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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JOANN G.
I’d like to know if I can also receive my social security benefits along with my deceased husband’s social security?
A.C.
Hi, Joann. We’re sorry to hear about your loss. The amount of your widow’s benefit is based on several factors, including: the earnings of your husband, when he started receiving his benefits, your age, and the amount of your own retirement benefit. We compare your own benefit with your potential survivor benefit. If your survivor benefit would be higher than your own current retirement benefit, you would be eligible for survivor benefits. To learn how much you could be eligible for, please call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Generally, you will have a shorter wait time if you call later in the day. Thanks!
fredric l.
Need to set up an appt. in the huntington,ny office
A.C.
Hi, Fredric. You can schedule an appointment with your local office by calling us at 1-800-772-1213 between 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m., Monday through Friday and a representative will assist you. If you need to call to set up an appointment in the future, you’ll have a shorter wait time if you call later in the day. Thanks!
Robert D.
My wife and I are both 72 years of age. My wife chose to receive reduced early retirement benefits, while I took my benefits at full retirement age.
Is my wife eligible to receive up to 50% of my benefits, and how would I find out?
Thank you.
A.C.
Hi, Robert. Thank you for your question. If your wife qualifies for Social Security benefits on her own record, we pay that amount first. But if she also qualifies for a higher amount as a spouse, she’ll get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. For more information, visit our Benefits Planner: Benefits For Your Spouse. We hope this helps.
Dorothy M.
If you were married to your spouse over 20yrs then end up divorced and you both retire, even though your spouse remarried for 2yrs,divorced and has been remarried again for 3yrs to wife #3 ,can his first wife draw off his social security if it’s higher than hers since they were married over 20yrs,both retired and she’s never remarried?
A.C.
Hi, Dorothy. Thanks for your question. To be eligible for divorced spouse benefits, the first spouse had to be married to her former spouse for at least 10 years, and she cannot be eligible for a higher benefit on her own record. For more information on how to qualify for divorced spouse benefits, visit our Benefits Planner: If You Are Divorced. We hope this helps.
joseph k.
My spouse died. How do I notify SSA so the can stop her payments.
A.C.
Hi, Joseph. We are sorry to hear about your loss. Typically, the funeral director notifies us of an individual’s passing by contacting the local Social Security office. To verify this information was reported, and to see if you are eligible for survivor’s benefits, call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. You can also contact your local Social Security office directly. Thanks.
Harry B.
My wife and I both receive Social Security benefits. We’re both retired. My wife retired with a disability. We were told that there was something called Spousal Support were we could call S.S. and set up a phone interview and my wife would be eligible for an increase in her check. I’m 65 and my wife is 61.
L.A.
Hi Harry. Thank you for your question. To qualify for spouse’s benefits, your wife would have to be age 62 or older. Also, since your wife qualifies for Social Security benefits on her own record, we pay that amount first. But if she also qualifies for a higher amount as a spouse, she’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.
John W.
I am 74 years old and receiving a monthly SSA benefit amount. My wife is 71 years old a receives an monthly Spousal Benefit. When I die what will happen to her monthly benefit? Does it increase to 100% of my current benefit amount?
L.A.
Hi John. Since your wife is receiving her own Social Security retirement benefits, we pay that amount first. But if she also qualifies for a higher amount as a surviving spouse, she will get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount. For more information, visit our Benefits Planner: Survivors | If You Are The Survivor. If you have specific questions, please call us 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.
Russ A.
Unfortunately, when his article started with “Marriage is a cultural institution that exists all over the world” I knew it was not going to be very useful. Please, we need concise, accurate, information. In other words “just the facts”. No fluff, no pontificating, no extra words, no extraneous information.
We don’t need to know that the article was written by Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications. Why do we need to know that?
Rosanne M.
My husband is 72 and still working. He does not have Part B Medicare. Will he be penalized if and when he signs up for it.Rosanne Mahaffey
L.A.
Hi Rosanne. Thank you for your question. If your husband is still working and is covered under a group health plan based on his employment, he may not need Medicare Part B, nor will he be penalized, until your husband stops working or his employer terminates your husband’s health care coverage. Your husband should speak to his employer or to the health insurance plan to see what is best for him. You can read more about whether your husband needs Medicare Part B on our internet page, and our publication titled “Medicare” for more information. We hope this helps.
Frank G.
If I the husband die before my wife does she receive my higher benefit and drop her smaller one? Should we get a divorce, does this still apply?
A.C.
Hi, Frank. The amount of her 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 our Survivors Planner. We hope this helps.