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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Carl J.
If an American man marries a foreign woman (Filipino working in Canada) and the man dies is the foreign wife still entitled to the American man’s Social Security and death benefits even if she lives outside of the USA?
Carmela R.
Need clarification my husband of 20yrs applied for Disability 2016 after 3 denials he passed away jan.2018 . I went before judge June 2018 100% favorable
From Oct.2016 . & I also had to apply for SSI benefits according to my income . SSDI pd 10 mons at earnings that were calculated.
MY CONFUSION SSI PD 5mons using my earnings which calculated to less then 1/2 of the the SSDI amount he was granted . I DONT UNDERSTAND . & now I’m having to figure out what calculation was used to try & make sense of how benefit amount was figured . .
Mary C.
I retired at 62 and receive 1/2 of my husbands Social Security now. I will be 70 next year and was told I can now switch to my own SS benefits and the higher amount. I cannot find anything to verify this on your website. Can you give me more info on this.
Thank you
A.C.
Hi, Mary. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community 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. We hope this helps.
Caryn W.
I have a question about my parents who are 89 and 84 years old. They have been receiving benefits for quite some time. I am wondering if it is too late for my mother to apply for the spouse benefit. I didn’t know if this was a new policy or what ages this applies to. They need all the help they can get.
Thank you,
Caryn
A.C.
Hi, Caryn. For your parents’ security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community work with our offices with specific questions. She can 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.
Demetria C.
I was wondering why I didn’t receive monthly spousal benefits when my husband passed in 2002.
A.C.
Hi, Demetria. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. We ask that members in our Blog community 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. We hope this helps.
Dennis H.
If I retire at age 62 what benefit will I receive? While my wife is still working and for full retirement benefits and after she retires will we both still receive benefits or is it just the higher earnings for the married couple?
Nancy V.
Hello, My husband has being diagnosed with cancer and now he is disable. We have a child who is 13 years of age, my question is can she calm any benefits since her dad will not be able to work?
Patricia M.
I don’t understand
Kay C.
I have a friend 58 years old, never remarried, when can she receive SSecurity Benefits
Misty
I’m curious to know if you could call me with molester priests just took my money and don’t help me pay my bills or none and I’m going to pull myself lose everything and I tol SSI and yeah they don’t believe me I don’t know because my last two payees make up stuff about me it’s ridiculous