What Retired Couples Need to Understand About Spousal Social Security Benefits Dan SmithOctober 25, 2025 at 11:28 PM 0 The conversation about retirement usually circles around savings, investments, and maybe a longawaited vacation.
- - What Retired Couples Need to Understand About Spousal Social Security Benefits
Dan SmithOctober 25, 2025 at 11:28 PM
0
The conversation about retirement usually circles around savings, investments, and maybe a long-awaited vacation. Yet one topic often flies under the radar: how couples can make the most of Social Security through spousal benefits. It might sound technical, but for many retired pairs, understanding how this works could mean the difference between getting by and living comfortably. The details are easier to sort through than most people expect once you know where to look.
The Basics Every Couple Should Know
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Spousal benefits allow one partner to collect Social Security payments based on the other's work record. This feature can be a financial lifeline for those who have spent fewer years in the workforce or earned less over time. The key number to remember is 50 percent, which is the maximum amount one spouse can receive from the other's full retirement age benefit, also known as the primary insurance amount.
To qualify, the higher-earning spouse must already be receiving benefits, and the marriage must be at least one year old. The earliest age the lower-earning spouse can apply is 62, but filing before full retirement age leads to a smaller payout.
For example, a spouse who starts at 62 could collect only 32.5 percent of their partner's full benefit instead of the full 50 percent available at their own full retirement age. Timing plays a major role in shaping monthly income, so filing too soon can leave money on the table.
Timing Can Change the Numbers
The decision about when to claim benefits can have lasting effects. The Social Security Administration sets the full retirement age between 66 and 67, depending on birth year. Claiming earlier reduces benefits, while waiting until full retirement age locks in the full amount. However, unlike standard benefits, spousal payments do not increase after that point.
Waiting beyond full retirement age doesn't earn any bonus, so there's little reason to delay. If a husband's full retirement benefit is $2,400, his spouse could collect $1,200 at full retirement age.
Claiming at 64 would reduce it to roughly $960, and at 62 it would drop to $780. Many couples coordinate when they file to get the most steady income possible.
The Deeming Rule and How It Works
The deeming rule means that when someone applies for benefits, either their own or their spouse's, they're automatically considered to have applied for both. The Social Security Administration compares the two and pays whichever amount is higher. This rule prevents double-dipping but also removes the option to delay one benefit type while collecting another.
For instance, if one spouse qualifies for $1,000 on their own record and 50 percent of their partner's benefit equals $1,200, they'll receive $1,200. If the amounts are reversed, they'll only receive the higher one. It's straightforward in concept but important to understand when mapping out a retirement income plan. Knowing this rule in advance helps couples avoid surprises when benefits begin.
Divorced and Widowed Spouses Have Options Too
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Divorced individuals can also claim spousal benefits, but certain conditions apply. The marriage must have lasted at least 10 years, the applicant must currently be single, and the ex-spouse must be old enough to qualify for benefits.
Even if the ex has not yet filed, benefits may still be available if the divorce has been final for two or more years. Collecting based on an ex-spouse's record does not reduce what that person receives, so it's an entirely separate calculation.
Widows and widowers follow another rule of survivor benefits, which can equal 100 percent of the deceased spouse's benefit if claimed at full retirement age. Survivors can start earlier, at age 60, but the payout is reduced to between 71.5 and 99 percent of the late spouse's amount.
The Social Security Fairness Act of 2023 also made a significant change by removing the government pension offset and windfall elimination provisions that previously reduced benefits for retirees with public-sector pensions.
Coordinating Strategies for the Best Outcome
Couples often have very different earnings histories, savings levels, and health conditions that shape their choices. A common approach is for the higher earner to delay claiming their own benefit until age 70 to earn delayed retirement credits. This increases their monthly payments and, in turn, raises the survivor benefit. The lower-earning spouse usually benefits most by waiting until full retirement age before filing for spousal benefits.
Each household has its own financial puzzle to solve, but timing and coordination make the biggest difference. Adjusting when each spouse files can mean several thousand dollars more in yearly income and a stronger foundation for later years.
Source: "AOL Money"
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