According to the Social Security Administration, nearly 70 million Americans are set to receive Social Security checks in 2025, with these benefits accounting for nearly one-third of senior citizens’ retirement income. Spousal benefits represent a significant portion of these payments, with the average monthly benefit estimated at approximately $931 as of January 2025. For those who are married or divorced, understanding the specifics of spousal Social Security benefits is crucial as retirement approaches.
Spousal benefits are accessible to individuals who are married, divorced, or widowed. Married individuals are typically eligible if they are at least 62 years old and their spouse qualifies for retirement or disability benefits. These individuals can receive up to 50% of their spouse’s full benefit amount.
Divorced individuals may also qualify for spousal benefits if they are not currently married and their previous marriage lasted a minimum of ten years. The maximum benefit amount in this case is also 50% of the former spouse’s full benefit. Notably, if the ex-spouse remarries, it does not impact the eligibility for divorce-related benefits, and the current partner of the spouse can also receive spousal benefits concurrently.
In the case of a spouse’s death, survivors may be eligible to receive the full benefit amount as survivors benefits. These benefits are generally available to widowed spouses, but other family members like dependent children and parents might also be eligible for this Social Security benefit.
For those who qualify for both retirement and spousal benefits, the retirement benefits may affect the spousal payments. If eligible for both, only the higher of the two amounts will be received. The Social Security Administration will disburse the retirement benefit first and, if the spousal benefit is higher, a supplementary payment will make up the difference each month. For example, if one is eligible for $1,000 monthly in retirement benefits and $1,200 in spousal benefits, the individual would receive their $1,000 retirement payment plus an additional $200, totaling $1,200 monthly. However, if the individual were eligible for $1,500 per month in retirement benefits, they would not receive spousal Social Security.
The timing of filing for spousal benefits significantly influences the benefit amount. To achieve the maximum spousal benefit, which is 50% of the spouse’s full benefit amount, filing must be done at full retirement age, which for most is between 66 and 67 years, depending on birth year. Filing earlier than this age will result in a permanent reduction of benefits. Unlike individual retirement benefits, delaying beyond the full retirement age does not increase spousal benefits, nor does a spouse delaying their own benefits affect the spousal benefit amount, which remains capped at 50%.
Typically, individuals must be at least 62 years old to qualify for spousal benefits. However, if one is responsible for a spouse’s child who is either disabled or younger than 16 and qualifies for Social Security under the spouse’s record, benefits may be received at any age.
The intricacies of Social Security can sometimes be confusing, and lacking knowledge can lead to missed benefits. A deeper understanding of qualification criteria for spousal benefits can help individuals maximize their Social Security income.
