Understanding Spousal Social Security Benefits: What You Need to Know
Over 65 million seniors depend on Social Security for their retirement income. While many beneficiaries are retired workers, approximately 1.9 million spouses and ex-spouses also claim benefits based on their partner’s or ex-partner’s earnings. Knowing how spousal benefits work can help you plan for your financial future.
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Requirements for Spousal Social Security Benefits
To qualify for spousal Social Security benefits, you must be married to a qualifying worker. This worker should have earned at least 40 work credits, where one credit equals $1,730 in earnings in 2024. You can earn a maximum of four credits per year.
Interestingly, you don’t have to stay married to receive these benefits. You may be eligible if:
- You’ve been married to a qualifying worker for a minimum of one year.
- You’re married and have a child together, regardless of how long you’ve been married.
- You were married for any length of time and were entitled to Social Security benefits before getting married.
- You were married for at least 10 years, are now divorced, and have not remarried.
Even if the original worker has remarried, you can still claim benefits without affecting their new spouse’s ability to claim their own spousal Social Security.
Eligibility Does Not Guarantee Benefits
Meeting one of the above criteria means you’re eligible for spousal Social Security benefits. However, your actual benefit depends on your own retirement benefit qualifications.
The Social Security Administration provides either your retirement benefit or the spousal benefit, whichever is higher. But remember, you cannot claim a spousal benefit until your partner is receiving Social Security.
Your retirement benefit is based on your own work record. If you have not earned the required 40 credits, the spousal benefit becomes your only option. For individuals who have worked, determining your benefit becomes more complex.
The spousal benefit can be as much as half of your partner’s retirement benefit when they reach their full retirement age (FRA), which ranges from ages 66 to 67 for most current workers. To claim this benefit, you will need to wait until your FRA as well.
When it comes to claiming benefits early or late, you will see different impacts on retirement versus spousal benefits. The following table outlines how claiming age affects these benefits:
|
Retirement Benefits |
Spousal Benefits |
|
|---|---|---|
|
If you claim more than 36 months under your FRA |
Checks shrink by 20% plus 5/12 of 1% per month |
Checks shrink by 25% plus 5/12 of 1% per month |
|
If you claim between one and 36 months below your FRA |
Checks shrink by 5/9 of 1% per month |
Checks shrink by 25/36 of 1% per month |
|
If you claim after your FRA |
Checks grow by 2/3 of 1% per month until age 70 |
No benefit increase |
Source: Social Security Administration. Chart by author.
Thus, the benefits you receive hinge on your own retirement benefits, your spouse’s retirement benefits, and when you both decide to apply for Social Security.
Estimating Your Benefits
You do not have to calculate whether a retirement benefit or a spousal benefit is better for you. The Social Security Administration will compute this during your application process.
However, if your spousal benefit turns out to be larger than your retirement benefit, and your spouse has not yet applied for Social Security, you will need to request a switch to a spousal benefit once they do.
For estimating benefits, both you and your spouse can create “my Social Security” accounts. These accounts provide estimates based on your work histories. This feature can help both of you decide when to file for benefits.
To calculate your spousal benefit, input your partner’s expected benefit at their FRA into your account. Alternatively, you can enter your birthdate into your spouse’s account to gauge what your spousal benefit may look like.
Keep in mind these are estimates. Use this information to help you tentatively plan your Social Security strategy, but remain flexible in case financial situations or retirement plans shift.
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