Eligibility for Married Social Security Entitlements?

Navigating the world of Social Security benefits can be complex, but understanding spousal benefits is an essential part of planning for retirement. Here's a breakdown of the key points to help you get started.

Eligibility for Spousal Benefits

To be eligible for spousal Social Security benefits, you must be married to a worker who is eligible for Social Security retirement benefits. Additionally, you must be at least 62 years old. However, there are exceptions for those born on the first or second of the month, who may be eligible at a younger age.

Full Retirement Age (FRA)

Your Full Retirement Age (FRA) determines when you can claim your full retirement benefit without any reduction due to early claiming. If you were born in 1960 or later, your FRA is 67. For those born before 1960, the FRA is slightly earlier.

Early Claiming and Penalties

While you can claim as early as 62, doing so will result in a 35% reduction in benefits due to the early claiming penalty.

Spousal Benefit Amount

Your spousal benefit is worth up to one-half of the benefit that your spouse (or ex) qualifies for at their Full Retirement Age (FRA), which depends on your birth year. To get your maximum spousal benefit, you must wait until your own FRA to apply.

Claiming Process

You have to wait until your spouse has applied for benefits before you can claim a spousal benefit on their work record. Once you're eligible, you can estimate your spousal benefit at all possible claiming ages with a free my Social Security account.

Special Cases

If you're the parent of your new spouse's child or were eligible for Social Security or Railroad Retirement Act benefits in the month before marriage, you'll become eligible for retirement benefits as soon as your marriage becomes official.

If you're divorced, you don't generally have to wait until your ex claims retirement benefits, but you have to be divorced for at least two years before you can claim ex-spousal benefits on your ex's work record if your ex hasn't yet claimed. Divorced spouses could be eligible for spousal benefits on their ex's work record if the couple was married for at least 10 years.

Cost-of-Living Adjustments (COLAs)

Spousal benefits are eligible for the same annual cost-of-living adjustments (COLAs) as retirement benefits.

Maximising Your Benefits

Once you have an idea of what kind of spousal benefit to expect, you can compare it to the retirement benefit you'd be eligible for at the same age using the benefit estimator tool in your my Social Security account. It's essential to consider all factors before deciding when to claim your benefits.

Important Considerations

The Social Security Administration pays you the larger of your own retirement benefit or your spousal benefit. However, the key requirements for spousal Social Security benefits include that the spouse must be at least 62 years old, the primary beneficiary must already be receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits, and the spousal benefit cannot exceed half of the primary worker's full retirement amount. Also, the couple must be legally married for at least one year before claiming benefits, and the spouse claiming benefits must not qualify for a higher benefit on their own work record.

Understanding spousal Social Security benefits is crucial for planning your retirement. By familiarising yourself with the eligibility criteria, the claiming process, and the potential benefits, you can make informed decisions about when to claim your benefits.