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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Vicki
I am receiving Soc sec on my husbands record. He gets $1400+ and I get $795. We are married but not living together. Am I entitled to some of his $1400 per month in addition to my $795?
Donna W.
My husband receives disability benefits and my son also receives a check from him because he was under 18 years old. He has now turned 18 but is still in school. He should be receiving a benefit check until 19 years and 2 months. After he ages out and will no longer receive a check will I as the spouse be able to receive a check in replacement of my son receiving a check?
David E.
Hi-
Thank you and I have a question. My spouse, born in July 1953, is over 66 and continues to work full time. I am recently retired, and was born in October 1955. Neither of us have started taking any retirement benefits from Social Security.
Do I qualify for spousal benefits now? My wife will continue to work and I will not.
Thank you for your kind assistance.
Edward B.
at 66 i started drawing social security. can my spouse at 65 draw benefits on my account and will it cut my benefits.if so, can she continue to draw on thru retirement.
vince
I’m on SSI and my girlfriend is on SSD, I want to know how it will effect our benefits?
ANA C.
I’m 61.5 years old and working when can I apply for my spouse Social Security benefit
L.A.
Hi Ana. You may apply for Social Security retirement benefits when you are at least 61 years and 9 months of age and want your benefits to start in the next four months. Eligible individuals can start receiving retirement benefits as early as age 62, but if you decide to start receiving benefits after your full retirement age, it may result in larger benefits. You earn delayed retirement credits, if you delay getting your benefits until you turn age 70. The benefit increase no longer applies when you reach age 70, even if you continue to delay taking benefits. Also, keep in mind that if you work and are full retirement age or older, the amount you make at work will not affect your Social Security benefits, no matter how much you earn. The decision as ton when to apply for the benefits is a personal one. We can only provide you with the information to help you make the best choice according to your own situation. To help you plan, you can use our online calculators. Also, you can create a personal my Social Security account to verify your earnings, and get a copy of your personal Social Security Statement. Our system is set up to take applications four (4) months in advance of your age 62nd birthday. When you are ready, you can apply for your benefits online. We hope this information helps.
David M.
Is there a waiting period for spousal benefits to be paid when two individuals who are both retired get married?
A.C.
Hi, David. Thank you for your question. A spouse must meet a 1 year duration-of-marriage requirement. Also, keep in mind, to qualify for spouse’s benefits, your spouse must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. Also, if an individual qualifies for Social Security benefits on their own record, we pay that amount first. But if they also qualify for a higher amount as a spouse later on, they’ll get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. Visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For You As A Spouse for more information. We hope this helps.
Lois T.
A spouse age 60 is receiving his wife’s widowed pension, will he be able to receive his own SSI when he turns age 62?
A.C.
Thanks for your question, Lois. He can switch to his own retirement benefit as early as age 62. This assumes that he is eligible for retirement benefits and his retirement rate is higher than his rate as a widower. In many cases, he could begin receiving his survivor benefit at a reduced rate and then, at his full retirement age, switch to his own retirement benefit at an unreduced rate. You can read more about how this works here. We hope this helps!
Yolanda M.
If spouse is deported to mexico is he still eligible for spousal supplement income?
Ashley B.
My husband died on July 16th and i was told by omega funeral home in Burlington that they would contact yall and take care of everything and i should be getting a check in the mail any day and that was 2weeks ago. My name is Ashley Beach ssn: 244719012 and my husbands name is Donald Beach.