Retirement

Understanding Spouse’s Benefits

January 24, 2019 • By

Reading Time: 2 Minutes

Last 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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About the Author

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

Jim Borland, Acting Deputy Commissioner for Communications

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Comments

  1. Ken

    “lovesolutiontemple”???

    “priestmanuka”???

    …under a blog topic “Understanding Spouse’s Benefits”???

    Where is a moderator??? …think “Linking to unrelated content” per the Comment Policy…

    🙂

  2. Jodie R.

    My wife started receiving SS at age 62. I have an understanding that she can receive have of my full retirement benefit when I reach 66 and I will receive my full benefit as well. Please clarify. Also I understand that she could have been receiving only half of my retirement benefit at age 62 instead of her benefit amount. If this is true, will SSA go back and pay her half of my retirement from the time she turned 62 minus what she has already recieved. I turn 66 in September 2020. Thanks !

  3. Raymond E.

    I still do not understand. My wife and I have a separation agreement. My question is when is claims spousal benefits, will that reduce my benefits.

  4. Terry F.

    I am waiting until I am 70 years old to take my social security benefit My wife is 66 years old and is taking her social security benefit. I was told that I can take the spouse benefit of my wife’s. When I turn 70 I want to take my personal benefit. Does taking half of my spouse benefits affect my personal benefit when I turn 70?

  5. Howard R.

    I recently read that if a spouse PIA is less the 50% of of my PIA that their is a possible increased benefit for the spouse. Can you clarify that for me.

    Thanks

  6. DORA C.

    MY HUSBAND PASSED AWAY ON DEC. 26, 2019…SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: *** – ** – ***…HIS NAME: RODOLFO E. VIZCARRA..IT WAS REPORTED IMMEDIATELY…MY NAME IS DORA C VIZCARRA, SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER: *** – ** – ***..MY QUESTION IS THE FOLLOWING: ON MARCH 3RD.I RECEIVED TWO PAYMENTS ONE FOR $255 REPRESNTING FUNERAL EXPENSES AND ANOTHER FOR $1944.00…I WAS NOT PAID IN JANUARY FOR THE DIFFERENCE, MY INCOME IS $1,127.00 AND HIS $1,770…AND THE SAME FOR THE MONTH OF FEBRUARY…COULD YOU KINDLY EXPLAIN THAT TO ME…I AM TOTALLY CONFUSED…IF BY ANY CHANCE I AM WRONG, PLEASE ACCEPT MY APOLOGY.

  7. Jane C.

    It’s a question. My husband passed away when I was 60 and he was 55. I started taking ss at 66. I just turned 70. I’m taking off of his ss number. A year ago I began taking $800/month off of my 403B. I worked at a nonprofit for 17 years. Now SSA is keeping $400 per month because of that $800 check from my 403B. I’m trying to fight this decision. What are their rules in this case and is this their policy?

  8. Sara K.

    My husband, Glennon Forristall passed away almost a year ago. I FILLED OUT THE FORM ONLINE TO CLAIM THE $255 DUE TO ME BECAUSE OF HIS DEATH, BUT ONLINE PREVENTED ME FROM COMPLETING THE FORM. COULD SOMEONE PLEASE ASSIST ME WITH OBTAINING THE CORRECT FORM? Thank you!

  9. scarlett

    I am receiving half of my husbands benefits. I am turning 70 in August 30. Do I need to contact SS to stop his benefit and start mine.?

  10. Richard S.

    This doesn’t tell me if it’s more advantageous to submit for spousal or individual retirement benefits

Comments are closed.