Social Security 2025: Are you eligible for spousal benefits? What to know
Social Security is a federal program that provides benefits like retirement and disability, financed through taxes deducted from employer and employee wages.
Social Security benefits depend on a number of things — including age, employment history, disability status and if you are a U.S. citizen.
Spouses are also allowed to claim benefits based on their husband or wife’s benefits.
But how do these benefits work?
Here are some things retired married couples should know, according to finance and investing company, The Motley Fool.
How it works:
Spousal Social Security benefits are based on your spouse’s work history instead of your own.
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Benefits are typically based on a person’s 35 highest-earning years of work, but if your spouse earned significantly more or your history is limited you could benefit more from spousal benefits.
Who qualifies?
To qualify for spousal benefits while you’re married, you must be married for at least a year, be at least 62 years old or caring for your spouse’s disabled child younger than 16 years old and your spouse must receive retirement benefits.
All three requirements must be met in order to receive spousal benefits.
If you are at least 62 and your spouse does not receive benefits, you can take your own retirement benefit and claim your spouses higher benefit once they file.
Social Security will give you either your own retirement benefit or spousal benefits but not both.
How spousal benefits are calculated
Spousal benefits are based on the amount your spouse is eligible for at full retirement age, which is 67.
Depending on how old you are when you start receiving benefits, you can receive between 32.5% and 50% of your spouse’s benefits.
If you wait until you are 67 to start receiving spousal benefits, you’ll qualify for the 50% maximum.