The basics: your benefit is yours alone, but marriage affects the amount

When you're married, you have the right to claim a benefit based on your own work record, or a benefit based on your spouse's work record — whichever is larger. Social Security does not combine your earnings or split your benefit with your spouse. Each of you gets a separate monthly payment, calculated separately, based on your own earnings history or your spouse's, depending on which route gives you more money.

The key difference from being single is that marriage opens a second path to a benefit. If your spouse earned significantly more than you did over their lifetime, you may receive more money by claiming on their record than on your own. This is called a spousal benefit. You do not have to choose this route — you can always claim on your own record instead — but Social Security will calculate both and pay you whichever is higher.

Your spouse's benefit is completely separate from yours. If your spouse claims at 62, that does not force you to claim at 62. If your spouse dies, your benefit does not disappear — though you may become may be able to access for a different benefit, called a survivor benefit, which is calculated differently.

Key Takeaways

  • You can claim a benefit based on your own work record or on your spouse's record, and Social Security pays you whichever amount is larger.
  • A spousal benefit is typically 32 to 50 percent of your spouse's full retirement age benefit, depending on your age when you claim.
  • Both spouses must be at least 62 years old for either of you to claim a spousal benefit; if one spouse is younger, only the older spouse can claim.
  • If you were married for at least 10 years and are now divorced, you may be able to claim on your ex-spouse's record without their knowledge or permission.
  • Delaying your claim past your full retirement age increases your monthly benefit by 8 percent per year, whether you claim on your own record or a spousal benefit.

How spousal benefits are calculated

A spousal benefit is not half of your spouse's benefit. Instead, Social Security calculates it as a percentage of your spouse's primary insurance amount — the benefit your spouse would receive at their full retirement age. The percentage depends on your age when you claim.

If you claim at your full retirement age (which ranges from 66 to 67 depending on your birth year), you receive approximately 32 to 50 percent of your spouse's primary insurance amount. The exact percentage varies slightly by birth year. If you claim before your full retirement age, the percentage is lower. If you claim after your full retirement age, the percentage increases — by about 8 percent per year — up to age 70.

Here is the practical math: suppose your spouse's primary insurance amount is $2,000 per month. If you claim a spousal benefit at your full retirement age, you might receive around $1,000 per month (50 percent). If you claim at 62, you might receive around $650 per month (32.5 percent). If you delay until 70, you might receive around $1,320 per month (66 percent). Your spouse's benefit does not change based on your choices.

When both spouses can claim spousal benefits

Both of you can claim spousal benefits, but only if you are both at least 62 years old. If one spouse is younger than 62, that younger spouse cannot claim a spousal benefit yet, even if the older spouse has already claimed.

The older spouse can claim their own benefit at 62 or later. Once the older spouse has claimed, the younger spouse becomes may be able to access to claim a spousal benefit as soon as they turn 62. Neither of you has to claim at the same time. You can stagger your claims — for example, one spouse claims at 62 and the other waits until 70 — and each of you will receive the benefit amount based on your own age and choices.

If one spouse has not yet claimed, the other spouse still cannot claim a spousal benefit. Social Security requires the higher-earning spouse to have filed for benefits before the lower-earning spouse can claim on their record. This is true even if the higher-earning spouse is delaying their own benefit to receive a larger amount later.

Divorced spouses and the 10-year rule

If you were married for at least 10 years and are now divorced, you may be able to claim a benefit based on your ex-spouse's work record. You do not need your ex-spouse's permission, and they do not need to know you have claimed. Your ex-spouse does not receive less money because you claimed on their record.

To claim on an ex-spouse's record, you must be at least 62 years old, and your ex-spouse must be at least 62 as well. If your ex-spouse has not yet claimed their own benefit, you can still claim on their record once you reach 62, as long as you have been divorced for at least two years. The benefit amount is calculated the same way as a spousal benefit — as a percentage of your ex-spouse's primary insurance amount, depending on your age when you claim.

If you remarry, you generally lose the right to claim on your ex-spouse's record. However, if your current marriage ends (by divorce or death), you regain that right. This rule allows people who have had multiple marriages to claim on the record that gives them the highest benefit.

How earnings affect your benefit before full retirement age

If you claim before your full retirement age and you are still working, Social Security reduces your benefit based on your earnings. This reduction applies whether you claim on your own record or a spousal benefit. In 2024, for every $2 you earn above a certain limit, your benefit is reduced by $1. The limit changes each year.

Once you reach your full retirement age, the earnings limit no longer applies. You can earn as much as you want without any reduction to your benefit. This is true even if you are still working when you reach full retirement age.

Your spouse's earnings do not affect your benefit, and your earnings do not affect your spouse's benefit. Each person's earnings are evaluated separately. If you claim early and your spouse claims early, you each face the earnings test independently.

What happens to your benefit if your spouse dies

If your spouse dies, your spousal benefit ends. However, you become may be able to access for a survivor benefit, which is calculated differently and is often larger than the spousal benefit you were receiving. A survivor benefit is typically 75 percent of what your deceased spouse was receiving (or would have received at full retirement age).

You can claim a survivor benefit as early as age 60, or at any age if you are caring for your spouse's child who is under 16. If you wait until your full retirement age to claim, you receive 100 percent of your spouse's benefit amount. If you claim before full retirement age, the percentage is lower.

If you are also receiving a benefit on your own work record, Social Security will pay you the larger of the two amounts, not both. The survivor benefit and your own retirement benefit are evaluated separately, and you receive whichever is higher.

Married couples and the Government Pension Offset

If you receive a pension from work that was not covered by Social Security — such as some government jobs, teacher pensions, or foreign work — the Government Pension Offset may reduce your spousal or survivor benefit. The offset reduces your spousal or survivor benefit by two-thirds of your non-covered pension amount.

This rule does not affect your own Social Security retirement benefit, only benefits you claim based on a spouse's record. If your non-covered pension is large, the offset could reduce your spousal benefit to zero. The offset applies even if you did not work long enough to earn a full pension.

If you think the Government Pension Offset applies to you, bring documentation of your pension to your local Social Security office. The rules are complex and vary by the type of pension and when you were hired, so it is worth having a representative review your specific situation.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I claim a spousal benefit if my spouse hasn't claimed yet?

Not unless you have been divorced for at least two years. If you are still married, your spouse must have filed for benefits before you can claim on their record. If you are divorced and were married for at least 10 years, you can claim once you turn 62, even if your ex-spouse has not claimed and even if they are younger than 62.

Does my spouse's benefit go down if I claim on their record?

No. Your spouse receives their full benefit amount regardless of whether you claim on their record. Spousal benefits are paid from the Social Security trust fund, not from your spouse's benefit. Each person's payment is independent.

What if I'm married but we file taxes separately?

Your tax filing status does not affect your Social Security benefits. Social Security recognizes you as married if you are legally married, regardless of how you file taxes. You can still claim a spousal benefit and your spouse can still claim on your record.

Can I switch from my own benefit to a spousal benefit later?

It depends on your birth year. If you were born before January 2, 1954, you may be able to claim your own benefit first and switch to a spousal benefit later, or vice versa. If you were born January 2, 1954 or later, you must claim your highest benefit right away — you cannot switch between them. Talk to Social Security about your specific birth year and situation.

What happens to my benefit if we get divorced?

Your benefit does not change. If you were already receiving a spousal benefit, it ends, but you continue to receive your own retirement benefit. If you were receiving only your own benefit, nothing changes. You may become may be able to access to claim on your ex-spouse's record if you were married for at least 10 years, but you do not have to — you can continue on your own record.