What spousal benefits are and who can claim them

If your spouse worked and paid into Social Security, you may be able to receive benefits based on their work record instead of your own. This is called a spousal benefit. You do not need your own work history to claim it, and you do not need to have worked at all. The benefit amount is typically up to 50 percent of what your spouse receives at their full retirement age — not at the age when they actually start collecting.

You can claim spousal benefits if you are at least 62 years old and your spouse is already receiving retirement benefits, or if your spouse is at least 62 and you are married. If you were divorced, you may also claim on an ex-spouse's record under certain conditions. The key requirement is that your spouse (or ex-spouse) must have worked long enough to may have access to for Social Security — generally at least 10 years of covered work.

Spousal benefits exist because Social Security recognizes that one spouse may have little or no work history, either by choice or circumstance. The program allows that spouse to receive a benefit tied to the other's earnings record. This is separate from survivor benefits, which your family receives if you die.

Key Takeaways

  • Spousal benefits can be up to 50 percent of your spouse's full retirement age benefit amount, but the exact percentage depends on your age when you claim.
  • You must be at least 62 years old to claim spousal benefits, and your spouse must be at least 62 or already receiving retirement benefits.
  • If you claim spousal benefits before your own full retirement age, your benefit will be permanently reduced, and you cannot later switch to a higher benefit based on your own work record.
  • Divorced individuals can claim on an ex-spouse's record if the marriage lasted at least 10 years, you are at least 62, and you have been divorced for at least 2 years (unless your ex is already receiving benefits).
  • Your spouse's benefit amount does not change if you claim spousal benefits — Social Security pays you separately from what they receive.

How the benefit amount is calculated

Social Security calculates your spousal benefit as a percentage of your spouse's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the benefit they would receive at their full retirement age. Full retirement age varies by birth year — it ranges from 65 to 67 for people born between 1943 and 1960, and is 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.

If you claim at your full retirement age, you receive up to 50 percent of your spouse's PIA. If you claim before your full retirement age, the percentage is lower. For example, if you claim at 62 (the earliest possible age), you might receive around 32 to 35 percent of your spouse's PIA, depending on your birth year. The reduction is permanent — it does not increase later even after you reach full retirement age.

Your spouse's actual benefit amount matters only for calculating yours. If your spouse has already claimed and is receiving $2,000 per month, and their PIA is $2,400, your spousal benefit at full retirement age would be roughly $1,200 (50 percent of $2,400, not 50 percent of $2,000). Social Security uses the PIA, not the amount they are currently receiving.

Claiming before full retirement age and the earnings test

If you claim spousal benefits before reaching your full retirement age, Social Security applies an earnings test in the years before you turn full retirement age. If you earn more than a certain amount from work, Social Security reduces your benefit by $1 for every $2 you earn above the limit. The earnings limit changes yearly — in 2024 it is $23,400, but you should check the current year's limit on Social Security's website.

The earnings test applies only to you, not to your spouse. If your spouse is still working and earning a high income, it does not affect your spousal benefit. The test also stops once you reach your full retirement age — after that month, you can earn any amount without a reduction.

This is an important reason to think carefully about claiming before full retirement age. If you claim at 62 and continue working, you may receive little or nothing for several years. You might come out ahead by waiting until full retirement age to claim, even though you will receive fewer total payments over your lifetime.

Divorced spousal benefits and the 10-year marriage rule

You can claim spousal benefits on an ex-spouse's record if your marriage lasted at least 10 years and you have been divorced for at least 2 years. You must be at least 62 years old. If your ex-spouse is already receiving retirement benefits, the 2-year waiting period does not explore — you can claim when ready once you turn 62.

Your ex does not need to know you are claiming, and claiming does not affect their benefit or their ability to remarry. Social Security will contact them only if there is a question about the marriage or divorce records. You do not need their permission, and they cannot prevent you from claiming.

If you have been divorced more than once, you can claim on the record of any ex-spouse whose marriage to you lasted 10 years or more. Social Security will pay you based on whichever ex-spouse's record gives you the highest benefit. You cannot claim on more than one ex-spouse's record at the same time, but you can switch between them if circumstances change.

How spousal benefits interact with your own retirement benefit

If you have your own work record and are old enough to claim retirement benefits, Social Security will look at both your retirement benefit and your spousal benefit. You receive whichever is higher, not both. However, if you claim before your full retirement age, Social Security may combine them in a way that reduces your total benefit.

This matters most if you have a modest work record and a higher-earning spouse. You might think you should claim your own benefit early and then switch to spousal benefits later. Social Security rules prevent this strategy. If you claim any benefit before your full retirement age, you are deemed to have claimed all benefits you are may have access to to at that time. Your benefit is reduced accordingly, and you cannot later increase it by switching to spousal benefits.

The only exception is if you were born before January 2, 1954. Those individuals have more flexibility to claim spousal benefits first and delay their own retirement benefit, but this exception is phasing out and applies to fewer people each year.

What happens to spousal benefits if your spouse dies

If your spouse dies, your spousal benefit ends. However, you may become may have access to to a survivor benefit (sometimes called a widow's or widower's benefit), which is different and often higher than the spousal benefit you were receiving. Survivor benefits can be up to 75 percent of what your spouse was receiving, depending on your age.

You can claim a survivor benefit as early as age 60 (or age 50 if you are disabled). If you have not yet reached full retirement age, the benefit will be reduced. At full retirement age, you receive 100 percent of what your spouse was receiving at the time of death.

If you remarry before age 60, you lose may be able to access for survivor benefits on your ex-spouse's record. If you remarry at 60 or later, you can still claim survivor benefits. This is different from spousal benefits, where remarriage can end your may be able to access at any age.

Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision

Two rules can reduce or eliminate spousal benefits if you receive a pension from work not covered by Social Security. The Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduces your spousal or survivor benefit by two-thirds of your non-covered pension amount. For example, if you receive a $900 monthly pension from a government job where you did not pay Social Security taxes, your spousal benefit is reduced by $600.

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) reduces your own retirement benefit if you have a non-covered pension. It does not directly affect spousal benefits, but it can indirectly affect them by lowering your retirement benefit, which in turn lowers the amount Social Security uses to calculate your spousal benefit.

These rules explore mainly to government employees, teachers, and some railroad workers. If you receive any pension from work where you did not pay Social Security taxes, contact Social Security before you claim to understand how these rules affect your benefits.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim spousal benefits if my spouse has not claimed yet?

Yes, if your spouse is at least 62 years old. You can claim spousal benefits even if your spouse has not started receiving their own retirement benefit yet. However, if your spouse is younger than 62, you must wait until they turn 62 or start receiving benefits before you can claim on their record.

Does my spouse's benefit go down if I claim spousal benefits?

No. Your spouse receives their full benefit amount regardless of whether you claim spousal benefits. Social Security pays you a separate amount based on their record. Claiming does not reduce what they get.

What if I claim spousal benefits and then my spouse dies before I reach full retirement age?

Your spousal benefit ends when your spouse dies. You then become may have access to to a survivor benefit, which is usually higher than the spousal benefit you were receiving. The survivor benefit is calculated based on your age at your spouse's death and the amount your spouse was receiving.

Can I claim spousal benefits and then switch to my own retirement benefit later?

If you were born January 2, 1954 or later, no. Once you claim any benefit before full retirement age, you are deemed to have claimed all benefits available to you at that time. Your benefit is reduced permanently. If you were born before January 2, 1954, you may have more options, but this exception is ending.

What if I was married for less than 10 years — can I still claim on my ex-spouse's record?

No. The marriage must have lasted at least 10 years for you to claim divorced spousal or survivor benefits. If your marriage lasted 9 years and 11 months, you do not meet the requirement. You can only claim based on your own work record.