What a spousal benefit is and who can receive it

A spousal benefit is a monthly payment from Social Security based on your spouse's work record rather than your own. You do not need to have worked, or to have worked much, to receive it. The payment comes from your spouse's Social Security account, not from a separate pool, and it reduces the total amount available to your household.

You can receive a spousal benefit if you are at least 62 years old and your spouse is already receiving Social Security retirement benefits. Your spouse must have filed for their own benefits first — you cannot claim spousal benefits on someone's record if they have not yet started collecting. If your spouse has not yet filed but is old enough to do so, they can file and immediately suspend their benefits to let them grow, which still allows you to claim spousal benefits.

You can also receive spousal benefits as a divorced person if your marriage lasted at least 10 years, your ex-spouse is at least 62 years old, and you are not currently married. You do not need your ex-spouse's permission or knowledge to file.

Key Takeaways

  • The maximum spousal benefit is 50 percent of your spouse's full retirement age benefit amount, but you receive less if you claim before your own full retirement age.
  • Your spouse's benefit amount does not change because you claim spousal benefits, but your claim reduces the total household payment from Social Security.
  • If you were born on January 2, 1954 or later, you cannot claim spousal benefits alone — you must claim your own retirement benefit at the same time, and Social Security will combine them.
  • The earliest you can claim is age 62, but waiting until your full retirement age or later increases your monthly payment.
  • Spousal benefits for divorced people work the same way as for current spouses, except you do not need permission from your ex and the marriage must have lasted at least 10 years.

How the payment amount is calculated

Your spousal benefit is based on your spouse's Primary Insurance Amount (PIA), which is the monthly payment they receive at their full retirement age. The maximum you can receive is 50 percent of that amount, but the actual payment depends on your age when you claim.

If you claim at your full retirement age, you receive exactly 50 percent of your spouse's PIA. If you claim before your full retirement age, the payment is reduced by a percentage that depends on how many months early you claim. The reduction is roughly 0.35 percent per month before age 62.5, and roughly 0.416 percent per month between 62.5 and your full retirement age. For example, if your full retirement age is 67 and you claim at 62, you receive approximately 32 percent of your spouse's PIA instead of 50 percent.

If you were born January 2, 1954 or later, Social Security will also add your own retirement benefit to your spousal benefit and pay you the combined amount. This means you cannot receive spousal benefits alone — you claim both at once. If you were born before that date, you may have the option to claim spousal benefits only and let your own benefit grow, but this option is no longer available to younger workers.

When your spouse must file and what happens to their payment

Your spouse must have filed for their own Social Security retirement benefits before you can claim spousal benefits on their record. They do not have to be receiving the payment yet — they can file and immediately suspend their benefits to allow them to grow — but the filing must happen first.

Your spouse's monthly payment does not change because you claim spousal benefits. If they receive $2,000 per month, they continue to receive $2,000 per month. Your spousal benefit comes from the same Social Security trust fund, but it does not reduce their individual payment. However, it does reduce the total amount of money Social Security pays to your household each month.

If your spouse dies, your spousal benefit ends. You may become a survivor beneficiary instead, which is a different payment based on your age and your relationship to the deceased worker, but the rules and amounts are separate from spousal benefits.

How age affects your payment and when to claim

The age at which you claim spousal benefits has a large effect on your monthly payment. Claiming at 62 gives you the smallest payment but starts money coming in immediately. Waiting until your full retirement age gives you 50 percent of your spouse's PIA. Waiting past your full retirement age does not increase your spousal benefit further — it caps at 50 percent — but it does increase your own retirement benefit if you have one.

Your full retirement age depends on your birth year. For people born between 1943 and 1954, it is between 66 and 67. For people born in 1955 or later, it ranges from 67 to 67 and 10 months. Social Security's website has a table showing the exact age for your birth year.

If you claim before your full retirement age and you are still working, Social Security will reduce your benefit by $1 for every $2 you earn above an annual limit. For 2024, that limit is $23,400, but it changes each year. Once you reach your full retirement age, this earnings limit no longer applies, even if you continue working.

Spousal benefits for divorced people

If you are divorced, you can claim spousal benefits on your ex-spouse's record if you meet four conditions: you are at least 62 years old, your ex-spouse is at least 62 years old, your marriage lasted at least 10 years, and you are not currently married. You do not need your ex-spouse's permission, and they do not need to know you have filed.

The payment amount is the same as for a current spouse — up to 50 percent of your ex-spouse's PIA, reduced if you claim before your full retirement age. If your ex-spouse has not yet filed for their own benefits, you can still claim on their record if they are at least 62, as long as you have been divorced for at least two years.

If you have been divorced more than once and each marriage lasted at least 10 years, you can choose which ex-spouse's record to claim on. You can only claim on one record at a time, but you can switch later if it benefits you.

How spousal benefits interact with your own retirement benefit

If you were born January 2, 1954 or later, you cannot claim spousal benefits without also claiming your own retirement benefit. Social Security will combine both payments and pay you the total. This means you cannot delay your own benefit to let it grow while collecting spousal benefits alone.

If you were born before January 2, 1954, you may have the option to claim spousal benefits only and delay your own benefit until a later age. This allows your own benefit to grow by 8 percent per year until age 70. However, this option is not available to anyone born after that date.

Your own retirement benefit is based on your own work record and earnings history. It is calculated separately from your spousal benefit. If you have worked and paid Social Security taxes, you have your own benefit amount. Social Security will always pay you the higher of your own benefit or your spousal benefit, plus any additional spousal amount you are owed, up to the 50 percent cap.

Documents you need and how to file

To file for spousal benefits, you will need to provide Social Security with proof of your age, citizenship or legal residency, and your marriage certificate. If you are divorced, you will need the divorce decree. You will also need your spouse's Social Security number and information about their work history.

You can file online through Social Security's website, by phone at 1-800-772-1213, or in person at your local Social Security office. Online filing is available for people age 62 and older. If you file online, you will need to create a my Social Security account and answer questions about your work history and family situation.

Processing time varies. Online applications typically take 1 to 2 weeks. Phone and in-person applications may take longer, depending on how busy your local office is and whether Social Security needs additional documents from you.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

Your spouse must have filed for their own benefits first, but they do not have to be receiving payments. They can file and immediately suspend their benefits to let them grow. Once they have filed, you can claim spousal benefits on their record. If they have not filed at all, you cannot claim yet.

What happens to my spousal benefit if my spouse dies?

Your spousal benefit ends when your spouse dies. You may be able to receive a survivor benefit instead, which is a different payment based on your age and your relationship to the deceased. Survivor benefits have different rules and amounts than spousal benefits.

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

If you were born before January 2, 1954, you may be able to claim spousal benefits only and switch to your own benefit at a later age. If you were born on or after that date, you cannot — Social Security will combine both benefits and pay you the total when you file.

Does my spouse's benefit amount change if I claim spousal benefits?

No. Your spouse continues to receive their full benefit amount. Your spousal benefit comes from the same Social Security trust fund, but it does not reduce what your spouse receives each month.

Can I claim spousal benefits on an ex-spouse's record if we have been divorced for less than two years?

Only if your ex-spouse has already filed for their own benefits. If they have not filed yet, you must wait until two years have passed since the divorce was final before you can claim on their record.