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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Casey R.
I received a letter saying my spouse and child is eligible for benefits under my disability benefits. Please email me at redmond58cj@yahoo.com with instructions on how to apply for benefits for them. Due to COVID-19 my local Social Security is closed. Please let me know how to apply for spouse and child benefits online.
Casey Redmond
V.V.
Hi Casey, thank you for using our blog to ask your question. Please call us at 1-800-772-1213 or you can contact your local Social Security office to make an appointment to file for the auxiliary benefits. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information.
David R.
My spouse and I are both the same age, 66 which is full retirement age. We turn 67 in May. I have filed to start drawing on July 1, 2020 when I will retire. My wife is not working, but has enough work to qualify to draw. Can she file and draw? If so, is what she draws affected by when i start to draw?
V.V.
Hi David, thank you for your question. Your wife can file for her own retirement benefits whenever she chooses as we will always pay a person’s own retirement benefit first. When she files for retirement, we will also check into spouse’s benefits. If her benefits as a spouse are higher than her own retirement benefits, she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. However, keep in mind that she is only going to receive additional spouse’s benefits if her own full retirement benefit is less than half of your full retirement benefit. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page for details on how to apply for benefits.
diane v.
Hi,
I will be 62 and may retire in a couple months and would like to collect SS from my x-spouse. I have never remarried and we were married over the 10 yrs marker.
I do not know the amount I will receive from his SS to make the choice if I should wait or collect now due to the current virus situation in the world. I have all the info of the dates of div. and his SS #. How can I find out the amount before I decide to apply.
Thank you,
V.V.
Hi Diane, thank you for using our blog. For your security, we do not have access to private information in this venue. To obtain an estimate of benefits on your ex-spouse’s record, please call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
Lorena L.
I am 65 yrs old but do not have the quarters to qualify for SSA benefits; however, my husband of 36 years turned 62 in December 2019. Although he has decided NOT to apply for SS benefits at this time, can I still apply for Medicare under his benefit?
V.V.
Hi Lorena, thank you for your question. You can apply for Medicare on your spouse’s record assuming you meet all other eligibility requirements. To apply, please make an appointment by calling us at 1-800-772-1213 or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information.
Ellen D.
My husband Robert Dew, passed away on March 13, 2020. I would like to receive his benefits since he earned more than I did. Please help me with this, as I recently had open heart surgery, and trying to caught up on all that has to be done on my husband Bob.
V.V.
We are very sorry for your loss, Ellen. Please visit our Benefits Planner: Survivors Benefits and How to Apply. This explains when benefits are automatically converted and when you need to apply. If you do need to apply, please call us to make an appointment at 1-800-772-1213 or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information. We hope this is helpful.
Terry
Let’s say I received SSDI benefits at say age 55 in say amount of $2000. At my FRA (age 66), this SSDI benefit converted to SS retirement benefit. Because of yearly COLAs since receiving SSDI, let’s say my monthly SS benefit is now $2500. How would non working spouse’s SS benefit be determined when she reaches FRA next year? 50% of $2000 or 50% of $2500?
V.V.
Hi Terry, thank you for your question. If your spouse files at their full retirement age, their benefit as a spouse cannot exceed one-half of your full retirement amount. Visit the Retirement Planner: Benefits for your Spouse, for additional details. We hope this is helpful.
Marie
Question.
Born in 1955 I will retire at 66.2 years next year. My husband has been drawing SSI since 2011 for medical reasons. Will this affect me and if so how?
V.V.
Hello Marie. We will always pay your own retirement benefit first. If your benefits as a spouse are higher than your own retirement benefits, you will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit. However, the spouse’s benefit cannot exceed one-half of your husband’s full retirement amount (not his reduced benefit amount). So, you can only receive additional spouse’s benefits if your own full retirement benefit (not your reduced benefit) is less than half of your husband’s full retirement benefit.
Generally, when applying for Social Security benefits, we typically explore all other benefits that could yield you a higher benefit amount.
Our system is set up to take applications four months in advance, and you can apply for your benefits online.
Nelda G.
Good afternoon,
My grandmother has her monthly appointment set for this Friday, April 3rd. She is unable to go because the SS offices are closed. What does she need to do? Thank you!
V.V.
Hi Nelda. Thank you for using our blog. We will attempt to contact your grandmother by phone and/or reschedule for a telephone appointment. Our call to her may come from a PRIVATE number and not from a U.S. Government phone. Please remember that our employees will not threaten or ask for any form of payment. Subscribe and stay up to date with the latest Social Security information on Coronavirus (COVID-19).
Rebecca T.
If my husband receives social security disability benefits and pays child support to his ex spouse does that child receive the child support monies and monies from his disability benefits?
Marie N.
I am trying to get thru to you all. I am waiting for an answer. My husband passed in November 14, 2019. Thomas Nestich, Jr. I am waiting for an answer to his benefits to me. This was to be finished by April according to your office. No answers so far.
V.V.
Hi Marie, we are very sorry for your loss. 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 or you can contact your local Social Security office. Please look for the general inquiry telephone number at the Social Security Office Locator. The number may appear under Show Additional Office Information.