How do Social Security spousal benefits work? My spouse, who is almost 62 years old, has had few jobs over the years, but spent most of their time as a homemaker. What would they be eligible for?

Spousal benefit questions are among the most frequently asked and confusing parts of Social Security. The rules for qualifying and claiming spousal benefits can be complex and involve many exceptions. But understanding how these benefits work is crucial for maximizing your family’s retirement income. Here is what you should know.

What Are Spousal Benefits?

Social Security spousal benefits are designed to provide retirement income to spouses who either did not work, worked sporadically or only part-time and earned significantly less than their spouses over their working lifetime. A good example of a common spousal benefit recipient is a stay-at-home parent.

Who Qualifies?

To qualify for spousal benefits, you and your spouse must meet three conditions: your spouse must be at least age 62, you must be married for a year or more, and you must already be collecting your retirement benefits.

Different rules apply for ex-spouses. If you were married for at least 10 years and have not remarried, you may be eligible to receive a spousal benefit based on your ex-spouse’s record. You may be eligible, even if your ex-spouse has not yet filed for their own benefits, so long as your ex-spouse is age 62 or older and you have been divorced for at least two years.

How Much Are Spousal Benefits?

The amount your spouse receives for spousal benefits will depend on your earnings history and their age. The maximum spousal benefit is 50% of your primary insurance amount (PIA), which is the amount you are entitled to at full retirement age (FRA). However, your spouse will only get that much if they wait until their FRA to file, which is 67 if they were born in 1960 or later.

Spousal benefits cannot be increased by waiting beyond your spouse’s FRA, but they are reduced by taking them early. For example, if your spouse were to start collecting spousal benefits at age 62 (the earliest possible age), they would collect only 32.5% of your PIA. To calculate the reduction to spousal benefits if claimed before their FRA, see SSA.gov/OACT/quickcalc/spouse.html.

Spousal benefits are based on your PIA. Even if you retire before reaching your FRA, your spouse’s spousal benefit will not be reduced. Additionally, if your spouse worked and is entitled to benefits on their own work record, but those benefits are less than what they are entitled to as a spouse, Social Security will pay the higher of the two amounts, but not both.

Survivor Benefits

In addition to spousal benefits, Social Security also pays survivor benefits to spouses and ex-spouses starting at age 60 (50 if disabled). Therefore, if your spouse outlives you, they will be able to switch from their spousal benefits to survivor benefits and receive a higher payment. Survivor benefits range between 71.5% and 100% of the deceased’s benefit, based on your spouse’s age.

There is, however, one exception. Surviving spouses and ex-spouses that are caring for a child of a deceased worker, that is under age 16 or disabled are eligible to receive 75% of the worker’s benefit amount at any age.

Online Calculators

There are several online calculators that can help you and your spouse figure out the best time to claim benefits to ensure optimize your lifetime payout. Some are available for free, while others offer a more personalized analysis based on your circumstances. You can find these calculators by searching online with terms like “Social Security calculator” or “retirement benefit estimator.”

Savvy Living is written by Jim Miller, a regular contributor to the NBC Today Show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.  Any links in this article are offered as a service and there is no endorsement of any product.  These articles are offered as a helpful and informative service to our friends and may not always reflect this organization’s official position on some topics.  Jim invites you to send your senior questions to: Savvy Living, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070.