Each spouse can claim benefits. However, the amount they receive is based on their own work record. Or, they can choose to claim up to 50% of their spouse's benefit at full retirement age.
Either spouse can maximize their regular Social Security benefit amount by waiting past their full-retirement age to apply, up to age 70. Benefits generally increase 8% each year filing is delayed.
Bottom Line. The maximum monthly Social Security benefit of $5,108 is only available to high earners who wait to claim their benefits until the age of 70. The maximum benefit a married couple could collect would be twice that at $10,216 and require both of them to earn $176,100 or more over 35 years of work.
Spouses and ex-spouses
Payments start at 71.5% of your spouse's benefit and increase the longer you wait to apply. For example, you might get: Over 75% at age 61.
Importantly, an individual can only receive one set of benefits at a time. If both spouses in a household are receiving Social Security benefits, the surviving spouse will generally receive the equivalent of the larger of the two possible benefits, but not both.
The first exception, which can be deemed as the Social Security spousal benefits loophole, works where an individual who remarries at 60 or later may still be entitled to Social Security survivors' benefits if the second marriage ends before the death of the first spouse.
The spousal benefit can be as much as half of the worker's "primary insurance amount," depending on the spouse's age at retirement. If the spouse begins receiving benefits before "normal (or full) retirement age," the spouse will receive a reduced benefit.
Have you heard about the Social Security $16,728 yearly bonus? There's really no “bonus” that retirees can collect. The Social Security Administration (SSA) uses a specific formula based on your lifetime earnings to determine your benefit amount.
A wife with no work record or low benefit entitlement on her own work record is eligible for between one-third and one-half of her spouse's Social Security benefit.
What are the marriage requirements to receive Social Security spouse's benefits? Generally, you must be married for one year before you can get spouse's benefits. However, if you are the parent of your spouse's child, the one-year rule does not apply.
You must pay taxes on up to 85% of your Social Security benefits if you file a: Federal tax return as an "individual" and your "combined income" exceeds $25,000. Joint return, and you and your spouse have "combined income" of more than $32,000.
What the average couple gets from Social Security right now. The average monthly retirement benefit as of May 2024 is $1,917 per month. If both spouses qualified for this amount, their household monthly benefits would be $3,834 per month, or about $46,000 per year.
If you've been married multiple times, your current and former spouses could be eligible for Social Security benefits based on your earnings record, subject to certain requirements.
If your spouse dies, do you get both Social Security benefits? You cannot claim your deceased spouse's benefits in addition to your own retirement benefits. Social Security only will pay one—survivor or retirement. If you qualify for both survivor and retirement benefits, you will receive whichever amount is higher.
Exactly how much in earnings do you need to get a $3,000 benefit? Well, you just need to have averaged about 70% of the taxable maximum. In our example case, that means that your earnings in 1983 were about $22,000 and increased every year to where they ended at about $100,000 at age 62.
To qualify to get $144 added back to your Social Security check, you can enroll in a Medicare Advantage plan that offers a Part B premium reduction or giveback benefit.
Although you need at least 10 years of work (40 credits) to qualify for Social Security retirement benefits, we base the amount of your benefit on your highest 35 years of earnings.
If your spouse is not receiving any retirement benefits yet, then you could technically take your regular Social Security benefit as early as age 62. When your spouse files for their benefit later you could switch to spousal benefits.
This is good news when former spouses are not on good terms. Your ex cannot “block” you from drawing your spousal benefit. In fact, he probably won't even know if you are drawing off him unless he calls SSA to ask.
You can start receiving your Social Security retirement benefits as early as age 62. However, you are entitled to full benefits only when you reach your full retirement age. If you delay taking your benefits from your full retirement age up to age 70, your benefit amount will increase.
Key Takeaways
The maximum spousal benefit is 50% of the other spouse's full benefit. You may be eligible if you're married, divorced, or widowed. You can collect spousal benefits as early as age 62, but in most cases, the benefits are permanently reduced if you start collecting before your full retirement age.
In 2024, everyone receiving Social Security retirement, Social Security disability, and Supplemental Security income will see a 3.2% increase in their benefits. This means an average increase of more than $50 per month: Average monthly SSDI (2024): $1,537. Maximum monthly SSI (2024): $943.