Spousal Social Security benefits can be a boon to the budget of anyone who doesn't qualify for benefits on their own or expects to receive a small monthly benefit. The trick is to understand if you qualify, and if so, how much you can expect your benefits to be.
Whether you qualify for spousal benefits depends on how you answer the following questions:
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Does your spouse qualify for Social Security benefits?
This is the foundational question. Typically, this means your partner earned 40 credits or completed approximately 10 years of work. If your spouse is eligible for Social Security benefits, you may qualify for spousal benefits.
How long have you been married?
First and foremost, you must be legally married to the Social Security recipient to claim spousal benefits. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA), you must be married for one year before qualifying. However, if you share a child with your spouse, the one-year rule does not apply.
Are you divorced?
If you're divorced, you may still be eligible for spousal benefits based on your ex-spouse's work record, even if your ex remarried and the current spouse is collecting benefits based on the ex's work record. Here are the eligibility requirements:
- Your ex is currently receiving Social Security benefits.
- If your ex has reached retirement age and is eligible to receive Social Security benefits but has not applied, you can apply for benefits if you've been divorced for at least two years.
- You are 62 or older, unless your ex-spouse has passed away and you're currently unmarried. In that case, you can collect benefits as early as 60. And if your ex is deceased and you're disabled, you can collect as early as age 50.
- You were married to your ex for at least 10 years and divorced for at least two years.
- You are currently unmarried. If you remarried someone else and later divorced them, you can claim benefits from either spouse as long as you were married to each for at least 10 years.
If you decide to collect Social Security benefits based on an ex-spouse's work record, your ex will not be notified and won't know unless you tell them.
How old are you?
If you wait until your full retirement age (FRA) to apply for spousal benefits, your benefit will be worth up to 50% of the amount your spouse is due at FRA. Let's say your spouse is eligible for a monthly benefit of $3,000: You can expect a payment of $1,500.
Your monthly benefit will be permanently reduced if you file for spousal benefits before your FRA. For example, if your FRA is 66, here's how much you can expect benefits to be reduced:
- Age 65: You'll receive 45.8% of your spouse's benefit.
- Age 64: You'll receive 41.7% of your spouse's benefit.
- Age 63: You'll receive 37.5% of your spouse's benefit.
- Age 62: You'll receive 35% of your spouse's benefit.
Have you earned benefits of your own?
If you have your own Social Security benefit based on your work record, but your spouse's benefit is larger, you may receive a larger amount. Imagine you're eligible for $1,000 per month, based on your own work record. Your spouse qualifies for a monthly benefit of $3,000. At FRA, you would receive your $1,000 benefit, plus $500 to bring you up to the $1,500 spousal benefit (50% of your spouse's benefit amount).
Before applying for spousal benefits, gather all necessary documents. For example, you may be asked to provide:
- Your birth certificate (or a similar document).
- Proof of U.S. citizenship or lawful alien status.
- U.S. military discharge papers (only if your military service was before 1968).
- A marriage certificate.
- W-2 forms or self-employment tax returns.
If you're divorced and filing for spousal benefits based on an ex's work record, be prepared to provide a copy of the final divorce decree. The application process is not complicated, especially if you have the documentation ready to go. To apply, you can call an SSA office, visit in person, or fill out an online application.
