Spousal benefits are Social Security benefits that are based on your spouse’s work record instead of your own. In some circumstances, you’re eligible for spousal benefits even if you’ve divorced. Your Social
up until age 70. However, Social Security spousal benefits aren't eligible for delayed retirement credits. This means that the most money you can walk away with is 50% of the amount your spouse gets at their full
1. Who is eligible to receive Social Security spousal benefits Like standard Social Security benefits, the first box that must be checked for eligibility is being at least 62 years old. The only exception is if you're caring for a disabled child who's younger than 16. The other two boxes...
As the public debates Social Security reform, the provision of spousal benefits will become an important issue. Under the Social Security program, the spouse with lower lifetime earnings is guaranteed at least 50 percent of the benefit of the spouse with higher lifetime earnings. Given the ...
You are eligible for spousal benefits if your spouse has filed for Social Security benefits and you are at least age 62, or caring for a child who's entitled to receive benefits on your spouse’s record and is younger than age 16 or is disabled.3 ...
People going through divorce experience a lot of emotional pain and it sometimes clouds their ability to address their need to emerge from the...
Before you claim Social Security early, you may want to think about how the move would impact your spousal benefits. To begin with, not all early filers can access those benefits immediately — and for those who are able to, the decision may not mean getting a bigger monthly check. It's...
Social Security Spousal Benefits To set some context for others who may not be in the exact same situation as you, let's start by reviewing the basics ofspousal benefits. Social Security benefits are based in part on your earnings record. Larger lifetime earnings result in ...
when one spouse has had little or no working history, such as a stay at home mom or dad, and where the other spouse has had a working career covered by Social Security, that has provided enough quarters of earnings to make him or her eligible for Social Security retirement benefits. ...
If your spouse claims Social Security benefits early, it will reduce benefits for both of you with one exception. If you're providing care for a child who is under age 16 and receivesSocial Security disability benefits(referred to as a "qualifying child"), your spousal benefits won't be re...