get an additional benefit bringing her up to 50% of my benefit?
V.V.
Greg, thank you for your question. When you file for retirement benefits, Social Security will look into additional spouse’s benefits for your wife. If benefits as a spouse are higher than her own retirement benefit, she can 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 your age 70 amount). She will only receive additional benefits on your record as a spouse if her full retirement amount is less than half of your full retirement amount. Check out our Benefits Planner: Benefits for Your Spouse for more details.
Christine A.
My spouse died in the beginning of May and Social security was notified. Am I still entitled to his payment from April which is received around the 18th of the month….or do I have to request this check.
L.A.
Hello Christine. We are sorry for your loss. Thanks for your question. To find out if can keep your husband’s benefits, please see our web page, “Benefits Planner: Survivor – If You Are The Survivor.” You may also call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). We hope this helps.
Rodney S.
My wife has not worked enough to receive benefits under her own account (only 25 of 40 credits). We’ve been married for 40 years. I’m been receiving benefits for 3 years now. But reading under “spousal benefits” it sounds like she can receive reduced benefits under my account. Is this true? I can’t seem to get a straight answer from the site.
A.C.
Hi, Rodney. If you are currently married, then she may be able to get spouse’s benefits. For more information, visit our Benefits Planner: Benefits for Your Spouse. She can also call us at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. Generally, she will have a shorter wait if she calls later in the day. She can also contact her local Social Security office. We hope this helps.