The maximum Social Security benefit for retired workers in 2024 is $4,873 per month. That adds up to more than $58,000 per year, and for some households, that might only be part of what they get in benefits. Partners qualify for spousal benefits, adding another monthly check to the mix.
Spousal benefits aren't as large as Social Security retirement benefits, but they can still be fairly substantial. We'll talk about the maximum spousal benefit and how to estimate what you might personally get.
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How does the government calculate spousal Social Security benefits?
The maximum spousal Social Security benefit is half of the higher-earning spouse's primary insurance amount (PIA). This is the amount that person qualifies for if they apply for benefits at their full retirement age (FRA), which is between 66 and 67, depending on their birth year.
The maximum PIA in 2024 is $3,822 per month, making the maximum spousal benefit $1,911 per month. Together, these two benefits could bring in nearly $69,000 annually -- but don't get your hopes up.
Most retired workers won't ever earn anything close to the maximum PIA, which means most spouses won't get the maximum spousal benefit either. To pull this off, the higher-earning spouse would have to work for at least 35 years and earn the maximum income subject to Social Security taxes in all 35 of those years ($168,600 in 2024).
And if they want to go for the $4,873 maximum retirement benefit, they'd also have to delay Social Security until 70. The reason delaying is necessary in this case is that the government adjusts your benefit depending on your age at signup. Applying before your FRA reduces your monthly benefit, while delaying Social Security boosts your checks a little every month until you reach 70.
Unfortunately for spouses, there are no delayed retirement credits for spousal benefits so they max out at FRA. But there's still a penalty for early claiming, and it's even steeper than the early claiming penalty for retired workers. It's also worth noting that you cannot claim spousal benefits until your spouse is claiming Social Security themselves.
What will your spousal Social Security benefit be?
Knowing the maximum spousal Social Security benefit could be a reality check for some workers who expected more from the program, but it's not all that useful in reality. If you want to be better prepared for your own retirement, you need a personalized estimate of your spousal benefit.
Figuring this out isn't as hard as you might think. The Social Security Administration has a calculator tool that can estimate your benefit -- you can access it by creating a my Social Security account.
That said, you'll need to know your spouse's PIA. They can figure this out if they make their own my Social Security account and look at their estimated benefit at their FRA. Then, you can plug this information into your own my Social Security account to see what your spousal benefit could be worth at every claiming age.
Keep in mind this calculator can't tell you exactly how much you'll get. It makes assumptions about how much longer a worker will pay Social Security payroll taxes and how much they'll earn each year, and these assumptions may not be correct. However, it's possible to change the estimates of future income if you'd like to see how this changes monthly benefits.
Use this information as a jumping-off point when determining how much your Social Security benefits will be worth and when you and your spouse should apply. Make sure you're both on the same page, and you have a plan for covering the expenses that Social Security won't. Keep communicating as you get closer to retirement, and adjust your strategy as needed.
