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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E M.
I have a question, IAM in the middle of getting a divorce, IAM 71 years old my husband is 56 old, I haven’t applied for retirement yet , IAM still working, but will retire, before my divorce fnalizes. Can my ex-husband to be get a spousal support from my reteirmen?
L.A.
Hi. If you are divorced, your ex-spouse can receive benefits from your record if your marriage lasted for at least ten (10) years, your ex-spouse is unmarried, your ex-spouse is age 62 or older, and the benefit your ex-spouse is entitled to receive based on his own work is less than the benefit he would receive on your own work. For more information about divorced spouse’s benefits, please visit our Benefits Planner: If You Are Divorced. For information about applying for your own benefits, please visit: Social Security Retirement benefits. We hope this information helps.
Leana L.
I am receiving disability. I am now 62 and my husband is receiving his full social security. Can I recieve my husbands social security now. My husbands is a lot more than mine.
L.A.
Hi Leana. For your security, we do not have access to your personal information in this forum. For specific questions about your account, 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 your local Social Security office. We hope this helps.
Patricia A.
I was told at the Soc. Sec. office that I would have to fill out TWO applications, my own and one to receive spousal benefits, when I tried to apply for benefits online. There was NOWHERE in or around the application that directed me to another application for spousal benefits.
If this is my one and only shot at getting my social security benefits, I need to know that I am doing it correctly.
L.A.
Hi Patricia. Thank you for your question. It sounds like you entered your information correctly online and that you may only need to file one application – for your own benefits. Typically, if you have not worked or do not have enough Social Security credits to qualify for your own Social Security benefits, you may be able to receive spouse’s benefits. If you do have enough credits to qualify for your own Social Security retirement benefits and for benefits as a spouse, we always pay your own retirement benefits first. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own retirement benefits, you will get a combination of benefits that equals the higher amount. For more information, please visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For You As A Spouse. Or, for specific questions about your case, please call us at 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778), Monday through Friday, between 7:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m., for assistance. We hope this helps.
Diane M.
I am inquiring if I am entitled to a spousal benefit from my husband’s social security. We are both retired. I read an article in AARP, that said some people are entitled to a portion of their spouse’s social security.
L.A.
Hi Diana. Please note that for your security, we do not have access to your Social Security record in this forum. Please call our toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). We hope this helps.
Donovan G.
How can I make sure that I am the beneficiary in my wife’s SSI account and thatI would receive her monthly payment at time of her death and she would receive mine at the time of my death ,she is 81 and so am I. We have never been divorced.
L.A.
Hi Donovan. Please note that for your security, we do not have access to your Social Security record in this forum. Please call our toll-free number 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). We hope this helps.
Peter
Luis A – Can someone please delete my full name and phone number – as I requested – from my November 14 entry that I just sent you earlier – see above item – and just use Peter? Thanks
L.A.
Hi Peter. We will delete the information as requested. In the future, please do not include personal information on your communications with in this forum. Thank you!
Peter
I am divorced for 7 years now, and 67 years old. My ex-wife worked fulltime while I stayed home with the kids. She will not turn 62 until 2023. I am a cancer survivor and want to know if I can access 50% of her SS benefits now. I really need to boost my monthly income and cannot wait much longer. This due to the fact that my medical condition limits my job opportunities greatly. (Please notify me via email when you post a reply or phone me at ****. Please do not include my phone contact info if you post this. Thanks)
L.A.
Hi Peter. To be eligible to apply for benefits under your ex-spouse’s earnings record, your ex-spouse need to be at least 62 years old. However, you may be eligible to receive social services from the state in which you live. These services include free meals, housekeeping help, transportation, or help with other problems. To get information about services in your area, and find out if your brother qualifies, you will need to contact your state or local social services or welfare office. We hope this helps.
L.A.
Hi Peter. To be eligible for divorced spouse benefits, you and your ex-spouse have to be age 62, and you cannot be eligible for a higher benefit on your own record. Your ex-spouse does not have to have filed for benefits, but, again, both, you and your ex-spouse have to be age 62. For more information about divorced spouse’s benefits, please visit our Benefits Planner: If You Are Divorced. For specific questions about your case, 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.
lupe m.
My Wife Work 15 Years , Paid Social Security. We Were Married 49 years, She passed Away 4 years ago, Now i am 76 old and collect my Sosial Secutity. Can I collect Her Social Security Also? Or Part of this?
L.A.
Hi Lupe. We are sorry to hear about your loss. You may be eligible to receive survivors benefits, if you meet certain requirements. Please remember that we will always pay you on your own benefits first. If you are eligible to receive benefits as a surviving spouse, you will receive a combination of benefits that will equal the amount you could receive as a surviving spouse. For more information about survivors benefits, visit our Survivor Planner: If You Are The Survivor. You may 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.
Robert W.
when I die how much will my wife receive at age 60 from social security.
L.A.
Hi Robert. Thanks for your question. First, when we calculate your wife’s survivors benefit amount, we take into consideration if she is eligible to receive her own Social Security retirement benefits. If she is eligible to receive her own Social Security benefits, we pay that amount first. Then, 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 information about survivors benefits, visit our Survivor Planner: If You Are The Survivor. We hope this helps.
Don
Can you get spousal benefits if you receive a small pension and va compensation
L.A.
Hi Freddie. Thank you for your question. You have the right to apply for spouses’ benefits, but if your pension from the VA was not covered by Social Security (for example, federal civil service, and some State and local government agencies that do not pay Social Security taxes), then the government pension offset (GPO) provision may affect how much you can receive in benefits. Please visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For You As A Spouse for more information. If your wife has not already done so, she can file for an application for retirement benefits online, and she can include you in her application as a spouse. For specific questions, please call us at 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 helps.