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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Nelvin E.
Male spouse receiving s.s. $2000.00 month 69 years old.
Female spouse receiving s.s. $800.00 month 64 years old.
If male spouse dies what amout does the female spouse receive monthly.
Vonda V.
Hi Nelvin, thanks for using our blog. Typically, a widow or widower at full (survivors) retirement age or older generally receives 100% of the deceased worker’s amount, a widow or widower under full retirement age receives about 71 to 99 percent of the worker’s benefit amount. Check out our Survivors Planner for details.
Bryan K.
My wife is going to turn 65 this month, but she does not qualify for social security or Medicare based on her work history. She will qualify based on my work history, but I don’t turn 65 for another 3 years. Her healthcare is currently covered under the plan that I purchase through my employer. My question is whether we need to do anything now based on my wife turning 65.
Bryan K.
My wife will turn 65 this month, but does not qualify for social security or Medicare based on her own work history. She will qualify based on my work history, but I won’t turn 65 for another 3 years. She is currently covered under my group health care that I purchase through my employer. Do we have to do anything right now due to the fact that she is turning 65?
Vonda V.
Hi Bryan, thanks for using our blog. If you and your wife are covered under a group health plan based on your current employment, your wife may qualify for a Special Enrollment Period (SEP) that will let her sign up for Medicare Part B later. She has an 8-month SEP to sign up for Part A and/or Part B that starts at one of these times (whichever happens first):
• The month after your employment ends
• The month after group health plan insurance based on current employment ends.
Usually, you don’t pay a late enrollment penalty if you sign up during a SEP. You should always check with your employer’s health benefits advisor or health plan representative to see what’s best for you.
Check out our Medicare web page for additional details.
If your wife wants to enroll in Medicare, she can apply for Medicare on your record effective with the month you turn 62, even if you are not receiving benefits.
Jacqueline T.
My Husband passed away July 26 2020 What do I have to do now. I just got the Certification of Death last week when I pickup the Ashes. What do I have to do now? We were married 52. years. And we both were on S. S.
Vonda V.
We are very sorry for your loss, Jacqueline. 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. You can 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.
Don H.
I understand some of the information about divorced spouse benefits. However, will my benefit be reduced after a divorce? I retired 1 year before my full retirement age of 66. My wife is 5 years younger and will not be 62 until May, 2021. Will she be eligible for 1/2 of my benefit or is it reduced because she draws at age 62?
Vonda V.
Hi Don, thanks for using our blog. If you are divorced and your ex-spouse is currently unmarried, she may be able to receive benefits on your record if your marriage lasted 10 years or longer. Her benefits as a divorced spouse can be equal to one-half of your full retirement amount only if she starts receiving those benefits at her full retirement age. If she begins to receive benefits at age 62 or prior to her full retirement age, her benefits are reduced.
The reduction factors are permanently applied to all of the benefits she qualifies for once she opts to start benefits at age 62 or at any time prior to her full retirement age.
Remember, if she qualifies for her own retirement benefits and for benefits as a divorced spouse, we always pay the retirement benefits first. If benefits as a divorced spouse are higher than the retirement benefits, she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher divorced spouse benefit. The amount of benefits your divorced spouse gets has no effect on the amount of benefits you or your current spouse may receive.
See our Retirement Planner: If You’re Divorced for other eligibility requirements and more detailed information.
DAVID G.
I am 75 years old collecting my social security. My wife is 15 years younger. My wife has MS and OCD and has very little social security to collect when she turns 65. my question is, I’m worried if something were to happen to me how she would survive? How much would she would receive from my current social security check?
Vonda V.
Hi David, thank you for your question. Your wife’s survivor amount would be based on your earnings. The more you paid into Social Security, the higher her benefit will be. If you are already receiving benefits when you die, survivors benefits are based on that amount. The percentage of that amount that your wife would receive depends on how old she is when she files as a widow. We are only going to pay the highest benefit amount from either record, meaning you don’t get both retirement and widow(er)s benefits but the higher of the two.
Widows benefit are payable as early as age 60 (for a reduced benefit) or a full widowers benefit at full retirement age or older.
Use our Survivors Planner to look at how your family members are protected if you die.
Julie S.
Will I be able to qualify for 1/2 my husbands SS? and at what age?
I was born in 1959
he was born in 1958
Vonda V.
Hello Julie, thank you for your question. 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, during the initial interview when applying for Social Security retirement benefits, we typically explore all other benefits that could yield you a higher benefit amount. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page for additional details. We hope this helps!
Catherine C.
I started my social security at 62. My current husband is now 63 and considering taking his social security now. Will I receive any increase from his social security??
Ann C.
Hi, Catherine. To qualify for spouse’s benefits, your husband must be receiving retirement or disability benefits. Also, when 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. Visit our Retirement Planner: Benefits For You As A Spouse for more information. We hope this helps
Lavonne w.
If my husband died on the 12th of August, a week before his social security payment for the month of August, which comes the 3rd week of the month, do I have to return the August check or do I stop the September check.
Ann C.
Hi, Lavonne. We are very sorry for your loss. Social Security benefits are paid the month after they are due. Based on the date of death, your husband was due the payment but since his death occurred before the payment date, his benefits may be returned. We may pay amounts due a deceased beneficiary to a family member or legal representative of the estate. See “Claim For Amounts Due In The Case Of Deceased Beneficiary” for more information. In some instances, the financial institution will automatically return payments upon notification of the beneficiary’s death. We hope this helps.
Kathleen S.
I am currently receiving spouse benefits and would like to convert those to my own benefits which should be a higher amount. How do I start this process online.
Ann C.
Hi, Kathleen. Since you are currently receiving benefits, you will need to contact your local Social Security office to set up a telephone appointment to apply for benefits on your own record. Thanks!