What Are Social Security Spousal Benefits?

Key takeaways

• Boost retirement income by exploring Social Security spousal benefits, especially if earnings differ significantly.
• Qualify for up to 50% of your spouse’s benefit — even if divorced, says Mary Liz Burns.
• Remember, collecting spousal benefits won’t reduce your spouse’s payment, notes Mary Liz Burns of AARP.

Summary

Understanding Social Security spousal benefits can help you maximize your retirement income, especially if there is a significant difference between your earnings and your partner’s. Social Security spousal benefits are payments based on your spouse’s lifetime earnings rather than your own. You may qualify if you’re at least 62 years old, have been married for at least one year, and your spouse is already receiving retirement or disability benefits. In some cases, even divorced individuals may be eligible if the marriage lasted at least 10 years.

The amount you receive typically ranges from 32 to 50% of your spouse’s full monthly retirement payment, depending on your age when you apply. Importantly, collecting spousal benefits does not reduce your spouse’s payment. If you also qualify for your own Social Security retirement benefit, you’ll get whichever amount is higher, but not both. To learn more and confirm your options, visit aarp.org/socialsecurity.

The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.

Full Transcript:

[00:00:00] Hi, I’m Mary Liz Burns, and in my work with AARP I try to simplify the more

[00:00:05] complex aspects of Social Security. Social Security provides several types of benefits.

[00:00:12] Not all are tied to your earnings. Something called spousal benefits is an option many people don’t

[00:00:17] know about, and if you’re one of them, you may be missing out. So what are Social Security spousal benefits?

[00:00:25] Let’s take a look. Spousal benefits are just what they sound like. They’re payments you get based on your partner’s lifetime earnings.

[00:00:33] They’re intended to help when there’s a significant difference between spouse’s incomes. So how do you qualify?

[00:00:40] You’re likely entitled to receive spousal benefits if your spouse is already collecting

[00:00:45] retirement or disability benefits; you’ve been married for more than one year; and you’re 62 or older. How much you’ll get depends on your age

[00:00:54] when you file. It typically ranges between 32 and 50% of your spouse’s

[00:00:59] full monthly retirement payment. There are a few important things to note. First, collecting spousal benefits will not affect how much your spouse receives.

[00:01:10] Second, your spousal benefit may be reduced if you are still working or you’re under full retirement age.

[00:01:17] If you did work, you may also be eligible for your own Social Security retirement benefit, but you’ll get either the spousal benefit amount or the retirement benefit,

[00:01:27] whichever one is higher, not both. And third, you may qualify for spousal benefits even if you’re divorced, as

[00:01:35] long as you are 62 or older and the marriage lasted at least 10 years.

[00:01:40] To learn more, go to aarp.org/socialsecurity.