Social Security is often the biggest asset people bring into retirement, and if you are married or were married for at least 10 years, you may have more options than you realize. A spouse can collect benefits based on their partner’s work record, even if they never worked outside the home, and in many cases the same is true after a divorce.
Spousal benefits are also a frequent source of confusion, so we have gathered the questions we hear most and answered them below.
What is a Social Security spousal benefit?
A spousal benefit allows the lower-earning spouse, including one with no work history at all, to collect Social Security based on the higher-earning spouse’s work record. The thinking behind it is simple. When one spouse stays home to raise children or manage the household, they make it possible for the other spouse to focus on a career, and the spousal benefit recognizes that contribution. Because of that, the lower earner does not need any work history of their own to qualify.
Can my spouse collect on my Social Security while I am alive?
Yes, and it will not reduce your own benefit. Your monthly check stays exactly the same whether or not your spouse collects on your record.
The detail that surprises many couples is timing. In most cases, the higher earner has to start their own benefit before the lower earner can begin a spousal benefit. So if the higher earner plans to wait until 70, the lower earner’s spousal benefit has to wait as well, which is why it helps to plan both claiming ages together.
How much is the spousal benefit?
The spousal benefit can be up to half of the higher earner’s full retirement age benefit. For example, if the higher earner’s full benefit is $3,000 a month, the lower earner could receive up to $1,500 a month.
To receive that full half, the lower earner needs to claim at their own full retirement age, which is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later. Claiming as early as 62 permanently reduces the spousal benefit to about 32.5% of the higher earner’s full benefit. Unlike your own retirement benefit, the spousal benefit does not grow if you wait past full retirement age, so there is no advantage to delaying it beyond that point.
When can a spouse collect spousal benefits?
To claim a spousal benefit, the lower earner generally needs to:
- Be at least 62
- Have been married to the higher earner for at least one year
- Wait until the higher earner has filed for their own benefit
Can husband and wife both collect Social Security?
Yes. Both spouses can collect at the same time. When both have worked, Social Security automatically pays each spouse whichever is larger: their own retirement benefit or the spousal benefit. You do not have to choose between them or file anything extra, although you will not receive both amounts added together.
For many dual-income couples, each spouse’s own benefit ends up being the larger one. Spousal benefits tend to make the biggest difference when there is a wide gap between the two earnings histories.
How should couples decide when each spouse claims?
When you claim as a couple affects your household income for the rest of your lives, and it also determines the survivor benefit for whichever spouse lives longer. A common approach is for the higher earner to delay their benefit, often until 70, while the lower earner claims earlier.
Waiting increases the higher earner’s monthly check for life and creates the largest possible survivor benefit. Starting the lower earner’s benefit sooner brings some income into the household in the meantime. The right ages depend on your health, savings, and taxes, the same factors that shape when to claim Social Security for anyone, so it helps to see each option modeled side by side.
How do you apply for spousal benefits?
You can apply for spousal benefits online at ssa.gov, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or at a local Social Security office. If you are applying for your own retirement benefit at the same time, Social Security will review both and pay whichever is larger.
Can you collect Social Security from an ex-spouse?
Yes, as long as you meet a few requirements:
- Your marriage lasted at least 10 years
- You are currently unmarried
- You are at least 62
- The benefit on your own work record is smaller than the spousal benefit would be
The amount works the same way it does for a current spouse. You can receive up to half of your ex-spouse’s full retirement age benefit, with a reduction if you claim before your own full retirement age.
Can I collect my own Social Security and my ex-husband’s?
Not both, but you will receive the larger of the two. When you apply, Social Security compares your own benefit with the benefit available on your ex-spouse’s record and pays whichever is higher.
Does my ex-spouse have to claim first?
Not if you have been divorced for at least two years and your ex-spouse is at least 62. In that case, you can begin collecting even if your ex has not started their own benefit. If the divorce is more recent, you will generally need to wait until they claim.
If I remarry, can I still collect spousal benefits?
Remarrying generally ends your eligibility for benefits on an ex-spouse’s record. From that point forward, you would look to your own benefit or a spousal benefit on your new spouse’s record instead. If the later marriage ends, you may become eligible on your former spouse’s record again. If your ex-spouse passes away, different rules apply, which we cover in our survivor benefits guide.
Frequently asked questions
Can I start my own benefit now and switch to a spousal benefit later? Yes. If you claim your own benefit first and your spouse files later, Social Security will add to your check to bring you up to the spousal amount, if it is larger. Keep in mind that claiming your own benefit early can reduce that combined amount.
What happens to my spousal benefit when my spouse dies? It is replaced by a survivor benefit, which can be up to 100% of what your spouse was receiving or was entitled to receive, depending on when you claim it. Our survivor benefits guide explains how that works.
Can I get spousal benefits if my spouse is on Social Security disability? Yes. If your spouse receives Social Security disability benefits, you may qualify for a spousal benefit on their record once you reach 62.
Speak to a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER® professional today
If you want to see how spousal benefits fit into your household’s retirement plan, our team can model your options side by side. Schedule a Discovery Meeting to get started.
