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.
Judith A.
Why did I stop receiving my dead husbands benefits?
A.C.
Hi, Judith. 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.
Donald H.
I began taking my retirement at 63 years old.
My wife who will be 65 years old next July 20. She has decided to take her Social Security at 67.
My question is she able to collect any SocialSecurity from my plan??
A.C.
Hi, Donald. Thank you for your question. For your wife to qualify for spouse’s benefits, you must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. Also, if she 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 here. We hope this helps.
Carmen H.
I retired and is receiving social security When I apply for social security for my spouse he was told he does not qualify. He has never worked in the us
bru
Can I receive half of my divorced spouse’s full retirement benefit at my full retirement age even though I’ve remarried, if it’s higher that my current spouse’s benefit and my own? I was also married over 10 years to the ex spouse.
L.A.
Hi Bru. Thank you for your question. To be eligible to receive benefits as a divorced spouse, you must be unmarried. For more information about divorced spouse benefits, visit our Benefits Planner: If You Are Divorced. Keep in mind, you may be eligible for spouse benefits on your current spouse’s record. For specific questions, please call our toll free number 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We hope this information helps.
Mike G.
i am 64 and on ss disability for the last 5 years. My wife is retiring next june when she turns 65. Can we both collect social security? she has worked all her life like me but should only get around 1000 a month according to her ss account. I make around 2600 a month and turn 65 in early january- can we both collect next june or when she expects to collect next late summer?? thanks
L.A.
Hi Mike. Please note that for your security, we do not have access to your personal information in this forum. In your situation, please 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. You may also contact the local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
Larry c.
I recieve $1400 +- a month, my wife recieves $950 a month. We are 79 and 77 years old and have been recieving benefits since about 2002. When i die, what will my wifes monthly income be, approximately.
Thank you, Larry chapman
L.A.
Hi Larry. 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 additional information about benefits as a surviving spouse, visit here. For specific questions, she can call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). Generally, she will have a shorter wait time if she calls later in the day. We hope this helps.
Karen C.
My husband passed. I married again. I do not understand why I can not receive his benefits. We were married 36 years.
My current husband was previously married and divorced. She can collect his benefits.
L.A.
Hi Karen. Thank you for your question. To be eligible to receive benefits as a surviving divorced spouse, you must be unmarried unless you remarry after you reach age 60. For more information about surviving divorced spouse benefits, visit our Benefits Planner: If You Are The Survivor. Keep in mind, you may be eligible for spouse benefits on your current spouse’s record. For specific questions, please call our toll free number 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. We hope this information helps.
PETER V.
well that is clear as mud
Rick T.
Why is my wife’s social security benefit reduced if she worked for an Ohio public school system as an SERS employee and other wives that do no work get 50% of their husbands monthly benefit. Why are SERS employees penalized when they are not retiring under their own benefit
L.A.
Hi, Rick. It sounds like your wife is receiving a pension based on work that is not covered by Social Security (for example, Federal civil service and some State or local government agencies, such as police officers and some teachers). This type of pension may cause the amount of her Social Security benefit to be reduced. Her benefit can be reduced based on one of two provisions: the Windfall Elimination Provision and Government Pension Offset. For specific questions about your wife’s case, she can call our toll free number at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. She may also contact her local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
Bradley B.
My wife is drawing her SS and I understand I can claim under her’s via a “restricted application” since we were both born prior to Jan. 1954 (grandfathered in). Where do I find that application and where do I file it?
L.A.
Hi Bradley. If you are full retirement age, you were born before January 2, 1954, and you are applying for spouse’s benefits only, you can apply online by using the retirement application. You can also contact us to schedule an appointment. Please visit our Retirement Planner: Deemed Filing – Frequently Asked Questions page for more information on deemed filing. For more information about spouse’s benefits, please visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For You As A Spouse. We hope this helps.