What a spousal benefit is and who can receive it

A spousal benefit is a Social Security payment based on your spouse's earnings record rather than your own. You do not need to have worked to receive it — Social Security will calculate what you would get based on your spouse's contributions, and you can claim a portion of that amount even if you never paid into the system yourself.

To receive a spousal benefit, you must be at least 62 years old, and your spouse must either be receiving Social Security already or be at least 62 themselves. If your spouse has not yet filed for Social Security, you can still file for a spousal benefit once you reach full retirement age (the age at which Social Security considers you may be able to access for your full benefit amount). Your spouse does not have to agree or sign anything — Social Security will contact them to verify the marriage.

You can be married, divorced, or widowed and still receive a spousal benefit. If you are divorced, the marriage must have lasted at least 10 years, and you must be unmarried at the time you file. If you are widowed, you can file for a survivor benefit (a related but different payment) at any age if you have a child under 16 in your care, or at 60 if you do not.

Key Takeaways

  • A spousal benefit is typically 32.5% of your spouse's full retirement age benefit amount if you claim at your own full retirement age, or less if you claim earlier.
  • Claiming before your full retirement age reduces your spousal benefit permanently, and the reduction is steeper than it is for your own retirement benefit.
  • If you are divorced, the marriage must have lasted at least 10 years, and you must be unmarried when you file.
  • Your spouse's decision to claim early or late affects the amount you can receive, because your spousal benefit is calculated as a percentage of what they get.
  • You cannot claim a spousal benefit and your own retirement benefit at the same time — Social Security will pay you whichever is larger.

How the spousal benefit amount is calculated

Social Security calculates your spousal benefit as a percentage of your spouse's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA) — the full retirement age benefit they are may have access to to. The exact percentage depends on your age when you claim.

If you claim at your full retirement age, you receive 32.5% of your spouse's PIA. If you claim at 62 (the earliest age allowed), the reduction is much steeper: you receive roughly 32% to 35% of your spouse's PIA, depending on your birth year. The exact reduction varies because Social Security uses different formulas for people born in different years. If you claim between 62 and your full retirement age, your benefit falls somewhere in between.

Your spouse's decision to delay claiming Social Security affects what you receive. If your spouse waits past their full retirement age to claim (up to age 70), their benefit grows by about 8% per year. Since your spousal benefit is a percentage of their amount, a larger spouse benefit means a larger spousal payment to you. If your spouse claims early at 62, their benefit is reduced, which also reduces your spousal benefit.

If you have your own Social Security benefit from your own work record, Social Security will pay you whichever is larger: your own retirement benefit or your spousal benefit. You cannot receive both at the same time.

Claiming before full retirement age and the earnings test

If you claim a spousal benefit before reaching your full retirement age, Social Security applies an earnings test — a rule that reduces your payment if you earn above a certain amount from work. In 2025, if you are under full retirement age for the entire year, Social Security deducts $1 from your benefit for every $2 you earn above $23,400. The threshold and reduction rate change each year.

In the year you reach full retirement age, the earnings test is less strict. Social Security deducts $1 for every $3 you earn above $62,400, but only counts earnings before the month you reach full retirement age. Once you reach full retirement age, the earnings test no longer applies, and you can earn as much as you want without any reduction to your benefit.

The earnings test applies only to wages and self-employment income. It does not count investment income, pensions, annuities, or other non-work income. If you are self-employed, Social Security counts your net profit from self-employment.

Divorced spousal benefits and the 10-year marriage rule

If you are divorced, you can claim a spousal benefit on your ex-spouse's record if the marriage lasted at least 10 years and you are at least 62 years old. You must be unmarried at the time you file. If you remarry, you lose the right to claim on your ex-spouse's record, though you may be able to claim on your new spouse's record instead.

Your ex-spouse does not have to be receiving Social Security yet for you to claim a spousal benefit on their record, as long as you have reached your full retirement age. If you have not reached full retirement age, your ex-spouse must be receiving Social Security already. This rule gives divorced people more flexibility than married people, because married people must wait for their spouse to file first (unless they have reached full retirement age).

Social Security does not notify your ex-spouse when you file for a spousal benefit on their record. The benefit comes from the Social Security trust fund, not from their payment — claiming a spousal benefit does not reduce what your ex-spouse receives.

How remarriage and widowhood affect your spousal benefit

If you remarry, your spousal benefit on your previous spouse's record stops when ready. You can then claim a spousal benefit on your new spouse's record if you meet the requirements (married at least 9 months, or married before age 60 if your new spouse is deceased). If your new spouse's benefit is smaller than your previous spouse's was, you will receive less.

If your spouse dies, you may be able to claim a survivor benefit instead of a spousal benefit. A survivor benefit is calculated differently and is typically larger than a spousal benefit. If you are at least 60 years old (or 50 if you are disabled), you can claim a survivor benefit on your deceased spouse's record. If you have not reached 60 yet but have a child under 16 in your care, you can claim a survivor benefit at any age.

If you are receiving a spousal benefit and your spouse dies, Social Security will automatically convert your payment to a survivor benefit. You do not have to file again — the conversion happens without any action on your part.

Government Pension Offset and Windfall Elimination Provision

Two rules can reduce or eliminate your spousal benefit if you receive a pension from work that was not covered by Social Security — typically government employment such as teaching or civil service.

The Government Pension Offset (GPO) reduces your spousal or survivor benefit by two-thirds of your government pension amount. For example, if your government pension is $1,500 per month, the GPO reduces your spousal benefit by $1,000, leaving you with $500. In many cases, this reduction eliminates the spousal benefit entirely. The GPO applies only to pensions from work where you did not pay Social Security taxes.

The Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) reduces your own Social Security retirement benefit if you receive a government pension, but it does not directly affect your spousal benefit. However, because your spousal benefit is calculated as a percentage of your spouse's benefit, and because Social Security pays you whichever is larger (your own benefit or your spousal benefit), the WEP can indirectly affect how much you receive overall.

If either rule applies to you, Social Security will notify you before you claim. You can contact Social Security to ask whether your government pension will trigger GPO or WEP.

Timing your claim: early, at full retirement age, or delayed

Deciding when to claim a spousal benefit involves weighing the reduction for claiming early against the possibility of living longer and collecting more total payments over your lifetime. There is no single "right" answer — it depends on your health, your spouse's health, your life expectancy, and your financial needs.

If you claim at 62, you receive a reduced benefit when ready but collect payments for more years. If you wait until your full retirement age (66 to 67 for most people born after 1954), your monthly payment is larger, but you collect fewer payments before you die. If you wait past your full retirement age, your own retirement benefit grows by 8% per year until age 70, but your spousal benefit does not grow beyond the full retirement age amount — it stays at 32.5% of your spouse's PIA.

Your spouse's timing also matters. If your spouse delays claiming until age 70, their benefit grows, which means your spousal benefit grows too. If your spouse claims early at 62, both their benefit and your spousal benefit are reduced. Coordinating your claiming ages with your spouse's can help you maximize the total household benefit over both of your lifetimes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim a spousal benefit if my spouse has not filed for Social Security yet?

It depends on your age. If you have reached your full retirement age, you can file for a spousal benefit even if your spouse has not filed yet — your spouse does not have to claim first. If you are younger than your full retirement age, your spouse must be receiving Social Security already before you can claim a spousal benefit.

What happens to my spousal benefit if my spouse dies?

Your spousal benefit stops, but you become may be able to access for a survivor benefit on your deceased spouse's record. A survivor benefit is typically larger than a spousal benefit and is calculated differently. Social Security will automatically convert your payment to a survivor benefit without requiring you to file again.

Does claiming a spousal benefit affect my spouse's Social Security payment?

No. Your spousal benefit comes from the Social Security trust fund, not from your spouse's payment. Claiming a spousal benefit does not reduce what your spouse receives. The only exception is if you are both receiving benefits and one of you dies — the survivor benefit may be affected by family maximum rules, but this is rare.

Can I claim a spousal benefit if I am divorced?

Yes, if the marriage lasted at least 10 years, you are at least 62 years old, and you are unmarried at the time you file. Your ex-spouse does not have to agree, and they do not have to be receiving Social Security if you have reached your full retirement age. If you remarry, you lose the right to claim on your ex-spouse's record.

How does the Government Pension Offset affect my spousal benefit?

The GPO reduces your spousal benefit by two-thirds of your government pension amount. If you receive a pension from government work where you did not pay Social Security taxes, Social Security will deduct two-thirds of that pension from your spousal benefit. In many cases, this eliminates the spousal benefit entirely.