Council on Aging Answers 2017 - 71

COUNCIL ON AGING - SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA

Social Security Spouse Benefits
n Jeffrey Rodriguez,
Social Security Public Affairs Specialist

Council On Aging-Southern California | 714-479-0107 | www.coasc.org Answers Guide 2017

FINANCE & LEGAL

If you are married or you have been married for over
10 years and are divorced; then you should investigate if
you are eligible for Social Security spouse benefits.
When you start receiving Social Security retirement
benefits, some members of your family may also qualify
to receive benefits on your record. If they qualify, your
spouse may receive a monthly payment of up to onehalf of your full retirement benefit amount. These payments will not decrease your retirement benefit. In fact,
the value of the benefits your family may receive when
added to your own might help you decide if taking your
benefits sooner may be more advantageous.
Even if he or she has never worked under Social Security, your spouse may be able to get benefits if he or she
is at least 62 years of age and you are receiving or eligible
for retirement or disability benefits. He or she can also
qualify for Medicare at age 65.
If your spouse is not already receiving benefits, he or
she can apply online for benefits based on age. When
you and your spouse apply online for retirement benefits
at the same time, or if your spouse applies online after
you start receiving benefits, Social Security will check
his or her eligibility for benefits as a spouse. If he or she
is qualified, the online application will automatically include a request for spousal benefits on your record.
What is the eligibility for Social Security spouse's benefits?
If you have not worked or do not have enough Social
Security credits to qualify for your own Social Security
benefits, you may be able to receive spouse's benefits.
To qualify for spouse's benefits, you must be:
n At least 62 years of age; or
n Any age and caring for a child who is younger than
age 16 or disabled, entitled to receive benefits on your
spouse's record.
If you are eligible for both your own retirement benefits and for benefits as a spouse, Social Security always
pays your own benefits first. If your benefits as a spouse
are higher than your own retirement benefits, you will
get a combination of benefits equaling the higher spouse
benefit.

If you choose to begin receiving spouse's benefits
before you reach full retirement age, your benefit
amount will be reduced and will not be increased
when you reach full retirement age. By waiting until
you reach full retirement age to apply for spouse's
benefits, you will receive the maximum benefit, which
is up to half of the amount your spouse is entitled to
receive at full retirement age. If you have reached full
retirement age and you are eligible for a spouse's benefit and your own retirement benefit, you may have options to increase your own retirement benefit amount.
If you are divorced, but your marriage lasted 10
years or longer, you can receive benefits on your exspouse's record (even if he or she has remarried) if:
n You are unmarried;
n You are age 62 or older;
n Your ex-spouse is entitled to Social Security retirement or disability benefits and
n The benefit you are entitled to receive based on
your own work is less than the benefit you would
receive based on your ex-spouse's work.
If you remarry, you generally cannot collect benefits
on your former spouse's record unless your later marriage ends (whether by death, divorce or annulment).
If your ex-spouse has not applied for retirement
benefits, but can qualify for them, you can receive
benefits on his or her record if you have been divorced
for at least two years.
If you are eligible for retirement benefits on your
own record and divorced spouse's benefits, we will
pay the retirement benefit first. If the benefit on your
ex-spouse's record is higher, you will get an additional
amount on your ex-spouse's record so that the combination of benefits equals that higher amount.
Note: If you were born before January 2, 1954 and
have already reached full retirement age, you can
choose to receive only the divorced spouse's benefit
and delay receiving your retirement benefit until a later date. If your birthday is January 2, 1954 or later, the
option to take only one benefit at full retirement age
no longer exists. If you file for one benefit, you will be
effectively filing for all retirement or spousal benefits.
For additional information visit www.socialsecurity.
gov or call 1-800-772-1213.

http://www.socialsecurity.gov http://www.socialsecurity.gov http://www.coasc.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Council on Aging Answers 2017