Social Security Spousal Benefits – Here’s How to Know If You Qualify

Social Security isn’t just for retirees collecting benefits based on their own work history. For married couples, and even divorced individuals, spousal benefits can provide a crucial financial boost during retirement. Here’s everything you need to know about spousal benefits, how to qualify, and how to estimate your payout.

Spousal Benefits

A spousal benefit allows a non-working or lower-earning spouse to receive additional income based on the higher-earning spouse’s work record. This is especially helpful in cases where one spouse was a stay-at-home parent or didn’t earn enough credits to qualify for their own benefits.

Key Points

• The base spousal benefit equals 50% of the higher-earning spouse’s primary insurance amount (the amount they would receive at full retirement age).
• Benefits can be claimed as early as age 62, but claiming before full retirement age results in reduced monthly payouts.
• If caring for a qualifying child (under 16 or disabled), benefits may start earlier.

How to Qualify

To qualify for a spousal benefit, several conditions must be met:

1. Age and Status:
   • You must be at least 62 years old or caring for a qualifying child.
2. Spouse’s Benefits:
   • Your spouse must already be receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits.
3. Earnings History:
   • You must either:
     • Lack enough Social Security credits to qualify for your own benefit, or
     • Have an expected benefit at full retirement age that is less than half of your spouse’s.

Divorced Spouses

If you’re divorced, you may still qualify for spousal benefits based on your ex-spouse’s work history if:

• Your marriage lasted at least 10 years.
• You are currently unmarried.

The Social Security Administration (SSA) will compare your benefit amounts and pay you the higher of:

• Your benefit based on your earnings, or
• The spousal benefit based on your spouse’s (or ex-spouse’s) earnings.

How to Estimate

If you know your spouse’s full retirement age benefit amount, divide it by two to get a rough idea of your potential spousal benefit.

Online Tools

For the most accurate results, both you and your spouse should create “my Social Security” accounts at www.ssa.gov. From there:

1. Have your spouse log in and check their full retirement age benefit.
2. Log into your account and use the Retirement Calculator to:
   • Select Calculate a Benefit as a Spouse if you lack your own benefit.
   • Choose Compare with Benefit as a Spouse if you’re eligible for your own benefit.

These tools will provide estimates for claiming benefits at full retirement age and other eligible ages.

Key Takeaways

Spousal benefits are a valuable feature of Social Security, especially for families with unequal earning histories. Knowing how to qualify and estimate your benefits ensures you can plan your retirement with confidence. Whether you’re currently married or divorced, investigating spousal benefits could significantly enhance your financial stability in retirement.

FAQs