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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Jim F.
Is the widow of a non U. S. Citizen eligible for survivors benefits after age 60? The non citizen was from Holland and worked in the U. S. for more than 35 years and paid into Social Security. His widow of a 35 year marriage, a U. S. Citizen, and over the age of 62 is being told she is not eligible for benefits while she is actively working. Is that accurate? I initially asked this question back on October 30th but have not received a response from and of the SSA Public Affairs Specialists. Please (SSA) respond so we can assist this widow.
A.C.
Hi, Jim. Thanks for your question. There are limits on how much survivors may earn while they receive benefits. For more information, please visit our Benefits Planner: Getting Benefits While Working. We hope this helps.
LISA P.
i was told my adult disabled son could get benefits on my social security. How do i do that?
A.C.
Hi, Lisa. For information on benefits for a disabled child please see our Disability Planner: Benefits For A Disabled Adult Child. To help your son find out if he may be eligible for other Social Security benefits use our Benefit Eligibility Screening tool. We hope this helps.
Gail
Can I draw off of my x husbands social security.
I have been with the same partner for over 20 years. We are not married. If he dies before me can I draw off his social security.
A.C.
Hi, Gail. Thanks for your question. To be eligible for divorced spouse benefits, you had to be married to your former spouse for at least 10 years, and you cannot be eligible for a higher benefit on your own record. For more information on how to qualify for divorced spouse benefits, visit here. We hope this helps.
Diane M.
I need form for death benefit from my husband. Please advise me . Sincerely thank you
A.C.
Hi, Diane. We are sorry to hear about your loss. You may be eligible for the Lump-Sum Death benefit of $255 (a one-time payment). This benefit may be payable upon the death of a person who has worked long enough to be insured under Social Security. An application for the Lump-Sum death payment must be submitted within two years of the insured person’s death. In addition, eligible family members may be able to receive monthly Survivor benefits. For more information on this and how to file, please visit here. We hope this helps.
Mario
Does my spouse need to be a citizen to receive spouse’s benefits?
A.C.
Hi, Mario. In certain cases, non-citizens can receive Social Security benefits. But, in order for you to receive benefits, we must have evidence of your lawful presence. That means before we can pay out benefits for any given month, we must have evidence that you were lawfully present in the United States, during that month. For more information, visit our Frequently Asked Questions. We hope this helps.
Jean
My husband retired at full retirement age of 66 in 2018. I am still working and plan to retire in 2022. Can I claim any
social security benefit from him? I have been told half, but with reading this article it isn’t too clear. My social security estimate is about $600 more a month than his, when I would plan to apply for it in early 2022.
A.C.
Hi, Jean. To qualify for spouse’s benefits, your husband must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. Also, if you qualify for Social Security benefits on your own record, we pay that amount first. But if you qualify for a higher amount as a spouse, you’ll get a combination of benefits that equals that higher amount.For more information, visit here. We hope this helps.
Carolyn J.
My husband is still living and I was wondering if I could draw from his social security along with mine.
A.C.
Thank you for your question, Carolyn. To qualify for spouse’s benefits, your husband must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. 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. For more information, visit here. For specific questions, please 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.
Robert M.
Please provide formula for calculating ones full retirement SS benefits, retiring at 66.
Also provide formula of spousal SS benefits who retired from Texas Teacher Retire System with no SS contribution, but with TRS pension.
A.C.
Hi, Robert. We calculate your average indexed monthly earnings during the 35 years in which you earned the most. Higher lifetime earnings result in higher benefits. If there were some years when you didn’t work, or had lower earnings, your benefit amount may be lower as a result. For details on how your retirement benefit is figured, visit here. 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) may cause the amount of an individual’s Social Security benefit to be reduced. Their benefit can be reduced based on one of two provisions: The Government Pension Offset and the Windfall Elimination Provision. For information about the Government Pension Offset and how benefits are reduced, check out our publication here.
Ed M.
Retired at 62 getting $1551.20 wife getting $960.00 are we getting the most out of this.??
A.C.
Hi, Ed. 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.
james j.
I just need to know about the progress of the lump-sum death payment I applied for nov 12 019