Social Security Benefits for Retired Workers, Spouses, and Survivors – 4 Key Points Married Couples Should Know

Social Security remains a critical source of income for older Americans, but benefits for spouses and survivors often come with misunderstandings. A recent MassMutual survey highlighted these knowledge gaps among adults nearing retirement. Here’s what married couples need to know about Social Security benefits to avoid losing substantial amounts of income.

Spouses

Spouses can claim Social Security benefits based on their retired partner’s work record, even if they have no individual earnings history. To be eligible, the spouse must be at least 62 years old, their partner must be receiving Social Security benefits, and the couple must have been married for at least one year.

Spouses may receive either their own Social Security benefits or spousal benefits, whichever is higher. However, they cannot receive both. It’s crucial to know that delaying retirement benefits earns delayed retirement credits, increasing benefits by 8% per year until age 70. This doesn’t apply to spousal benefits, which are not eligible for delayed retirement credits.

Maximizing Benefits

The amount of spousal benefits depends on the age at which the spouse claims and the primary insurance amount (PIA) of the retired worker. If claimed at full retirement age, spousal benefits equal 50% of the partner’s PIA. Claiming before full retirement age reduces the benefit amount.

Here’s how the benefits break down for different birth years and claiming ages:

Birth Year	Full Retirement Age	Benefit at Age 62
1943-1954	66	35%
1955	66 and 2 months	34.5%
1956	66 and 4 months	34.1%
1957	66 and 6 months	33.7%
1958	66 and 8 months	33.3%
1959	66 and 10 months	32.9%
1960 and later	67	32.5%

Claiming spousal benefits at full retirement age ensures the maximum possible payout. Since spousal benefits don’t earn delayed retirement credits, there’s no advantage to delaying beyond full retirement age.

Widows and Widowers

Widows and widowers can collect either their retirement benefits or survivor benefits but not both. Survivor benefits are based on the deceased spouse’s benefit amount and can be claimed as early as age 60, albeit at a reduced rate.

For maximum benefits, survivor benefits should be claimed at full retirement age, equaling 100% of the deceased spouse’s benefit. Claiming earlier results in reduced benefits, with the lowest possible payout starting at age 60, where survivors receive 71.5% of the deceased spouse’s benefit.

Divorced Spouses

Divorced spouses can claim Social Security benefits based on their ex-partner’s work record if they meet specific conditions: they must be at least 62 years old, the marriage must have lasted at least 10 years, and they must be unmarried.

Unlike married couples, divorced spouses can claim benefits even if their ex-partner hasn’t filed for Social Security. Also, the benefits received by divorced spouses do not affect the ex-partner’s benefits and the ex-partner is not notified of the claim.

Avoiding Misunderstandings

Misunderstandings about Social Security benefits can lead to missed opportunities for higher income in retirement. Here’s a recap of common misconceptions and the facts:

1. Spouses without an earnings history can receive benefits based on their partner’s record.
2. Surviving spouses do not receive both their own and their deceased spouse’s full benefits.
3. Divorced spouses can collect benefits based on their ex-partner’s earnings.

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