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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Brenda K.
I am 74 years old and have been receiving social security payments since 2010. My husband is 73 and has been receiving social security since 2017. I want to know if I can receive spousal benefits from my husbands account in addition to what I already receive.
Vonda V.
Hi Brenda, thanks for using our blog to ask 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 benefits, we typically explore all other benefits that could yield you a higher benefit amount. To find out if you are eligible for a higher benefit amount, you can call 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. Please be aware that our call wait times are longer than normal. We hope this information helps.
Linda L.
I need to know where I send my Marriage Certificate to prove that I was married to my deceased spouse.
Vonda V.
Hi Linda, thanks for using our blog. Before sending documentation, give us a call to ensure you send it to the right address. 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.
Kathy V.
My x husband just died, were married 22 yrs neither one of us was remarried, He got a pension and social security, I receive a pension, do I qualify for some of his social security benefits?
Vonda V.
We are very sorry for your loss, Kathy. If you are the divorced spouse of a worker who dies, you could get benefits the same as a widow or widower, provided that your marriage lasted 10 years or more. Benefits paid to you as a surviving divorced spouse won’t affect the benefit amount for other survivors getting benefits on the worker’s record. If you remarry after you reach age 60 (age 50 if disabled), the remarriage will not affect your eligibility for survivors benefits.
You may be able to receive full benefits at your full retirement age for survivors or reduced benefits as early as age 60.
Check out our Survivors Planner web page for additional details.
Ping Y.
My husband starts to receive his benefit on Jan. 2019.
I am 66 years old this month and claimed spouse’s benefits.
50% of my husband’s SS benefit more than mine. But I received letter indicated that I will receive my own SS security benefit amount instead.
Does any reason I am not entitle to claim spouse’s benefits?
Donna B.
My mom is 92, she lost my dad on September 24, 2020.
She wants to know if she needs to make an appointment to come in and change her benefit and collect survivors benefits which should be a little more than hers. What does she need to do?
Thank you
Vonda V.
We are very sorry for your loss, Donna. If your mother is already receiving benefits as a spouse, under her husband’s record, her 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 your mom is receiving retirement benefits on her own record, she can only apply for benefits as a widow if her retirement benefit amount is less than the benefits she would receive as a survivor.
To apply for benefits, your mom needs to call us at 1-800-772-1213 for assistance or she can contact her 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.
Katherine
I am receiving disability based on my past income. I am almost 64. My ex is 61 and still employed. Can i claim on his record as he earned the bulk of income during the 22 yrs of marriage? Thank you.
Vonda V.
Hi Katherine, thanks for using our blog. If your ex-spouse is 62 or older or receiving disability benefits, you are divorced and currently unmarried, you may be able to receive benefits on your ex-spouse’s record if your marriage lasted 10 years or longer. Your benefit as a divorced spouse can be equal to one-half of your ex’s full benefit amount only if you start receiving those benefits at your full retirement age. If you begin to receive benefits prior to your full retirement age, your benefits are reduced. Remember, if you qualify for your own disability benefits and for benefits as a divorced spouse, we always pay your own benefit first. If your benefits as a divorced spouse are higher than your own benefit, you will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher divorced spouse benefit.
See our Retirement Planner: If You’re Divorced for other eligibility requirements and more detailed information.
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.
Varden L.
I retired and started my benefits in 2004. I was born in 1948.
My wife started her benefits in 2005 She was born in 1949.
Can I claim part of her benefits as her monthly payment is far greater than mine?
Varden
LB C.
I have a question. I’m trying to understand the rules on spouse payments. I want to wait until I’m 70 years old to maximize my monthly payout. If I die suddenly at age 69 will my spouse be able to file for monthly social security as my survivor? The article on this page says ” You cannot receive spouse’s benefits unless your spouse is receiving his or her retirement benefits …” That doesn’t make sense to me. Is that sentence erroneous? Its certainly misleading.
I suspect the thing I’m looking for is described on https://www.ssa.gov/OP_Home/handbook/handbook.15/handbook-1513.html
Possible to update this page so its not confusing (to me, and perhaps others?) Note, this was the first page that popped up on the ssa.gov search results for “survivor benefits” Many thanks,
Vonda V.
Hi LB, thanks for using our blog. If you worked long enough under Social Security, your widow can receive full benefits at her full retirement age for survivors or reduced benefits as early as age 60. Check out our Frequently Asked Questions web page for details on who can get survivor benefits.
Mark K.
Does this mean that after I die, my wife can continue to receive her SSA amount and mine?
Vonda V.
Hi Mark, 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.
Widow(er)s 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.
Steven S.
My ex wife just turned 65. She’s received disability benefits for many years. Our divorce was in 2005. Can she now apply for Spouse’s benefits to receive 50% of my benefit? If she’s eligible, will she continue to receive her benefit as well?
Vonda V.
Hi Steven, thanks for using our blog to ask your question. We will always pay your ex-wife’s disability benefit first. If benefits as a divorced spouse are higher than her disability benefits, she will get a combination of benefits equaling the higher divorced spouse benefit. However, the divorced spouse’s benefit cannot exceed one-half of your full retirement amount (not a reduced benefit amount). So, she can only receive additional divorced spouse’s benefits if her own disability benefit is less than half of your full retirement benefit.
Generally, during your initial interview when applying for Social Security benefits, we typically explore all other potential benefits. If your ex-wife wants to find out if she’s eligible for a higher benefit amount, she can call us at 1-800-772-1213 or contact her 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.