A Social Security spousal rule that has been around for decades officially ends this year for everyone except those who were 70 on Jan. 1, 2024. The rule allows recipients to switch between their benefits and their spouse's to receive the maximum amount. But unless you were born before Jan.
Key Features of the New Rule
Starting September 30, 2024, anyone who has not previously registered with us and who wants to be appointed as a representative must register with us using the Form SSA-1699 before we will recognize a new appointment request.
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.
The current spouse benefit is based on 50 percent of the PIA of the other spouse. Reduce this percent each year by 1 percentage point beginning with newly eligible spouses in 2025, until the percent reaches 33 in 2041.
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.
In 2025, all beneficiaries will see a 2.5% increase to their Social Security benefit checks, thanks to an annual cost-of-living adjustment. Of note, the 2024 increase was 3.2%. This year's COLA is the lowest increase beneficiaries have seen since a 1.3% increase in 2021, reflecting a decrease in the pace of inflation.
If the spouses divorced, the marriage must have lasted 10 years. Each survivor benefit can be up to 100% of your benefit. The amount may be reduced if the women start benefits before their own full retirement age, but they don't have to share — the amount isn't reduced because you've had more than one spouse.
On December 21, 2024, the Senate passed H.R. 82, the Social Security Fairness Act of 2023, without amendment, by Yea-Nay vote, 76-20. The bill previously passed the House on November 12, 2024 by roll call vote, 327-75-1, under suspension of the rules.
If you claim your regular Social Security benefit before your higher-earning spouse does, you have the option of switching to spousal benefits at a later date when (or after) your spouse decides to file.
Latest COLA
Social Security benefits will increase by 2.5 percent beginning with the December 2024 benefits, which are payable in January 2025. Federal SSI payment levels will also increase by 2.5 percent effective for payments made for January 2025.
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.
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.
For 2024, the amount of earnings that will have no effect on eligibility or benefits for SSI beneficiaries who are students under age 22 is $9,230 a year. The amount of earnings that we can exclude each month, until we have excluded the maximum for the year, is $2,290 a month.
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.
Generally, the maximum Federal SSI benefit amount changes yearly. SSI benefits increased in 2024 because there was an increase in the Consumer Price Index from the third quarter of 2022 to the third quarter of 2023. Effective January 1, 2024 the Federal benefit rate is $943 for an individual and $1,415 for a couple.
Final Congressional action on the bill took place when the Conference Report was passed by voice vote on August 8, 1935 in the House and on August 9th in the Senate. On August 14, 1935 President Roosevelt signed the bill into law at a ceremony in the White House Cabinet Room.
These WEP provisions were included in the legislation signed by President Ronald Reagan on April 21, 1983.
On December 20, 2024, the Senate voted to pass the bill 76-20. This bipartisan legislation would eliminate the Windfall Elimination Provision (WEP) and the Government Pension Offset (GPO). Together, these provisions negatively impact or eliminate Social Security benefits for millions of retired public servants.
A Social Security spousal rule that was around for decades ended this year for the last eligible retirees — those who turned 70 on Jan. 1, 2024. The rule allowed recipients to switch between their benefits and their spouses' to receive the maximum amount.
you're eligible for some of your ex's Social Security
wives and widows. That means most divorced women collect their own Social Security while the ex is alive, but can apply for higher widow's rates when he dies.
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.
Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits for more than 72.5 million Americans will increase 2.5 percent in 2025. Read more about the Social Security Cost-of-Living adjustment for 2025. The maximum amount of earnings subject to the Social Security tax (taxable maximum) will increase to $176,100.
You would not be required to file a tax return. But you might want to file a return, because even though you are not required to pay taxes on your Social Security, you may be able to get a refund of any money withheld from your paycheck for taxes.