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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Herman M.
My ex wife has died and I have remarried. My age is 83 years old. Am I eligible for part of my ex’s social security.
JOHN H.
Recently my Wife Anne M. Mc Laughlin ( *** – ** – *** ) passed away on 12/31/2018. I know I have an up coming meeting in March of 2019 at a SOCIAL SECURITY OFFICE IN MIAMI BEACH , FL to file for spousal / survivor benefits., BUT I HAVE lost the letter with the location & day, date , & time of the meeting.
Can you please re mail it to me ? Or E mail it to me ? Thank you, John H. Mc Laughlin , 7601 East Treasure Drive, Apt # 507 , North Bay Village, FL 33141 – 4300
Vonda V.
We are very sorry for your loss, John. Unfortunately, and because of security reasons, we do not have access to the appointment calendar in this blog and cannot assist you.
To inquire about your appointment, you can call our toll-free number at 1-800-772-1213. Representatives are available Monday through Friday, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
Marjorie M.
I was married to my first spouse for nearley 30 years. He asked for a divorce. He remarried right after the divorce. I understand Im entitled to some of his retirement at age 62? Also I wanted to know if got remarried before 62 would I still be entitled to his benefits, if so what are the benefits I would be entitled to? And when do I apply for these benefits?
Vonda V.
Hello Marjorie. We will always pay your own retirement benefit first. If your benefits as a divorced spouse are higher than your own retirement benefits, you will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher divorced spouse benefit. However, the divorced spouse’s benefit cannot exceed one-half of your ex-husband’s full retirement amount (not his reduced benefit amount). So, you can only receive additional divorced spouse’s benefits if your own full retirement benefit (not your reduced benefit) is less than half of your ex-husband’s full retirement benefit.
See “If I get married, will it affect my benefits” for additional details on getting married.
Adhitya N.
Important to understanding how future retirement might affect spouse with planning for fun and vibrant golden years. Adhitya Nugraha Novianta
Bonita P.
My husband who turned 65 May 2018 lives in another State we are not divorced and he is receiving Social Security. How do I apply for his benefits I am 63. Is it based on my age as well? I don’t know where to begin.
Vonda V.
Thanks for the question, Bonita. Your benefit as a spouse can be equal to one-half of your husband’s full retirement amount only if you start receiving those benefits at your full retirement age. If you begin to receive benefits at age 62 or prior to your full retirement age, your benefits are reduced. The reduction factors are permanently applied to all of the benefits you qualify for once you opt to start benefits at age 62 or at any time prior to your full retirement age.
Remember, if you qualify for your own retirement benefits and for benefits as a spouse, we always pay your own benefits 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.
See our Retirement Planner for more information. Also, to compute the effect on your benefit amount if you file for early retirement as well as to compute the effect on your spouse’s benefits if you file for early retirement, check out our Early or Late Retirement Calculator and our Benefits for Spouses Calculator.
Carl B.
JUst not clear enough to understand. I have been informed that my spouse will receive an amount that is 50% (half) of what I will receive. This article confuses me so now I don’t know what will happen when I request retirement for me and my wife next year (both will be 66yr old, full retirement age).
Kenny O.
Hello Carl. Your are correct! Your spouse’s benefit can be equal to one-half of your full retirement amount if you started receiving the benefits at your full retirement age. If a person begins to receive benefits at age 62 or prior to their full retirement age, their benefits are reduced. The reduction factors are permanently applied to all of the benefits the person may qualify for.
Also, if someone is eligible for both, his or her own benefit (from working) and for benefits as a spouse, we will always pay their own benefit first. If their spousal benefits are higher than their own retirement benefits, he or she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse benefit.
Please visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For Your Spouse for more information.
To see if you qualify for a higher benefit than what you are currently receiving, call our toll free telephone number at 1-800-772-1213, Monday through Friday between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. and ask a representative to assist you. Or contact your local Social Security office directly. Thanks!
Donna J.
Is there such. A law called zebley law?
Donna S.
Can i collect benefits on my mother’s and my father’s. Record since i was born disabled ?
Ann C.
Hi, Donna. A child’s benefits normally stop at age 18 unless he or she is a full-time student in an elementary or high school (benefits can continue until age 19) or is disabled.
For a child with a disability to receive benefits on parent’s record after age 18, the disabling impairment must have started before age 22. See our Disability Planner: Benefits For A Disabled Child web page for more information. We hope this helps.
Gloria H.
My husband of 62 years passed away on 01/11/19. Am I entitled to any widow benefits?
Vonda V.
Hi Gloria. We are very sorry for your loss. If you already receive benefits as a spouse, under your husband’s record, your benefit will automatically convert to widow’s benefits after we receive the report of death. Typically, the funeral director notifies us of an individual’s passing by contacting the local Social Security office.
If you are receiving retirement benefits on your own record, you can only apply for benefits as a widow if your retirement benefit amount is less than the benefits you would receive as a survivor.
You cannot report a death or apply for survivors benefits online. If you need to report a death or apply for benefits, call 1-800-772-1213 (TTY 1-800-325-0778). You can speak to a Social Security representative between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. You can also visit your local Social Security office.
Luz S.
Buenas tardes
Quisiera informarme que pasa cuando un jubilado de social security fallece y su cónyuge vive en otro país que se debe hacer para la presentación de documentos y reclamación de los beneficios a que tiene derecho el mismo y que documentos son requeridos por la entidad y a que dirección o correo electrónico se deben enviar.
Gracias por su amable atención y colaboración
Vonda V.
Hi there. For information in Spanish, please visit us at http://www.segurosocial.gov or http://www.facebook.com/segurosocial.
For Social Security information in other languages, please visit us at http://www.socialsecurity.gov/multilanguage.
Thanks!