Roughly 68 million Americans will receive a Social Security check in 2024, according to the Social Security Administration, including around nine in 10 adults age 65 and older.
While retirement benefits are the most common form of Social Security, other types of benefits are available, too. If you're married or divorced, for example, you could qualify for spousal benefits.
The average spouse of a retired worker collects around $910 per month in benefits, according to October 2024 data from the Social Security Administration, so it pays to take advantage of this type of payment if you're eligible. Here are the three primary factors to determine whether you qualify for spousal (or divorce) benefits.
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1. Your marital status
To qualify for spousal benefits, you must be married to someone who is entitled to either retirement or disability benefits. You'll also need to have been married for at least one year before you can begin claiming spousal Social Security.
Divorced spouses can also receive benefits based on a former partner's work record. To qualify, you cannot currently be married, and you must have been married to your previous spouse for at least 10 years. If you've been divorced for less than two years, you'll need to wait until your ex-spouse files for Social Security before you begin taking divorce benefits.
With both types of benefits, your payments will not affect how much your spouse or ex-spouse receives from Social Security. If your ex-partner has remarried, their current spouse can also still claim spousal benefits even if you're collecting divorce benefits.
2. Your age
In general, you'll need to wait until age 62 to begin claiming either spousal or divorce benefits. The exception, though, is if you're caring for your spouse's child. If that child is either under age 16 or has a disability (and your spouse is at least 62 years old), you can file for spousal benefits at any age.
Also, to receive the full benefit you're entitled to, you'll need to wait until your full retirement age (FRA) to begin claiming. Filing earlier than your FRA will permanently reduce your monthly payment. And unlike standard retirement benefits, waiting until after your FRA to file will not earn you larger checks each month. There's no financial incentive, then, to delay past your FRA with spousal or divorce benefits.
3. Your retirement benefit (if you're receiving one)
You can qualify for spousal or divorce benefits even if you've never worked, but if you have worked long enough to qualify for retirement benefits, it could affect your payments.
The maximum you can receive in spousal or divorce benefits is 50% of the amount your partner will receive at their FRA. If your own retirement benefit is higher than that, it will disqualify you from other types of Social Security. And if your benefit is lower, you'll only receive the higher of the two amounts.
So, for example, say that you qualify for $800 per month in retirement benefits by claiming at your FRA, while your spouse will receive $2,000 per month at their FRA. In this case, you could collect up to $1,000 in spousal benefits. The Social Security Administration will pay out your $800 monthly benefit first, then you'll receive an additional $200 per month in spousal benefits so that your total payment equals the higher amount.
What if your spouse passes away?
While it's an unpleasant topic to think about, it's wise to at least be aware of how your benefit might change if your spouse passes away later in retirement.
If you're widowed, you'll no longer qualify for spousal or divorce benefits. However, you can often begin claiming survivor benefits. Most spouses will qualify for this type of benefit, and sometimes divorced spouses as well as other family members (like parents or adult children who were financially dependent on the deceased person) are eligible, too.
Widow(er)s who have reached their FRA can often receive their spouse's entire benefit amount after that person passes away. However, some other factors can affect how much you receive, such as your relation to the deceased person and how many people are claiming on that person's record. If you think you might qualify for survivor benefits, it's best to contact your local Social Security office to find out how much you might collect.
Social Security can be confusing at times, but taking advantage of every benefit you qualify for can boost your payments by hundreds of dollars per month. By understanding the requirements behind spousal, divorce, and survivor benefits, you can squeeze every penny out of Social Security.
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