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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Billy B.
I am recieveing Widoers benefits.How much extra income can i make a year with out penalty
A.C.
Hi, Billy. If you are younger than full retirement age during all of 2019, we must deduct $1 from your benefits for each $2 you earn above $17,640. In 2020, the earnings limit is $18,240. Check out how work affects Social Security payments here. We hope this helps.
Horace J.
My wife does not receive any of my SS. She was a teacher for about 30 years. If i die before she does she will not get any of mine, according to the people at SS. Because she was a teacher. Is that fair.
mauricio a.
can my wife gets any amount of my retirement pension and how much, if I died. Even she does not live in USA.
A.C.
Hi, Mauricio. The amount of your wife’s widow’s benefit would be based on several factors, including: your earnings, when you started receiving your benefits, her age at the time she applies for benefits, 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 additional information about survivors benefits, please visit our Survivors Planner. Also, if she us a U. S. citizen, she may receive her Social Security benefits outside the United States as long as she is eligible, no matter how long she stays outside the United States. There are certain countries, however, to which we cannot send payments. For more information about payments while an individual is outside of the United States, please visit here. We hope this helps.
Donald J.
Hi, I understand it is about spouse benefits but Nyad Wagner died on March 8, 2019. I know that my son already notify Social Security about Nyad’s death. Also already received the final benefit. If there is something you want to explain me, let me know. Thanks.
A.C.
Hi, Donald. We are sorry to hear about your loss. 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.
Loretta R.
I’m a 51 year old disable female. I receive SSI payments each month in the amount of $771.00 per month. My husband and I are legally separated he’s 66 years old and receiving full social security benefits. Will I be able to receive 50% of SSDI based on my husband work history? Really in need of the extra help. Don’t want to loss my house.
Desperately Seeking Help in the state of
GEORGIA.
L.A.
Hi, Loretta. Thank you for your question. To qualify for spouse’s benefits, you have to be age 62 or older. Also, if 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, you’ll get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. Please visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For You As A Spouse for more information. We hope this helps.
Weijun Z.
I retired four years ago, my monthly social security payment is close to $3000, but my wife only gets about $840 a month which is much lower than 50% of my monthly payment. We visited local social security office and wrote letter to your office but we have not received any response or explanation. My name is Weijun
Zhao, my social security number is *** – ** – ***. Thank you
L.A.
Hi Weijun. Unfortunately, but for your security, we do not have access to personal information in this forum. In your situation, we recommend to continue working with your local Social Security office. You can also call our toll free number, 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778) from Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We hope this helps.
Charlotte E.
I am collecting social security benefits and I am still working. I work part-time and I am paying into the social security system and my SSA benefit is still $279.
when will it be increased? I am 70 years old.
Thank you!
ERIC C.
This article makes no sense at all.
L.A.
Hi Robert. Thank you for your question. Before you decide to cancel your Medicare coverage, you should contact the Department of Defense or a military health, or Veterans Administration (VA) benefits advisor for more information. In some instances, the law requires TRICARE (VA Healthcare) beneficiaries who are entitled to Medicare Part A to enroll in Medicare Part B to retain their TRICARE benefits. Please visit the TRICARE web page or contact your military health benefits advisor for more information. You should also call the Medicare toll-free number, 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227) regarding this decision. We hope this information helps.
Lenore L.
need info on filing on my X husband pension via quidro?, as it was deleted from the divorce papers when it was filed with court. Who can file application with court for this. Judge only said to take lawyer to court. thought Judge had atthority to rule on that.
thanks
Lenore Lupinski
Larry J.
My Domestic Partner died at 60 years of age. He was on Social Security Disability Insurance. He past June 26, 2014. Do I have any rights to his SSDI? Or Social Security benefits at all?
L.A.
Hi Larry. We are sorry to hear about the passing of your domestic partner. We recognize same same-sex couples’ marriages in all states, and some non-marital legal relationships (such as some civil unions and domestic partnerships), for purposes of determining entitlement to Social Security benefits, Medicare entitlement, and eligibility and payment amount for Supplemental Security Income (SSI) payments, as of June 26, 2015, when the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, holding that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry in all states and have their marriage recognized by other states. However, in this forum, we do not have access to your personal information and cannot determine whether you may be eligible to receive any benefits based on your domestic partner’s earnings record. Please contact us by calling 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, between 7:00 A.M. and 7:00 P.M. to make an appointment at your local Social Security office to discuss your case. Also, please take a look at our webpage for same-sex couples. We hope this helps.