What you can receive as a spouse

If your spouse receives Social Security retirement or disability benefits, you may receive your own payment based on their work record — even if you never worked or have a low earnings history. This is called a spousal benefit. The payment comes from the same Social Security fund as your spouse's benefit, not from a separate pool, and it does not reduce what your spouse receives.

The amount you receive is typically up to 50 percent of what your spouse gets at their full retirement age, though the exact percentage depends on your age when you claim. If you wait until your own full retirement age to claim the spousal benefit, you receive the full 50 percent. If you claim earlier, the payment is reduced.

You do not need to have worked to receive a spousal benefit, but you must be at least 62 years old, married for at least one year, or the parent of your spouse's child under age 16. Divorced spouses can also receive spousal benefits under certain conditions, even if their ex-spouse has remarried.

Key Takeaways

  • A spousal benefit can be up to 50 percent of your spouse's full retirement age benefit, but only if you claim at your own full retirement age.
  • Claiming before your full retirement age reduces your spousal benefit permanently, and the reduction is steeper than it is for your own retirement benefit.
  • You must be married at least one year, or be the parent of your spouse's child under 16, to receive a spousal benefit.
  • Your spouse must have already claimed their own Social Security benefit before you can claim a spousal benefit based on their record.
  • Divorced spouses can receive spousal benefits if the marriage lasted at least 10 years and they are at least 62 years old.

Age and the amount you receive

Social Security reduces your spousal benefit if you claim before your full retirement age. The reduction is significant: at 62, you receive roughly 32 to 35 percent of your spouse's full retirement age benefit, not the full 50 percent. The exact percentage depends on your birth year and how many months early you claim.

Your full retirement age for a spousal benefit is the same as your full retirement age for your own retirement benefit — between 66 and 67 for most people born after 1954. If you claim at that age, you receive 50 percent of your spouse's benefit. If you wait past your full retirement age, your spousal benefit does not increase further, so there is no financial advantage to delaying beyond that point.

Your spouse's age does not affect the amount of your spousal benefit. What matters is your age when you claim and your spouse's full retirement age benefit amount. If your spouse claims early and receives a reduced benefit, your 50 percent is calculated from that reduced amount, not from what they would have received at their full retirement age.

When your spouse must claim first

Your spouse must have already claimed their own Social Security benefit before you can claim a spousal benefit. Social Security will not process your spousal claim if your spouse has not yet filed. This is true even if your spouse is past their full retirement age and could claim at any time.

If your spouse has not yet claimed, you have two options: wait for them to file, or claim your own retirement benefit based on your own work record if you are old enough and have enough earnings history. Once your spouse files, you can then file for the spousal benefit.

If your spouse is deceased, you may receive a widow's or widower's benefit instead, which works differently and can be as much as 100 percent of what your spouse was receiving or would have received. Widow's and widower's benefits have their own age rules and reduction schedules.

How your own work record affects your payment

If you have your own Social Security work record, Social Security calculates both your retirement benefit and your spousal benefit, then pays you the higher of the two. You cannot receive both at full value — you receive one benefit, and it is the larger amount.

This matters because if your own retirement benefit is close to 50 percent of your spouse's benefit, you may not receive much spousal payment at all. For example, if your own retirement benefit at full retirement age is $800 and your spouse's full retirement age benefit is $2,000, your spousal benefit would be $1,000 (50 percent of $2,000). Social Security pays you $1,000 — the higher amount — not $800 plus a spousal add-on.

If you claim before your full retirement age, both your own benefit and your spousal benefit are reduced. The reduction for your own benefit is different from the reduction for the spousal benefit, so the math becomes more complex. A Social Security representative can calculate both amounts for you before you claim.

Divorced spouse benefits

You can receive a spousal benefit based on an ex-spouse's record if you were married for at least 10 years, are at least 62 years old, and are not currently married. Your ex-spouse does not need to have claimed their own benefit yet — if you are at least 62 and the divorce was at least two years ago, you can claim on their record even if they have not filed.

The benefit amount works the same way: up to 50 percent of your ex-spouse's full retirement age benefit if you claim at your own full retirement age. If you claim early, the amount is reduced. Your ex-spouse's remarriage does not affect your benefit, and they do not need to know you are claiming.

If you have been divorced more than once, you can choose which ex-spouse's record to use — typically the one that gives you the higher benefit. You must have been married to that person for at least 10 years.

Taxes on spousal benefits

Depending on your total income, part of your Social Security benefit — including spousal benefits — may be taxable. Social Security counts "combined income," which includes your adjusted gross income, nontaxable interest, and half of your Social Security benefits. If your combined income exceeds certain thresholds, you owe federal income tax on up to 50 percent or 85 percent of your benefits.

These thresholds are $25,000 for single filers and $32,000 for married couples filing jointly. They have not changed since 1984, so more people are affected now than when the rule was created. Some states also tax Social Security benefits, though most do not.

You can ask Social Security to withhold federal income tax from your benefit payment, or you can make estimated tax payments on your own. A tax professional can help you understand whether your spousal benefit will be taxable in your situation.

How to claim a spousal benefit

You claim a spousal benefit by contacting Social Security directly. You can apply online at ssa.gov, call 1-800-772-1213, or visit your local Social Security office in person. You will need your Social Security number, your spouse's Social Security number, proof of citizenship or legal residency, and a birth certificate.

Social Security processes spousal claims in the order they are received. If you are claiming on a spouse's record, your spouse must have already filed. If you are claiming on an ex-spouse's record, you do not need their permission or knowledge, but you will need to provide proof of the marriage and divorce.

Processing typically takes two to three weeks if you apply online or by phone, or longer if you apply in person during busy periods. Social Security will contact you if they need additional documents. You can check the status of your application online using your my Social Security account.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I receive a spousal benefit if my spouse is still working?

Yes. Your spouse's current work does not affect your spousal benefit. However, if your spouse has not yet claimed their own Social Security benefit, you cannot claim a spousal benefit until they do. Once they claim, your spousal benefit is not affected by whether they continue working.

What happens to my spousal benefit if my spouse dies?

Your spousal benefit ends, but you may become may be able to access for a widow's or widower's benefit instead. This is a different benefit with its own rules and can be higher than your spousal benefit was. Contact Social Security to switch to a widow's or widower's benefit.

Can I claim a spousal benefit and delay my own retirement benefit?

This depends on your birth year. People born before January 2, 1954 can claim a spousal benefit at full retirement age while delaying their own retirement benefit until age 70. People born on or after that date cannot — if they claim any Social Security benefit, they are deemed to claim all benefits at once, and both are reduced.

Does my spousal benefit increase if I wait past my full retirement age to claim?

No. Your spousal benefit maxes out at 50 percent of your spouse's full retirement age benefit, which you receive if you claim at your own full retirement age. Waiting past that age does not increase the spousal portion, though your own retirement benefit would continue to grow if you delay.

What if my spouse and I are the same age?

Your age relative to your spouse does not matter. What matters is your age when you claim and your spouse's full retirement age benefit amount. If you are the same age and both claim at 62, you both receive reduced benefits based on your individual work records and any spousal benefits you are may have access to to.