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.
Did you find this Information helpful?
Tags: retirement, Social Security benefits
See CommentsAbout the Author
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications
Comments
Comments are closed.
Judy D.
How do I apply for widows benefits? I am disabled and my husband was also on disability at the time of his death.
A.C.
Hi, Judy. We are sorry to hear about your loss. 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 Survivors Benefits web page. We hope this helps.
LINDA T.
ltonetti@att.net
Anne M.
Can I learn if ex-husband is receiving benefits from my social security? Does my Social security post this information for me to see? Where and how?
A.C.
Hi, Anne. The Privacy Act prohibits Federal agencies from disclosing personal information without the person’s consent, except under certain conditions. Please visit our Privacy Program web page for more information. We hope this helps.
James F.
If my wife collects spousal benefits before her full retirement age, they are reduced. After I die if she has reached her full retirement age will her survivors benefit based on my social security benefit be reduced based on when she began to collect spousal benefits
A.C.
Hi, James. Thanks for your question. The amount of your wife’s potential widow’s benefit is based on several factors, including: your earnings, when you started receiving your benefits, her age, and the amount of her own retirement benefit. We compare her own benefit with her potential survivor benefit. If her survivor benefit would be higher than her own current retirement benefit, she would be eligible for survivor benefits. For more information about Survivors benefits, visit here. We hope this helps.
Susan M.
My husband passed away on March 29th of 2019. I got a letter for SS to call and to apply for deceased spouse benefits. Then I was told after I called that i was to take my marriage license to prove we are still married to the nearest SS office to me I did that. I was told I should receive his benefits with in two weeks it’s been almost 3 wks and I cannot find any information on your website to show that it was applied for. I want a copy of the application stating that in fact an application was filled out.
L.A.
Hi Susan. We are very sorry for your loss and we certainly understand your frustration. For your security, we do not have access to information about your case in this venue. Please continue to work with your local Social Security office on specific questions about your case. In your situation, it is best to talk to a Social Security representative to discuss your application. We hope this helps.
Mike T.
Is it possible to receive a one time spousal exemption for 1/2 of my wife’s total monthly SSA benefit. My wife is retired and I’m 64 yrs. old and planning on retiring at the age of 67.
Thank you, Mike.
A.C.
Hi, Mike. To qualify for spouse’s benefits, your wife 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 for more information. If you have additional questions about your specific case, 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.
BJ
I applied for widows benefits on March 3, 2019. I was told by SS that I would receive my benefits from my husband on June 3,. He said it takes 60 days.
It has been 90 days and Still no benefit check.
What is going on?
Faith N.
I am receiving survivor’s benefits from my dearly departed husband’s social security as I am disabled. I was told that when I turn 60 I will receive full (100%) benefits rather than the 71% that I am now receiving. I have reviewed my online account and it is showing that I’ll make the same amount in June when I turn 60. However, I know that Social Security Administration pays for the previous month. Does this mean I’ll receive the full benefit amount in July 2019? Thanks for a quick response.
V.V.
Hi Faith, thank you for using our blog to ask your question. We are very sorry for your loss. Typically, a widow or widower at full (survivors) retirement age or older generally receives 100% of the deceased worker’s amount. However, a widow or widower under full retirement age receives about 71 to 99 percent of the worker’s benefit amount. For more information about how much your benefit would be, visit our Survivors Planner.
THEODORE
my husband died in the usa as american citizen but i live in haiti. i would like to know how to have his thoughts?
V.V.
Hi there. We are very sorry for your loss. We recommend that individuals living outside the United States contact the nearest Federal Benefit Unit or U.S. embassy in the area for any assistance related to Social Security programs and benefits. Also, our Office of International Operations home page provides more information to assist our customers living abroad.
Claudia
Question: I’m asking this because I couldn’t find the answer in all of website.
Q: I’m receiving some disability benefits. I was given half of what I should’ve gotten because I was employed by a school district which is a government agency. Now I’m separated on a tiny income. Is it possible, being disabled, to collect on my husband’s benefits? I feel very cheated because I was a school employee. I can’t live on what I get. It’s poverty level.
V.V.
Hi Claudia: 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.